Yorkeys Knob

Yorkeys Knob is a small beach suburb about 13 kilometres north of Cairns in tropical North Queensland. Ships anchor offshore, and tenders land at the marina near Half Moon Bay. The beach has stinger nets in summer (November through May) and is popular with kiteboarders when the trade winds blow. The suburb itself is quiet, with a boating club, a golf course, and not much else, but Cairns and the surrounding region are the real draw. The Great Barrier Reef is about 90 minutes by fast catamaran from Cairns, and snorkelling day trips run daily. The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway glides above the canopy to Kuranda, a small town in the ranges with markets and a wildlife sanctuary. The scenic Kuranda Railway runs down through the gorge and is worth one direction of the trip. Fresh seafood at the Boating Club and tropical fruit at the roadside stalls are good. The currency is the Australian dollar.