Paddling near Cairns, Queensland

Cairns sits at the edge of Tropical North Queensland, where rainforest rivers meet the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. Paddlers here move between two very different worlds: whitewater on rivers like the Barron and Johnstone cutting through rainforest, and sea kayaking around coastal islands such as Fitzroy, Dunk, and the Double Island area near Palm Cove. Babinda Creek draws those after a gentler float through crystal-clear mountain water, while the broader reef coast opens up multi-day SUP and kayak touring routes.