About Innisfail

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Innisfail is located just 90 kms South of Cairns, at the junction of the North and South Johnstone Rivers. Originally named Geraldton in 1882, to honour Thomas Henry Fitzgerald, who started the Innisfail sugar plantation. However, by mistake, a Russian ship bound for Geraldton in Western Australia ended up in Innisfail, leading the town to be renamed Innisfail in 1910. Innisfail was the name given by the Irish entrepreneur Thomas Henry Fitzgerald, to his property in the district. Inis Fail is a romantic name for Ireland.

So it is no surprise that Innisfail has a romantic charm to it, with two of the World’s Heritage Areas; the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest meeting. The town is surrounded by many beautiful attractions including; Warrina Lakes and Anzac Memorial Park, the riverfront with many barbecue and picnic spots to enjoy and relax, the Babinda Boulders, Etty Bay, Flying Fish Point, Cowley Beach and Kurrimine Beach are all a short drive away.

Wooroonooran National Park, with the Mamu Canopy Walkway and walking trails through the Misty Mountains are located only 27km west of Innisfail. Other attractions include Paronella Park: an historic Spanish-style castle, and pleasure gardens, a tropical fruit winery and sugar industry museum.

Innisfail is also the gateway to the Atherton Tablelands from the south, where you can continue to explore the Misty Mountains and many waterfall circuits just 40kms from Innisfail, along with many other attractions.

Cassowary Coast’s agricultural industry is the leading economic force with substantial banana, tropical fruit and sugar cane plantations. The Mourilyan Harbour - a major regional port with bulk sugar-loading facilities and the South Johnstone Sugar Mill, both continue to boost the local economy and significantly employ the local population.

Innisfail is home to one of the best collections of Art Deco buildings in Australia, with many visitors embarking on self-guided tours around the town with a brochure from the Visitor’s Information Centre of Innisfail.

Innisfail has a warm tropical climate with an annual rainfall range of 3400mm to 3500mm ensuring the area is always green and flourishing. The average daytime temperatures in the dry season (May to October) range from 26 and 30 degrees Celsius and the wet season (November to April) the temperature is around 30 degrees Celsius.

Images supplied by Cairns Holiday Homes