Proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest made Cairns the hub of tourism in Tropical North Queensland but now the city is being recognised for its deeper qualities.

Cairns looks and feels like a bustling resort but the town has also cultivated its economic base and offers cultural and social diversity that translates to high quality services and amenities.

Anyone who chooses to relocate to Cairns now has an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a city that is rapidly developing, according to Advance Cairns, the region's main economic development agency.

As multinational firms open branches in Cairns, local companies expand, new industries develop, and career possibilities are also opening up.

The continual expansion of direct flights to and from Asia and a more comprehensive domestic schedule has all but eliminated the traditional tyranny of distance.

Sills shortage creates tropical opportunities

There are more than 14,000 businesses in the Cairns region, with almost every sector represented from agriculture, forestry, fishing and retail trade to property and business services and construction industries which accounts for more than 50 per cent of business.

Other major employers include hospitality, transport and storage, health and community services.

Like other cities, Cairns has been seeking staff during the recent skills shortages.

From professional and associated fields these include:
Chefs
Health Professionals
Civil Engineers
Education Professionals
Business & Information Professionals

In trades and labouring, difficult-to-fill jobs include:
Cleaners
Miscellaneous labourers & related workers
Electricians
Motor Mechanics
Metal Fitters & Machinists
Sheet Metal Tradespersons
Other Automotive Tradespersons
Construction Tradesperson
In clerical, sales & service sectors there are vacancies for Sales Assistants
Intermediate Clerical Workers
Miscellaneous Intermediate Service Workers

Educational opportunit

Cairns district has a broad range of quality education institutions from pre-schools, public and private schools through to post graduate. Tropical North Queensland TAFE and James Cook University are the major institutions offering tertiary education in the Cairns region. TNQ TAFE delivers skilling and work opportunities with more than 400 courses in 30 vocational training areas. James Cook University, with campuses in Cairns and Townsville, offers world-class standards in education and works with local industries and professions to ensure that courses relate to employer needs. Work placement schemes feature in many degree programs, equipping graduates with valuable practical skills.

Housing

The property boom has affected Cairns just as strongly as the rest of the country. Resort area residential property dominates the northern beachside suburbs. The southern corridor is experiencing rapid urban development as new tracts of land are being opened for residential estates.

Links

Advance Cairns Limited
http://www.advancecairns.com/

Current Trends in the Cairns Economy
http://www.cummings.net.au/index.htm

Living in Cairns
http://www.sd.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v3/guis/templates/content/gui_cue_cntnhtml.cfm?id=23360

Support services for business and industry
http://www.sd.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v3/guis/templates/content/gui_cue_menu.cfm?id=1697