The Radiance of the Sea dropped anchor in Yorkey’s Knob, just north of Cairns. There are so many opportunities here. The ship offered options of rainforest tours, trains, markets and of course, the Great Barrier Reef. We made the choice to spend the day with good friends who live here.
Similar to our last port (Brisbane), the ship was too big to dock close to town. We anchored off of Yorkey’s Knob, a town to the north of Cairns and were transported to shore via tender. The rainy, cloudy morning cast shadows over the hills creating an ethereal illusion.
Sailing into Yorkey’s Knob
Anchored at Yorkey’s Knob
Tablelands
Our friends picked us up outside the Yorkey’s Knob boat club and rather than taking us to Cairns, they took us up into the Tablelands. It’s an area known to locals as a highland getaway destination. With cooler temperatures and frequent swimming holes, it is a paradise amidst this tropical Australian Queensland destination.
• Lake Eacham
• Nerada Tea Plantation
Waterfalls Near Cairns
• Millaa Millaa Falls
• Zellie Falls
Returning to the Cruise Ship
More about Cairns:
- Cairns is a city in tropical North Queensland Australia.
- Rather than docking in Cairns, the Radiance of the Seas headed up to Yorkey’s Knob. It is about a 35-minute tender trip to the city, followed by a 20-minute drive to Cairns if that’s where you choose to go.
- There is no shortage of things to do in Cairns. It is probably most well known as the gateway to Great Barrier Reef in Australia. (Royal Caribbean offered a very popular trip out the reef.)
- It is also known as a gateway to the wetlands and rainforests. (Popular trip options from the ship are on the train or Skyrail to Kuranda).
- There is a man-made saltwater swimming lagoon and artificial beach located on the esplanade of Cairns.
- The town of Cairns was originally founded when gold was discovered to the north in 1876. However, Cairns tourism began to grow when marlin fishing became popular after World War II.
- The Great Barrier Reef was discovered in the 1970s. It is the largest reef in the world measuring 2011 km in length and 72 km across at its widest point also making it the world’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Areas. There are an estimated 1,500 species of fish, over 300 species of hard, reef-building corals, more than 4,000 mollusk species and over 400 species of sponges have been identified.
- Other world records for Cairns region include: it is home to the world’s most dangerous bird (Cassowary); it is home to the world’s longest lava tubes (Undara lava tubes); it is home to Australia’s largest moth (Hercules moth); and, it is home to the world’s longest fern.
- The best time to visit Cairns is during the winter months of June to August. Monsoon season is from December to March and with it comes heavy rains, high temperatures, extreme humidity, and cyclones.
- If you have a car, don’t miss Paronella Park.
Our next port: Darwin
Have you been to the Tablelands, to Cairns, or to the Great Barrier Reef?
If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media, including Pinterest:
Disclaimer: In addition to VIP treatment onboard the Radiance of the Seas we were provided with many complimentary extras. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Travel Tuesday
Nice place to celebrate your birthday! I wish you many happy returns of the day, Rhonda.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks. And you are correct, it was a great place to celebrate my birthday.
Andrea
An Australian friend who mainly lived in NSW but lived in Tasmania, Brisbane, Darwin said the best living conditions are in Cairns. In my next life i will live there or in any sub-tropical climate.
Rhonda Albom
I have good friends living there and they love it.
Cascia Talbert
I have never been to Australia. It looks beautiful!
Rhonda Albom
Australia is huge, diverse, and quite impressive.
Photo(Geo)grapher
Happy Birthday Rhonda! What a beautiful place to spend your birthday. Beautiful pictures
Rhonda Albom
Thanks. It was a great day.
Kim Marie
Happy🎂 birthday my fellow Scorpio♏!!!
(Mine is the 19)
Alissa Apel
WOW now that’s one heck of a birthday!!! Happy Birthday. Such a pretty place to celebrate.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Alissa. Very cool.
Nancy
That bush turkey is incredible – he looks like he’s wearing gold braid!
Happy birthday.
Rhonda Albom
That is what I thought too. Such a cool looking “pest”
Little Binky and Granny
Happy Birhtday, Rhonda 🙂 Beautiful pictures of the environment…and turkey 😀 Pawkisses for a Happy WW 🙂 <3
Rhonda Albom
Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was a beautiful place
Lexa Cain
I didn’t know what a tender was so I’m glad you put in a picture. It looks like a ferry, I guess. The cruise ship is lovely. In fact, every picture is lovely! Well, maybe not the turkey. He’s a bit scary and I’d be nervous if he joined my picnic. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday!!
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Lexa. A tender is a ferry that brings you to from the cruiseship to the shore. Other ports we dock right at the port and just walk off the boat
Travelera
It looks that you had a fabulous birthday, what amazing places you saw on your day and on my favourite way to travel, on a boat stopping in different places to see so many beautiful things…
Have a lovely week Rhonda
xxx
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Nulai. We are having a great time.
Photalife
Beautiful collection of photos, I love the waterfall one
Rhonda Albom
The waterfalls were beautiful
messymimi
Such a beautiful place! Australia is on my bucket list, and Carins would be right up my alley. Happy Monday!
Rhonda Albom
There are plenty of options of things to do here.
Eileen
Happy Belated Birthday! What a lovely place for a cruise. Beautiful images from your tour! The turkey is a neat sighting.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Eileen. I agree, the turkey was pretty cool – although the locals think him a pest.
Julie kemp Pick
Happy belated birthday Rhonda, and what a beautiful place to celebrate! Magnificent waterfalls and it was fun seeing the festive turkey!
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Julie. Apparently, the locals find that turkey to be a pest.
sherry MacKay
lovely shots rhonda. they are little devils those turkeys! impossible to have a garden unless you wire it off with strong netting. hope you had a great birthday.
Rhonda Albom
LOL – as a picnicker who has never seen them before, I thought they were pretty cool.
Anda
Happy Birthday, Rhonda! I didn’t know this cruise was in conjunction with your birthday. What a wonderful way to celebrate it.
Rhonda Albom
It actually was random. The cruise was picked because it is nearing the end of the year we had without our kids. Just good luck that it fell over my birthday.
Joyce Lansky
It looks perfect. I hope you had a wonderful Nov. 5th! Mitchell’s niece had a November 5th baby, last night. 11/5 in Memphis, anyway.
Rhonda Albom
It was perfect, and happy birthday to your niece.
Bill Kasman
Happy birthday to you and it looks like you’re having a wonderful one! You are making me wish I could take a trip to Australia
Rhonda Albom
What’s stopping you?
Comedy Plus
I’m glad you had a great birthday. That rocks. Nothing like being on a vacation and seeing friends on your birthday.
Have a fabulous day Rhonda. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I totally agree. Nothing like spending the day with friends who you rarely get to see because they live in a different country.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
What a beautiful place to spend your birthday. Such a variety. Did you go swimming in the crater?
Rhonda Albom
No, we opted to wait to swim for the waterfall.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Happy Birthday to the girl herself … sounds like a glorious day and lovely that you could meet up with friends and see a little something around the neighbourhood … love the turkey! Fantastic … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
I thought the turkey was pretty cool too, with his bright yellow snoods.