Turn on the sun

In the span of a few decades, Cairns has been transformed from a sugar-cane industry hub to a tourism industry hub. Tourism has proven to be a sweeter proposition than sugar, as Cairns offers a myriad of pretty places to suit a variety of visitor tastes. It has many attractions for gay travellers, particularly those from southern states.

While the town proper is stereotyped as a haven of backpackers and other hyper social types who seem to imbibe with abandon, it is in the outlying areas where the most beautiful beaches are found and Queensland’s relaxation quotient realises its maximum potential.

It is the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites converge in one place – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.

Skyrail offers the opportunity to view the Australian coastal rainforest (the Earth’s oldest) from above in a cable car as part of a genuine effort to bring the forest to the people without disturbing it.

The 7.5km-long cable car route gives a fantastic overview of the tropical rainforest, transporting passengers from sea level 550m upward to Kuranda on the edge of the Atherton Tableland. It offers a nature experience with guided tours led by beefy rangers who reveal secrets of the Australian forest, such as the antiseptic fluorescent yellow tree sap which is useful as an emergency elastic bandage.

The Great Barrier Reef is the Earth’s largest living organism and may be seen not only in the water but from high above. When poolside lounging proves too taxing, give a call to International Coaches & Tours, whose daytrips manage to put the best of the region into the indulgent Cairns In A Day Tour.

Take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up to the Tableland and the Skyrail back down in the morning. Then perhaps a helicopter ride to the outer Great Barrier Reef followed by lunch, some snorkelling, and a cruise back to town to finish the day with enough time for a mai tai back at the hotel.

As for accommodation, two of the most popular sites in town for gay travellers are Skinny Dips and Boys on the Beach B&B, while Turtle Cove Resort is located between Cairns and Port Douglas.

Minimalists should head not-so-straight for Shangri-la’s The Marina, the town’s slickest accommodation located right on the waterfront. Other travellers may prefer the genteel charms of the fabulous, gay-managed Whitfield House in Cairns’s trendy Edge Hill section. Whitfield House’s oversized spa tubs and the service of this home away from home make for a special getaway.

Try these websites: www.virginblue.com.au, www.skinnydips.com.au, www.turtlecove.com, www.boyzonthebeach.com.au and www.whitfieldhousecairns.com.au.