The history of Cairns in Queensland , Australia, is a transition of a port from a shanty town to a modern city, following an uncertain start because of competition from the newly created neighbouring community of Port Douglas. A succession of major work projects, institution establishments and direct involvement in world enterprise accelerated the settlement's development. Significant events in the history of Cairns were the construction of the Cairns-to-Herberton railway line commencing in , the establishment of the Cairns Harbour Board in , official recognition as a city in , military occupation in by the World War II defence forces, the construction of concrete high rise apartments in , the opening of the international airport in , and the establishment of an international-standard convention centre in The Aboriginal population is believed to have entered Australia at least 60, years ago.
Current opinion favours migration through various parts of northern Australia including Cape York Peninsula. The first recorded human occupants of the Cairns area were Australian Aboriginal peoples. Tribal groups speaking the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji language were generally on the south side of the Barron River.
On the northern side, particularly in the coastal area from the Barron to Port Douglas, Yirrganydji groups generally spoke dialects of the Djabugay language. Its traditional language region is within the local government areas of Cairns Region and Tablelands Region , in such localities as Cairns, Gordonvale , the southern part of the Atherton Tableland including Atherton and Kairi.
In his journal, he commented, "The shore between Cape Grafton and Cape Tribulation forms a large but not very deep bay which I named Trinity Bay after the day β Trinity Sunday β on which it was discovered. Lieutenant Phillip Parker King , one of the most important early charters of Australia's coast, made three marine surveying expeditions to northern Australia in , , and All three expeditions included visits to Fitzroy Island , located about 22 kilometres 14 mi from Cairns.
On King's first visit, he drew attention to the availability of drinking water and the presence of Aboriginal people in the area. His consequent official map listed "Native Huts" at present-day Palm Cove , and "Many Natives" and "Native Village" on the stretch of coast immediately north.
