Cairns beach living and northern suburbs
Who's living the beach life in Cairns?
Cairns has eight northern beaches suburbs that are primarily residential areas. Cairns northern beaches suburbs are all picturesque places dotted with coconut palms, which are popular with young couples and families, particularly Clifton Beach and Kewarra Beach. Many families also live in Trinity Park, Yorkeys Knob and Trinity Beach.
Our northern beaches suburbs have a mix of townhouses, homes and units in the streets closest to the beaches, and a greater number of houses on larger blocks in the streets further back from the shoreline.
Median house prices in the Cairns northern beaches
| Northern beaches suburbs | Approx. driving time from the Cairns CBD** | Median house price* |
|---|---|---|
| Machans Beach | 11 minutes | $582,500 |
| Holloways Beach | 13 minutes | $540,000 |
| Yorkeys Knob | 17 minutes | $510,000 |
| Trinity Park | 20 - 25 minutes | $591,000 |
| Trinity Beach | 21 - 26 minutes | $673,500 |
| Kewarra Beach | 20 - 26 minutes | $623,000 |
| Clifton Beach | 23 - 28 minutes | $821,750 |
| Palm Cove | 26 - 31 minutes | $936,000 |
* source: realestate.com.au, September 2022 ** source: Google Maps
Each beach suburb has a unique character
Some of our northern beaches have a resort feel (like Palm Cove) with its great restaurants, pubs and cafes; others are home to an active and eclectic arts community (like Machans Beach). Bluewater Marina is situated at Trinity Park, and Yorkeys Knob has a boating club.
Our northern beaches will soon be connected to each other and the city via a shared path as Council builds the Northern Beaches Leisure Trail.
Fun facts
- The northern beaches are a hub for students and their families as James Cook University is in nearby Smithfield.
- Palm Cove has the highest median age of any suburb in Cairns – 49 years.
- Machans Beach (11km to city) is the closest beach to the Cairns CBD and could be described as eclectic, interesting and arty. It has cafes, a school, post office, regular community gatherings, and some nice spots to drop a line into the ocean. A connecting pedestrian bridge (Barr Creek Bridge) was opened in late 2021, enabling cyclists and walkers to travel directly between Machans and neighbouring Holloways Beach.
- Holloways Beach (12km to city) has a beautiful community garden, several cafes, general store and a nice stretch of beach that is designated as a dog-off-lead area. The foreshore is popular with picnickers and tiny scooter-riders with their parents. The area has a wide mix of housing from ocean-front apartments and houses to large suburban house blocks a street or two away from the ocean.
- Yorkeys Knob (17km to city) is popular with families and features a headland and long foreshore dotted with parks, 'hidden' cafes, melaleuca trees and an Indigenous games trail. Yorkeys also has a boating club, the Half Moon Bay Golf Club, and holds an annual 'Festival of the Knob'.
- Trinity Park (20km to city) is home to Bluewater Marina, many families, a Catholic school and a growing number of shops and services. Trinity Park is also a great place to access the Earl Hill walking track, a popular and challenging shaded hike of around an hour with a very rewarding view at the top.
- Trinity Beach (21km to city) is a great place for a night of eating out or an early-morning sunrise. Enjoy a low-key pizza or fish and chips on the beach or something more fancy in the restaurants on the foreshore. Trinity Beach is picturesque and popular with locals and tourists.
- Kewarra Beach (22km to the city) has a long stretch of quiet beach overlooking offshore islands. Resorts nearby offer live music at the weekends, and houses are in wide streets lined with green.
- Clifton Beach (23km to city) is described by locals as the Northern Beaches' best kept secret. Quiet and friendly, locals might also boast about the mojitos they can get nearby, great pizzas, and a supermarket at the Clifton Village Shops.
- Palm Cove (27km to city) has a jetty just for fishing, and many resorts, boutiques, restaurants, pubs, cafes and services along the foreshore. There's also a campground. One of the defining features of the Palm Cove foreshore is its hundreds-of-years-old melaleuca trees. Locals love the laidback atmosphere of the Palm Cove village; even a few hours in Palm Cove feels like a holiday.
- Ellis Beach (surf club base is here too)
- Palm Cove
- Clifton Beach
- Kewarra Beach
- Trinity Beach
- Yorkeys Knob
- Holloways Beach
- Bramston Beach (an hour's drive south of Cairns)
Cairns Regional Council is in the process of connecting our northern beaches with a shared path between Cairns city and Palm Cove. Several stages of the Northern Beaches leisure trail have been built. Once completed, the path will provide a continuous foreshore walking and cycling link for locals and visitors. As part of the development, enhanced recreation, accessibility and fitness amenities are being created along the path.
The Northern Beaches leisure trail, which will also include improvements to the accessibility features, fitness and recreation facilities along the foreshores, will showcase our beautiful beaches and island views, as well as providing an important active transport alternative to the car.
Looking for a quieter beach life in Cairns?
To the south of Cairns, we have Bramston Beach, which is 81 km away from the city (an hour's drive). Bramston Beach is a quiet spot, reached by driving through rainforest and looking out for cassowaries along the way. It has beachfront living, great fishing, a campground and general store.
Find your place check out real estate in Cairns.