This is a cultural post as part of the #teamchallenge from #teamaustralia.
Today, I am sharing a little about what makes my corner of the world special. I live in Cairns, which is located in the far north of Australia, in the state of Queensland. To give you an idea, the state of Queensland is bigger than Texas and you could drive for 24 hours (non-stop) and still be in the same state!
Being in the tropical zone, there are only 2 seasons in Cairns; more summer, and less summer. More summer brings a plethora of amazing tropical fruit however, humidity reaches extreme levels and the beautiful beaches and pools offer little relief. The average ocean temperature in January is 29.4 degrees Celsius (or 84.9 degrees Fahrenheit for those playing along in the US). This means that, even if you brave crossing the molten lava sand, the ocean isn’t going to feel any cooler than a warm bath!
The only places that offer relief from the hot, sticky tropical heat are fresh water creeks and waterways. The water flows from the mountain tops, keeping it cool and making it hard for crocs to reach. Local creeks are used for a range of activities including stand up paddle boarding, canoeing, swimming and, my personal favourite, skimming rocks. You can also spot a range of wildlife including freshwater turtles, fish, birds and the stunning, electric blue Ulysses butterfly.
Cairns is also distinguished by its unique landscape; acres of sugar cane fields surrounded by picturesque mountains. Urban development has sprung up around these fields, interspersing them among houses, schools and shops.
And, where you have cane fields, you also have cane trains. These trains carry the harvested sugar cane to the local mills in Mossman and Gordonvale. Narrow gauge tracks criss-cross local roads, regularly stopping traffic in cane season (July – November). This photo was taken as we waited for the cane train to cross.
You can find out more about these cool trains through the light rail research society of Australia: http://www.lrrsa.org.au/LRR_SGRz.htm
Last, but not least, Cairns has a very unique type of urban architecture known fondly as the Queenslander. Built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, these houses were designed to meet the demands of the tropical climate. These included:
- built up on stumps so the air could circulate underneath the house and unwelcome visitors couldn’t just slither in from the surrounding cane fields
- high pitched roof to deal with tropical downpours
- built from light weight materials so the heat was not retained within the house
I hope you have enjoyed getting to know a little more about Cairns. I’d love to know what makes your corner of the world interesting or special. Please share in the comments below.
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