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Copperlode Dam, Lake Morris, Cairns

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Australia

Cairns history

The first European to discover the site of what is now called Cairns was Captain James Cook, who sailed up the coast of northeast Australia in June 1770. It was a difficult region to explore and Cook sailed north after repairing his ship.

It was another 100 years however before Europeans returned to the region. The discovery of gold to the west prompted an influx of miners and Cairns was established in 1876. Its subsequent growth was largely thanks to its selection in 1892 as the starting point of a freight railway carrying goods to and from the Tableland.

The development of agriculture, sugar cane and dairy industries led to its continued growth in the early 20th century. Tourism started in earnest after WWII and Cairns has grown in leaps and bounds since then.

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