Foreshores & Beaches

Cairns has some of the most beautiful beaches in Queensland. They have been developed as a destination park to cater for individuals and groups of persons who wish to spend a day there. A swimming enclosure is in the water at most beaches to provide safer swimming conditions during the Dangerous Marine Stinger season typically from November to May (subject to seasonal variability).

The beaches with swimming enclosures are:

• Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas
• Ellis Beach
• Palm Cove
• Clifton Beach
• Kewarra Beach
• Trinity Beach
• Yorkeys Knob
• Holloways Beach
• Bramston Beach

Beaches Status

For information please view latest Surf Lifesaving Queensland's NQ Marine Stinger Season Update.

Council provides lifeguard services on these beaches and on Green Island at certain times.   For more up to date information please contact the NQ Lifeguard Supervisor on 0403 577649.

Bathers should use those beaches patrolled by a lifeguard.

For information on local weather and UV conditions www.bom.gov.au/weather/qld/forecasts.shtml

Contact Council for more information on patrol times on (07) 4044 3044.

Coastal Risk and Beach Safety Signage Audit

Possible beach closures due to Coastal Risk and Beach Safety Signage Audit Report - Notice to Beach Users (405KB)

To read the Coastal Risk and Beach Safety Signage Audit Report, follow the links below (due to file size, the report is split into 5 parts). For a hard copy of this report, tel 4044 3303. 

Cairns City Council Coastal Risk & Beach Safety Signage Audit Report - Part 1 (986Kb)

(Part 1 includes Executive Summary, Introduction, Authority, Scope, Compliance Standards & References, Methodology, General Findings & Signage Layout Guidelines)

Cairns City Council Coastal Risk & Beach Safety Signage Audit Report - Part 2 (3Mb)

(Part 2 includes findings for Bramston Beach, Green Island & Fitzroy Island)

Cairns City Council Coastal Risk & Beach Safety Signage Audit Report - Part 3 (5Mb)

(Part 3 includes findings for Ellis Beach, Buchans Point, Machans Beach, Holloways Beach & Yorkeys Knob)

Cairns City Council Coastal Risk & Beach Safety Signage Audit Report - Part 4 (5Mb)

(Part 4 includes findings for Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach & Palm Cove. Also includes Additional Recommendations & Appendices)

Cairns Regional Council Coastal Risk & Beach Safety Signage Audit Report - Part 5 (1Mb)

(Part 5 includes findings for Four Mile Beach)

Please note that aspects of this report were compiled for the Cairns City Council prior to amalgamation with the Douglas Shire Council.