Far North Queensland and Torres Strait, QLD
About the Far North Queensland and Torres Strait region
This Queensland region is the northernmost part of the state. It stretches from the Cassowary Coast in the south to the islands of the Torres Strait in the north, and shares an international border — making Queensland the only Australian state to do so — with Papua New Guinea. The region is home to two world heritage listed areas: the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest.
The Far North Queensland and Torres Strait region is the traditional home of more than 60 Traditional Owner Groups, and has one of Australia's highest indigenous populations, at about 14%. We invite readers to learn more about the traditional owners of the land via the Indigenous languages map of Queensland.
Local councils
The Far North Queensland and Torres Strait region includes 21 municipalities: Shire of Aurukun, Cairns Region, Cassowary Coast Region, Shire of Cook, Shire of Croydon, Shire of Douglas, Shire of Etheridge, Shire of Mareeba, Northern Peninsula Area Region, Tablelands Region, Shire of Torres, Torres Strait Island Region, Weipa Town, and the Aboriginal Shires of Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Napranum, Pormpuraaw, Wujal Wujal and Yarrabah.
Climate information
This region of Queensland enjoys a tropical climate. The region experiences a summer monsoon or 'wet season' between November and April, and a lower-rainfall winter followed by an early summer dry season from May to October.
The summer average maximum temperature is 30 °C, falling to an average of 21 °C in winter. The region has an average rainfall of 2010 mm, most of which falls during the wet season.
Population
The estimated population of the Far North Queensland and Torres Strait region is reported as 286,799.
Education
Students seeking to undertake higher education can study at the region's major universities, James Cook University and Central Queensland University. They can also pursue a vocational field at one of Far North Queensland's many TAFE campuses, located in Atherton, Cairns, Innisfail, the Northern Peninsula Area and Thursday Island, or at the Great Barrier Reef International Marine College.
The region also boasts a number of primary and secondary schools, including:
- 86 primary schools
- 12 secondary schools
- 14 P-10/12 schools
- 1 School of Distance Education
- 1 special school
- 3 Environmental Education Centres
- 2,900 teachers, and
- 35,300 students
Employment and local businesses
The Far North Queensland and Torres Strait region has a Gross Regional Product of $15.4 billion, and is home to approximately 148,000 local jobs. The most important local industries include tourism, agriculture, mining, health, education, marine, aviation and construction, all of which make significant contributions to the region's economy and employ a substantial number of its residents.
Housing
Median house prices vary across the Far North Queensland and Torres Strait region. Cairns and Douglas had the highest medians, at $407,000 and $452,500 respectively. Mareeba (at $293,500) and the Tablelands (at $289,000) both enjoyed lower medians.
The region had a median weekly house rental (for a 3-bedroom home) of $400 in Cairns, $380 in Douglas, and $320 in Mareeba and the Tablelands.
Events
Where: Cairns, QLD
When: Annually, in August and September
What: Since its inception in 1961, the Cairns Festival has endeavoured to showcase the unique culture and lifestyle of tropical north Queensland. The event brings together both local creatives and world-class national and international artists and performers for ten days of singing, dancing, parades, and celebration of this vibrant Australian region.
Where: Thursday Island, Torres Area, QLD
When: Biennially, in September
What: Winds of Zenadth is widely considered to be one of Australia's most outstanding indigenous cultural festivals, and looking at the events on offer, it is easy to see why. Every two years, the Torres Strait's Thursday Island Held comes alive with cultural dances, boat races, public forums and even a re-constructed traditional village, ensconcing locals and visitors alike in the region's rich history and culture.
Where: Across North Queensland
When: Annually, in October
What: This mountain bike race is known as one of the oldest and most challenging in Australia. The over 120 competitors who make the trek to Far North Queensland annually for this race must cover 650 km of tricky terrain over just nine days, testing their wits and their strength in environments that range from the jungle to the outback.
Additional Information
Far North Queensland and Torres Strait has 21 subregions. Use the list below or the map above to learn more about individual subregions.
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![Aurukun, QLD]()
Aurukun, QLD -
![Cairns, QLD]()
Cairns, QLD -
![Cassowary Coast, QLD]()
Cassowary Coast, QLD -
![Cook, QLD]()
Cook, QLD -
![Croydon, QLD]()
Croydon, QLD -
![Douglas, QLD]()
Douglas, QLD -
![Etheridge, QLD]()
Etheridge, QLD -
![Hope Vale, QLD]()
Hope Vale, QLD -
![Kowanyama, QLD]()
Kowanyama, QLD -
![Lockhart River, QLD]()
Lockhart River, QLD -
![Mapoon, QLD]()
Mapoon, QLD -
![Mareeba, QLD]()
Mareeba, QLD -
![Napranum, QLD]()
Napranum, QLD -
![Northern Peninsula Area, QLD]()
Northern Peninsula Area, QLD -
![Pormpuraaw, QLD]()
Pormpuraaw, QLD -
![Tablelands, QLD]()
Tablelands, QLD -
![Torres, QLD]()
Torres, QLD -
![Torres Strait Island, QLD]()
Torres Strait Island, QLD -
![Weipa, QLD]()
Weipa, QLD -
![Wujal Wujal, QLD]()
Wujal Wujal, QLD -
![Yarrabah, QLD]()
Yarrabah, QLD
Far North Queensland and Torres Strait Schools
- Government Schools
- Independent Schools
Combined
- Aurukun State School AURUKUN QLD 4892
- Babinda State School BABINDA QLD 4861
- Bentley Park College BENTLEY PARK QLD 4869
- Cairns School of Distance Education MANUNDA QLD 4870
- Cooktown State School COOKTOWN QLD 4895
- Dimbulah State School DIMBULAH QLD 4872
- Herberton State School MOOMIN QLD 4887
- Kowanyama State School KOWANYAMA QLD 4892
- Kuranda District State College KURANDA QLD 4881
- Lockhart State School LOCKHART RIVER QLD 4892
- Northern Peninsula Area State College BAMAGA QLD 4876
- Ravenshoe State School RAVENSHOE QLD 4888
- Redlynch State College REDLYNCH QLD 4870
- Tagai State College THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
- Western Cape College ROCKY POINT QLD 4874
- Western Cape College - Weipa ROCKY POINT QLD 4874
- Yarrabah State School YARRABAH QLD 4871
Primary
- Abergowrie State School ABERGOWRIE QLD 4850
- Alexandra Bay State School DIWAN QLD 4873
- Aloomba State School ALOOMBA QLD 4871
- Atherton State School ATHERTON QLD 4883
- Balaclava State School MOOROOBOOL QLD 4870
- Bartle Frere State School BARTLE FRERE QLD 4861
- Bellenden Ker State School BELLENDEN KER QLD 4871
- Biboohra State School BIBOOHRA QLD 4880
- Bloomfield River State School BLOOMFIELD QLD 4895
- Butchers Creek State School BUTCHERS CREEK QLD 4885
- Cairns West State School MANUNDA QLD 4870
- Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy HOPE VALE QLD 4895
- Coen Campus of CYAAA COEN QLD 4892
- Hopevale Campus of CYAAA HOPE VALE QLD 4895
- Caravonica State School CARAVONICA QLD 4878
- Cardwell State School CARDWELL QLD 4849
- Chillagoe State School CHILLAGOE QLD 4871
- Croydon State School CROYDON QLD 4871
- Daintree State School DAINTREE QLD 4873
- Edge Hill State School EDGE HILL QLD 4870
- El Arish State School EL ARISH QLD 4855
- Feluga State School FELUGA QLD 4854
- Flying Fish Point State School FLYING FISH POINT QLD 4860
- Forsayth State School FORSAYTH QLD 4871
- Freshwater State School FRESHWATER QLD 4870
- Georgetown State School GEORGETOWN QLD 4871
- Goondi State School GOONDI BEND QLD 4860
- Gordonvale State School GORDONVALE QLD 4865
- Hambledon State School EDMONTON QLD 4869
- Herberton State School - Primary Campus MOOMIN QLD 4887
- Innisfail East State School EAST INNISFAIL QLD 4860
- Innisfail State School INNISFAIL QLD 4860
- Irvinebank State School IRVINEBANK QLD 4887
- Isabella State School EDMONTON QLD 4869
- Julatten State School JULATTEN QLD 4871
- Kairi State School KAIRI QLD 4872
- Kennedy State School KENNEDY QLD 4816
- Lakeland State School LAKELAND QLD 4871
- Laura State School LAURA QLD 4892
- Lower Tully State School LOWER TULLY QLD 4854
- Machans Beach State School MACHANS BEACH QLD 4878
- Malanda State School MALANDA QLD 4885
- Mareeba State School MAREEBA QLD 4880
- McDonnell Creek State School FISHERY FALLS QLD 4871
- Mena Creek State School MENA CREEK QLD 4871
- Miallo State School MIALLO QLD 4873
- Millaa Millaa State School MILLAA MILLAA QLD 4886
- Mirriwinni State School MIRRIWINNI QLD 4871
- Mission Beach State School WONGALING BEACH QLD 4852
- Mossman State School MOSSMAN QLD 4873
- Mount Garnet State School MOUNT GARNET QLD 4872
- Mount Molloy State School MOUNT MOLLOY QLD 4871
- Mount Surprise State School MOUNT SURPRISE QLD 4871
- Mourilyan State School MOURILYAN QLD 4858
- Mundoo State School WANGAN QLD 4871
- Murray River Upper State School MURRAY UPPER QLD 4854
- Mutchilba State School MUTCHILBA QLD 4872
- Northern Peninsula Area College - Bamaga Junior Campus BAMAGA QLD 4876
- Northern Peninsula Area College - Injinoo Junior INJINOO QLD 4876
- Parramatta State School PARRAMATTA PARK QLD 4870
- Pormpuraaw State School PORMPURAAW QLD 4892
- Port Douglas State School PORT DOUGLAS QLD 4877
- Ravenshoe State School - Junior Campus RAVENSHOE QLD 4888
- Rossville State School ROSSVILLE QLD 4895
- Silkwood State School SILKWOOD QLD 4856
- South Johnstone State School SOUTH JOHNSTONE QLD 4859
- Tagai State College - Badu Island Campus BADU ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Darnley Island Campus ERUB ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Dauan Island Campus DAUAN ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Horn Island Campus HORN ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Kubin Campus MOA ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Mabuiag Island Campus MABUIAG ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Malu Kiwai Campus BOIGU ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Mer Campus MER ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Poruma Campus PORUMA ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Saibai Island Campus SAIBAI ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - St Pauls Campus MOA ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Thursday Island Primary Campus THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Warraber Island Campus WARRABER ISLET QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Yam Island Campus IAMA ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tagai State College - Yorke Island Campus MASIG ISLAND QLD 4875
- Tolga State School TOLGA QLD 4882
- Tropical North Learning Academy - Trinity Beach State School TRINITY BEACH QLD 4879
- Tully State School TULLY QLD 4854
- Walkamin State School WALKAMIN QLD 4872
- Western Cape College - Mapoon MAPOON QLD 4874
- White Rock State School WHITE ROCK QLD 4868
- Whitfield State School WHITFIELD QLD 4870
- Wonga Beach State School WONGA BEACH QLD 4873
- Woree State School WOREE QLD 4868
- Yarrabah State School - Kindergarten Campus YARRABAH QLD 4871
- Yarrabah State School - Primary Campus YARRABAH QLD 4871
- Yorkeys Knob State School YORKEYS KNOB QLD 4878
- Yungaburra State School YUNGABURRA QLD 4884
Secondary
- Atherton State High School ATHERTON QLD 4883
- Cairns State High School CAIRNS NORTH QLD 4870
- Gordonvale State High School GORDONVALE QLD 4865
- Herberton State School - Secondary Campus HERBERTON QLD 4887
- Innisfail State College INNISFAIL ESTATE QLD 4860
- Malanda State High School MALANDA QLD 4885
- Mareeba State High School MAREEBA QLD 4880
- Mossman State High School MOSSMAN QLD 4873
- Northern Peninsula Area State College - Senior Campus BAMAGA QLD 4876
- Ravenshoe State School - Senior Campus RAVENSHOE QLD 4888
- Tagai State College - Thursday Island Secondary THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
- Trinity Bay State High School MANUNDA QLD 4870
- Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High School SMITHFIELD QLD 4878
- Tully State High School TULLY QLD 4854
- Woree State High School WOREE QLD 4868
- Woree SHS - SchoolTech Campus MANUNDA QLD 4870
- Yarrabah State School - Secondary Campus YARRABAH QLD 4871
Special
- Cairns State Special School WOREE QLD 4868
- Innisfail State College - Diverse Learning Centre INNISFAIL ESTATE QLD 4860
Combined
- Cairns Hinterland Steiner School KURANDA QLD 4881
- Djarragun College GORDONVALE QLD 4865
- Endeavour Christian College COOKTOWN QLD 4895
- Freshwater Christian College BRINSMEAD QLD 4870
- Jubilee Christian College ATHERTON QLD 4883
- Jubilee Christian College ATHERTON QLD 4883
- MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter MOUNT PETER QLD 4869
- Peace Lutheran College KAMERUNGA QLD 4870
- Radiant Life College EAST INNISFAIL QLD 4860
- St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch Valley REDLYNCH QLD 4870
- Trinity Anglican School WHITE ROCK QLD 4870
Primary
- Cairns Adventist College GORDONVALE QLD 4865
- Good Counsel Primary School INNISFAIL QLD 4860
- Holy Cross School TRINITY PARK QLD 4879
- Mother of Good Counsel School CAIRNS NORTH QLD 4870
- Our Lady Help of Christians School EARLVILLE QLD 4870
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School THURSDAY ISLAND QLD 4875
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School - Hammond Island Campus HAMMOND ISLAND QLD 4875
- St Anthony's School DIMBULAH QLD 4872
- St Augustine's School MOSSMAN QLD 4873
- St Clare's School TULLY QLD 4854
- St Francis Xavier's School MANUNDA QLD 4870
- St Gerard Majella Primary School WOREE QLD 4868
- St John's School SILKWOOD QLD 4856
- St Joseph's Parish School WEIPA QLD 4874
- St Joseph's School ATHERTON QLD 4883
- St Joseph's School PARRAMATTA PARK QLD 4870
- St Michael's School GORDONVALE QLD 4865
- St Rita's School BABINDA QLD 4861
- St Rita's School SOUTH JOHNSTONE QLD 4859
- St Teresa's School RAVENSHOE QLD 4888
- St Therese's School BENTLEY PARK QLD 4869
- St Thomas' School MAREEBA QLD 4880
- The Rainforest School MARIA CREEKS QLD 4855
- Trinity Anglican School - Marlin Coast Campus KEWARRA BEACH QLD 4879
- Tropical North Steiner School MOSSMAN QLD 4873
Secondary
- Girl Academy WANGETTI BEACH QLD 4877
- Good Counsel College INNISFAIL QLD 4860
- Mount St Bernard College HERBERTON QLD 4887
- Mount St Bernard College - Brandon Lane Campus HERBERTON QLD 4887
- St Augustine's College CAIRNS QLD 4870
- St Mary's Catholic College WOREE QLD 4868
- St Monica's College CAIRNS QLD 4870
- St Stephen's Catholic College MAREEBA QLD 4880
- St Teresa's College ABERGOWRIE QLD 4850
Special
- Autism Queensland Education & Therapy Centre - Edmonton Campus EDMONTON QLD 4869
- Holy Spirit College COOKTOWN QLD 4895
- Holy Spirit College - Manoora Campus MANOORA QLD 4870
- Holy Spirit College - Quarantine Bay Road Campus COOKTOWN QLD 4895
Far North Queensland and Torres Strait Housing
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Houses in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait
The price of a house in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait ranges from around $105,000 to $4,000,000.
A typical house in has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & parking for 3 cars.
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Apartments in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait
The price of a apartment in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait ranges from around $111,000 to $2,050,000.
A typical apartment in has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & parking for 1 car.
Far North Queensland and Torres Strait Census Information
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Dwelling Type
What types of residential properties are available in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Tenure Type
Which residential properties in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait are owned, mortgaged or rented out?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Change in Residence
Did people in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait change address in the last year?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Working Population
What age groups are most strongly represented in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Top 5 Industries
What industries do people in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait work in?
- Health care and social assistance
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services
- Education and training
- Public administration and safety
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Family Size
How many people live in a household in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP
What's happening in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait
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Discover Cairns, Queensland with a Young Family If you’re looking for an escape to sunshine and fun for the whole family, Cairns, QLD is the place.
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Go Regional With Move to More Early mornings watching the sunrise, quiet afternoons with the family, vast stretches of land untouched by houses – there’s so much to...
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Acreage for Sale in Queensland Median price per hectare of acreage in Queensland saw a slight decrease this past year.
Properties in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait
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