Cairns Convention Centre
Cairns Convention Centre completed major expansion and redevelopment works in 2021.
The modern facility spans 10,500 square metres and features a 450-seat plenary lecture room; exhibition space for up to 30 display booths; a banquet room for 500 guests with large pre-function space; three meeting rooms; an expanded entry lobby; an external terrace with views across Trinity Inlet; a new boardroom; and state-of-the-art technology.
Hemingway’s Brewery
A craft beer lover’s haven, this huge Cairns Wharf waterfront brewery is a destination in its own right.
With indoor and outdoor space, it’s ideal for grabbing a cold one or hosting business and private events for up to 1000 people. It’s not just about craft brews either – of which there are plenty of core range and seasonal options – with cocktails and a vast dining menu on offer.
Further along the wharf from Hemingway’s, on Trinity Inlet, is Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, another spacious repurposed maritime shed with exposed timber and ironwork, decked areas and a high roof.
It has capacity for 400 guests seated or 650 cocktail.
Tanks Arts Centre
This spectacular entertainment precinct is located at Cairns Botanic Gardens, just 4km from the CBD.
Set among the lush rainforest backdrop of Mount Whitfield, Tanks Arts Centre is a multi-use, contemporary arts facility housed in three converted World War II naval oil storage tanks.
Perfect for gala dinners, awards presentations, cocktail parties, banquets, workshops and live entertainment, each space at the venue can be configured to create a magical ambience.
With capacity ranging from small gatherings to groups of more than 500 guests, plus an outdoor amphitheatre entrance with circus rigging, this is where creative, bespoke events come to life.
The Sugar Shed (pictured, at top)
A spectacular setting on a working sugarcane farm, The Sugar Shed at Yorkeys Knob is a rustic, authentic venue suitable for large groups and weddings.
With entry via a dirt road, and dust and gravel underfoot, it’s a quintessentially Far North Queensland experience.
As the host venue for Australia Next’s welcome party in 2024, guests ate, drank and were merry in the large tin shed, propped up their drinks on functional machinery, and danced the night away under the stars.
Shangri-La The Marina
Overlooking Marlin Marina on Cairns Esplanade, five-star Shangri-La The Marina is a centrally located hotspot for luxury, indulgence, dining and events.
With a restaurant, bar, pools and a swathe of customisable spaces for meetings and conferences, it’s a versatile hub for business and leisure guests.
Another luxury hotel in the centre of town is Crystalbrook Riley, which features 311 rooms, six meeting spaces, and views of Coral Sea from its rooftop bar perched at one of Cairns’ highest points.
Reef Magic
With World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef one of the biggest drawcards to Tropical North Queensland, a must-do excursion is the one-hour-offshore day trip to the Reef Magic pontoon.
From this tethered platform, snorkellers can explore the reef at a sheltered coral lagoon, enjoy scenic helicopter flights, take tours to the outer reef with expert guides, try scuba diving, and learn about reef conservation from marine biologists at the pontoon’s functioning scientific lab.
