Clifton Beach Queensland

It is far enough from Cairns that you truly are outside the city, but still close enough if you do want to go in.


The beach is beautiful and it is a great beach to walk or jog if you like exercising.



You can walk along the beach, all the way north to Palm Cove, and to the south almost to Kewarra - not many Cairns beaches have such long walks.



It is a nice suburb, not as sleepy as Kewarra and not as touristy as Palm Cove, and there are enough beach accesses.



Just across the Cook Highway are Cairns Tropical Zoo and Cairns Night Zoo - where you can see the typical Aussie animals, and also the tropical Australian animals, like cassowaries and crocodiles. UPDATE 2016 - closed.

A night zoo visit includes an Aussie barbeque dinner with drinks, music and entertainment - meant for international travellers.

And there is also the Outback Opal Mine - which is not a bad opal shop if you are from overseas and interested in Australian opal.

If you are from southern parts of Australia, you surely have heaps more choice down there.

Clifton Beach Accommodation

Agincourt Beachfront Apartments
Luxury apartments accommodation right on the beach. Large living areas, private balconies, all self catering facilities, TVs, internet, washing machine and a dryer in the rooms; and a swimming pool and BBQs downstairs. Ground floor apartments have patios instead of balconies. 

Argosy on the Beach
Right on the Esplanade of the beautiful Clifton Beach, this accommodation complex is a walking distance from Palm Cove. Spacious rooms and balconies with views, kitchenettes, TVs, internet. BBQs, a pool and a sauna in the complex.
 

Clifton Palms Holiday Units
This complex has 14 self contained one, two and three bedroom units on an acre of tropical palm gardens with an undercover entertainment and BBQ area, a large salt water swimming pool, and a large lawn area for children to play. There are also fax and internet facilities, and a laundry.

Clifton Sands Apartments
Clifton Sands Holiday Apartments is quite a small complex one block back from the beachfront. It has one room accommodation with a TV, internet, a kitchenette with tea and coffee making facilities, a fridge and a microwave. There is a swimming pool, laundry service and off street parking.

Lahania by the Sea
This low rise apartment complex is right on the waterfront. The rooms have Austar satellite TVs, ensuite spas and kitchenettes with tea and coffee making facilities.
There is an outdoor swimming pool, a poolside BBQ and entertaining area, 24 hours reception and off street parking.

Cairns Outback Opal Mine

It is next door to Cairns Tropical Zoo and Night Zoo, and it is one of the places to have a look if you are in Cairns and want to buy youself an Australian opal.


I always used to say 'it's just a shop', and mainly it is, but if you go in and spend some time, there is a small replica of an opal mine, with lots of interesting information.

A great place to learn about different types of opals, as well as a few different ways they are cut, and what is a valuable opal.

The Cairns Outback Opal Mine is next to Cook Highway as you drive past the suburb of Clifton Beach, you can see it from the highway.
   

The first time I came in, years ago, I happened to walk in at the same time with a tourist group, so I got a free drink and got to listen to a talk about opals :-)
   

But you can also have a look on your own, the info is all written on the walls or info boards.
   

In the walls of the cave of the mine replica, there are different types of Australian opal.
   

There is even a movie room if you want to watch how opal is formed, cut and polished.
   

And of course, there are plenty of gems to buy!
   

There is opal jewellery, but also Torres Strait pearls,



.. and also loose stones if you want a cheap one for fun or as a memory from the Cairns Outback Opal Mine.


The staff is amazing. If only they have the time, they will explain everything - not only about the opals, but also pearls. We learned all about what is a 'real' pearl,  whether wild or cultivated, and what makes it expensive.

UPDATE 2020 - The Outback Opal Mine is unfortunately closed.

Plan Your Trip... the FREE Cape York Travel Pocket Guide

Get this 50 pages guide totally for FREE. It contains information that helps you getting started with planning of your trip. You get to make early-stages desicions such as when to go, how long time you should take, how to get there and get around, where to stay (general info), what will it cost.. and a short insight to what is there to see and do in Cape York.

Plan and Bring to the Trip... the full Destination Cape York Travel Guide

This complete 300 pages travel guide is all you need before and during your trip. Besides the background chapters on the peninsula's history and wildlife; and the comprehensive detail about all the places (down to prices, opening hours and full contact detail), it has invaluable information on at least 10 four wheel drive tracks, at least 30 guaranteed FREE camping spots on the Cape (and at least 150 on your way to the Cape), at least 40 best swimming holes, all mapped; as well as practical things - from fuel, roads, wireless internet and mobile phone reception, how to deal with the national parks booking rules; and Aboriginal land entrance and camping permits and alcohol restrictions - to vehicle preparation and accessories and necessary recovery gear by my vehicle-recovery-guy partner). Not to mention locals' tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)

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