Cairns is largely built on a low, sandy beach system which, fed by sands from the Barron River, has built out up to 4 km into Trinity Bay. Today, the seaward end of the system is fringed by mangroves to the north, bordered by wide Trinity Inlet to the south, while along the Cairns Esplanade is 1.5 km of high tide beach and another 1 km of seawall. The beach is somewhat artificial, as there has been extensive reclamation of the mangroves and tidal flats, and placement of sand to produce a recreational area along the wide foreshore reserve that runs the full length of the Esplanade.
The beach is a steep, narrow strip of sand at high tide, and tidal flats up to 1.5 km wide at low tide. It has excellent access and parking along the full length and numerous facilities in the backing reserve.
SLSA provides this information as a guide only. Surf conditions are variable and therefore this information should not be relied upon as a substitute for observation of local conditions and an understanding of your abilities in the surf. SLSA reminds you to always swim between the red and yellow flags and never swim at unpatrolled beaches. SLSA takes all care and responsibility for any translation but it cannot guarantee that all translations will be accurate.