Access keys and skip links

Far North Region

The Far North Region extends from Cardwell on the east coast, west to Croydon and north to include the islands of the Torres Strait.

Yuku Baja/Big Annan Bridge

About Far North Region

Area:  419,047 sq km.
Population: Around 247,000.
Industries:  Tourism, agriculture (including sugar, fishing, beef, dairy, horticulture and tropical fruits), mining (including bauxite, gold, tin, silica, wolfram  and zinc).

Transport and Main Roads services the state-controlled road network in Queensland. The department’s roads program, the Roads Implementation Program 2009-10 to 2013-14, outlines what the department is doing in the Far North Region of Queensland, now and in the future.

To find a customer service centre (for general enquiries, vehicle registration, licensing, driving test bookings and vehicle inspections) select a location from the alphabetical list.

Road contact information

For road information, the department’s Cairns Office is the main point of contact for residents, industry and business.

Cairns Office

Phone: + 61 7 4050 5444
Fax:     + 61 7 4050 5438
Post: PO Box 6185
Cairns Qld 4870
Location: 15 Lake Street
Level 4, Cairns Corporate Tower
Cairns Qld 4870
Email: cairns.office@tmr.qld.gov.au

Interesting facts and figures

Far North Region road facts 

Road network

Visit the Traffic and travel information website for the lastest update. 

  • Bruce Highway (Ingham - Cairns)
  • Captain Cook Highway (Cairns - Mossman)
  • Palmerston Highway (Innisfail - Mossman)
  • Kennedy Highway (Cairns - The Lynd)
  • Burke Developmental Road (Normanton - Dimbulah)
  • Peninsula Developmental Road (Mareeba - Weipa)
  • Mulligan Highway (Cooktown - Butcher’s Hill)
  • Gulf Developmental Road (Normanton - Mt Garnet)
  • Gregory Developmental Road (Charters Towers - Quartz Blow Creek)
  • Kennedy Developmental Road (Mt. Garnet - Hughenden)
  • Silkwood - Japoon Road
  • Innisfail - Japoon Road
  • Henderson Drive
  • Millaa Millaa - Malanda Road
  • Gillies Road (Gordonvale – Atherton)
  • Malanda - Lake Barrine Road
  • Gordonvale Connection Road
  • Malanda - Atherton Road
  • Cairns Western Arterial Road
  • Anderson Street
  • Mossman - Mt Molloy Road
  • Mossman – Daintree Road
  • Mareeba Connection Road
  • Atherton - Herberton Road
  • Mareeba - Dimbulah Road
  • Longlands Gap - Herberton Road
  • Thursday Island Road
  • Mulgrave Road
  • Port Connection Road
  • Mourilyan Harbour Road
  • Boogan Road
  • South Johnstone Road
  • East Evelyn Road
  • Tinaroo Falls Dam Road
  • Topaz Road
  • Stratford Connection Road
  • Port Douglas Road
  • Shiptons Flat Road
  • Endeavour Valley Road
  • Tumoulin Road
  • Herberton - Petford Road
  • Forsayth Road
  • Pine Creek - Yarrabah Road
  • Kurrimine Beach Road
  • El Arish - Mission Beach Road
  • Tully - Hull Road
  • South Mission Beach Road
  • Tully - Mission Beach Road
  • Davidson Road

Local government

Places of interest

  • Cairns
  • Mareeba
  • Innisfail
  • Tully
  • Thursday Island
  • Cape York Peninsula
  • Cooktown
  • Kuranda
  • Palm Cove
  • Great Barrier Reef

Projects

Project feed

Project nameRegion(s)Description
Atherton Tablelands Rail Trail Feasibility StudyFar NorthThe report evaluates the economic feasibility of developing disused rail corridors as recreational 'rail trails' for walking, bicycling and/or horse riding.
Bruce Highway Brisbane Cairns CorridorFar NorthFitzroy River Floodplain and Road Planning Study (147/10E/900. Bruce Highway: Brisbane – Cairns Corridor.
Cairns Bruce Highway UpgradeFar NorthThe Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade master plan is a planning study that investigated long term, multi-modal transport planning options to address the impacts of urban growth, congestion and traffic accidents.
Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade - Sheehy Road (Forest Gardens) to Ray Jones DriveFar NorthStage one of the Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade is the $150 million upgrade of the Sheehy Road (Forest Gardens) to Ray Jones Drive section. It will improve safety and traffic flow, reduce congestion and enhance access for 55,000 motorists using the southern access into Cairns each day.
Cairns Bus Priority StudyFar NorthThe Cairns Bus Priority Study was conducted by the department and Cairns City Council to provide a 10-year program of works to improve the efficiency of bus services.
Cairns Integrated Public Transport PlanFar NorthThe Cairns Integrated Public Transport Plan was a priority action of the Far North Queensland Regional Plan, which identified the need for convenient, reliable and effective public transport.
Cairns Transit NetworkFar NorthThe Cairns Transit Network is the first busway planning project of its kind in regional Queensland. It will improve public transport in Cairns by giving buses priority, either in separate bus lanes or on dedicated bus-only lanes (busways) which will be separated from general traffic.
Cairns Transit Network - James Cook University premium bus stopFar NorthThe Department of Transport and Main Roads is working with James Cook University and Cairns Regional Council to deliver one of the first projects for the Cairns Transit Network, the new James Cook University premium bus stop.
Captain Cook Highway Cairns to Mossman (South of Ellis Beach)Far NorthThe Department of Transport and Main Roads has completed roadside repairs on the Captain Cook Highway, between Cairns and Mossman.
Captain Cook Highway Cairns to Mossman CraiglieFar NorthReconstruction section of the Captain Cook Highway, between Cairns to Mossman, at Craiglie
Determination of the State of the Health Science for Ultrafine ParticlesMetropolitan, Central West, Darling Downs, Far North, Fitzroy, Mackay/Whitsunday, North Coast, North West, Northern, South Coast, South West, Wide Bay /BurnettA department-Queensland University of Technology study to determine the level of health science knowledge on ultrafine particles.
Emergency Marine Response CapabilityFar NorthThe Queensland Government program aimed at increasing the safety and environmental performance of all sectors of the port and marine industry.
Gillies Range - Repairs to roadside above and below the roadFar North 
Gillies Range Road South of AthertonFar NorthThe Department of Transport and Main Roads is reconstructing and widening a section of the Gillies Range Road, between Barron River Bridge and Marks Lane, south of Atherton.
Gulf Savannah Integrated Regional Transport PlanFar NorthA plan to address access and mobility needs of the community and industry in the Gulf Savannah area.
Kennedy Highway - Reconstruction of sections south of Mt GarnetFar North 
Kuranda Range Road safety worksFar NorthImplementation of a range of safety measures.
Major Works Between Machans Beach Roundabout and Barron River BridgeFar North 
Millaa Millaa Malanda RoadFar NorthReconstruction of sections of Millaa Millaa-Malanda Road.
Northern region projects — currentFar NorthInformation on current projects in the northern region.
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Maps

map thumbView the Far North region on the interactive map

Far North Region map

Also available in detail are the following maps:

Last reviewed: 19 October 2011