10 Things to do in Great Barrier Reef That You Shouldn't Miss

Escape the heat at one of Cairns' best known landmarks, the Esplanade Lagoon. Set on the Cairns foreshore overlooking Trinity Inlet, the 4800 sq metre saltwater swimming lagoon offers locals and tourists a year round safe swimming location. Saltwater is pumped from the inlet and filtered through a state of the art filtration and chlorination system, to meet Australian Standards. The kids can enjoy the sandy edges, build sand castles and play in shallow water. On the other side of the Lagoon, visitors can lounge on the timber decks in moderate shade. Shady trees, landscaped gardens and open spaces all contribute to the leisurely atmosphere on the Esplanade The Lagoon is open 6am-6pm Thursday - Tuesday, Midday-6pm Wednesday all year round.

Immerse yourself in the Townsville way of life and discover The Strand, Townsville's thriving beach foreshore! With a relaxed, yet energetic vibe, The Strand is bursting with activities to excite the whole family. The two and a half kilometre walkway offers spectacular views across to Magnetic Island and is popular for runners, walkers and kids with bikes and scooters. Enjoy the ocean breezes with a meal at one of the restaurants or cafes there. Alternatively treat the whole family to a barbecue or beach picnic. With a number of fantastic playgrounds and the popular Strand Water Park, The Strand will keep the kids entertained for hours. Take a swim in the ocean or the rock pool, test your balance on a Stand-Up Paddle Board or land on the beach after the adrenalin rush of skydiving! Enjoy the shade of the palm trees with a good book or grab a gelato and just enjoy the stunning views. For fishing enthusiasts, the jetty is a great spot to cast a line. At the end of The Strand, discover Jezzine Barracks and uncover the stories of Townsville's settlement. Learn of the regions significant military and indigenous history and enjoy the outdoor art.

Kuranda Scenic Railway is the original scenic rail journey to Kuranda. This spectacular experience travels over bridges and through tunnels hand-made by North Queensland's pioneers over 100 years ago. Traversing the World Heritage listed rainforest of the Barron Gorge National Park, this is one of the world's great railway journeys.

Muddy's playground is open every day of the year between 9am and 7pm (including public holidays and weekends). Sections of Muddy's are closed for maintenance on Tuesday and Thursday mornings until noon. Even when maintenance works are being carried out, Council aims to have at least half the playground available for use. Muddy's is a modern, fun, safe, splash playground and parkland. It incorporates active, passive, interactive and educational facilities with a combination of play equipment. Muddy's playground is themed "Life in Trinity Bay" and the playground includes water play areas plus a flying fox, sound chimes, track ride, rope bridge, slides, play houses, story telling areas, see-saw, trick track and puzzle games. Please note that the disabled-use Liberty Swing uses the MLAK national keying system. For access please ask at Muddy's cafe. Muddy's has two toilet facilities one at the north end of Muddy's near the cafe and one at the southern end of Muddy's. Muddy's has barbecues, picnic tables and an on-site cafe.

The Cairns Botanic Gardens are a tropical paradise where you can explore the beauty of tropical plants, relax in stunning surroundings and learn about tropical flora and horticulture. The Gardens are open from 7.30Am to 5.30Pm every day of the year and entry is free. The Botanic Gardens includes several spaces used for demonstrating the diverse plant life that can be found within a tropical climate. The Cairns Botanic Gardens include: Flecker Garden Centenary Lakes - Saltwater and Freshwater The Rainforest Boardwalk Mount Whitfield Conservation Park The Gondwanan Heritage Garden

The Cairns Esplanade is a picturesque 2.5 km stretch of foreshore in the heart of Cairns that is managed by Cairns Regional Council. The parklands, playgrounds, boardwalk, lagoon and recreational facilities are all free entry. Come along and enjoy this stunning facility.

Set in the heart of Cairns, the Cairns Aquarium provides a world-class venue for seeing and interacting with the incredible animals and eco-systems found only in Australia’s Tropical North Queensland, a region which borders two World Heritage-listed environments: The Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. Explore over 71 different habitats, playing home to over 16,000 animals. Enjoy daily animal talks, shark feeds, and get your hands wet in the marine touch tank! Visit by day and add on a delicious lunch at Dundee's Restaurant, take the plunge as you Dive with the Sharks, or for an exclusve nocturnal experience join us for Aquarium By Twilight with an after-dark guided tour, canapes and drinks in the oceanarium and main with dessert in Dundee's.