Connect, influence and prosper

Strengthening the future of Far North Queensland

Far North ready to play central role in national security

The Far North is perfectly poised to play a leading role in Australia’s national security according to the region’s peak economic organisation Advance Cairns, following the release of the 2026 National Defence Strategy.The Federal Government’s commitment to...

Air Freight Handling Services

FREIGHT HANDLED WITH CARE For managing director Barbara Ford and her team at Air Freight Handling Services, all cargo is precious. 🎁🛩 The business she started 20 years ago handles a large chunk of the freight that travels domestically and internationally through...

Bitumen to bog – Kennedy Developmental Road

 A fuel price crisis and supply chain pressures are amplifying calls to bring forward sealing works on an 11km stretch of a critical inland highway which has become an impassable boggy mess.The Kennedy Developmental Road has increasingly become a favoured route for...

Conus Business Consultancy Services

BRINGING THE DATA TO LIFE 🌟 For the past five years, Pete Faulkner FAICD of Conus Business Consultancy Services has been a key partner to Advance Cairns, delivering the economic analysis that underpins our advocacy and strategic direction. His work spans economic...

Hinterland Aviation

EYES ON THE HORIZON 🛩 There isn’t one tiny part of Hinterland Aviation that Andrew Clair doesn’t know about. From the check-in counter to the maintenance hub, through departures and to lift-off, Andrew is across it all. Hailing from Atherton, Andrew has worked his way...

Ports North

Thank you to CEO Richard Stevenson for his Ports North update on Tuesday morning. There was a wide cross-section of stakeholders in the Cairns Cruising Yacht Squadron "room with a view" including Ports North board members and their new Chair Ben Kidston - welcome!...

MiHaven

REACHING FOR THE SKY ✨ James and Sarah Mort know how to build things. They have more than 35 years of experience constructing social and affordable housing but it’s not just bricks and mortar they specialise in.They bring visions to life. Originally from Victoria,...

Silica Resources Australia

SILICA PROJECT DIVERSIFYING ECONOMY✨ Great opportunity for our CEO Jennifer Spilsbury to address Advance Cairns member organisation Silica Resources Australia and its delegation in Cairns on Thursday. Their Mourilyan Silica Sands project, about 100km south of Cairns,...

Sea Swift

A LIFELINE TO THE REOTE FAR NORT Dangerous sea conditions, giant tides, high costs and inbound freight in all shapes and sizes make operations challenging for Northern Australia’s largest shipping provider, Sea Swift.All can affect schedules and delivery costs for the...

James Cook University

STEP INCIDE JCU'S NEW YENIE BUILDING AND IMMEDIATELY YOU'RE INSPIRED TO LEARN 📚 From the outside it is architecturally stunning with its mix of materials, straight lines and curves with a boomerang-shaped roof over the entrance and a prominent copper tower.It’s inside...

Outcomes with vision

Advance Cairns is the peak independent, non-partisan advocacy and economic development organisation for Far North Queensland. We are a member organisation, primarily business funded and outcome driven with a long-term vision for sustainable growth across the region.

Building on our strengths

Tropical North Queensland is highly regarded because of its location, infrastructure, and world-class facilities and attractions.

As a developed region in the tropics, we have the technology, health, education, and social structures within a politically stable environment to capitalise upon our natural environment and our global location.

A Framework for the decade and beyond

The Roadmap 2035: A Framework to Strengthen Far North Queensland (the Roadmap) is an ambitious framework developed by Advance Cairns working with industry, and the broader Far North Queensland community to achieve economic growth, sustainability and long-term prosperity over the next decade and beyond.

Play your part in our future

Connect

Build your connections with executive business leaders.

Influence

Have your say on advocacy priorities for Tropical North Queensland.

Prosper

Help us drive support for catalytic projects and policy change.

Get Involved

How you engage is ultimately up to you.