Far North Queensland FNQ is the northernmost part of the state of Queensland, Australia. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait. To the west lies the Gulf Country and North Queensland is the region to the south.

The region has more than 70 national parks. It supports a significant agricultural sector and has a number of significant mines. Queensland’s two highest peaks, Mount Bartle Frere and Mount Bellenden Ker, are located in Far North Queensland (FNQ).

The main population and administrative centre of the region is Cairns. Other key population centres include Cooktown, the Atherton Tablelands, Weipa, Innisfail and the Torres Strait Islands. The region also consists of many Aboriginal and farming groups. The Bruce Highway links southern coastal parts of the region with the rest of the state. In the south of the Atherton Tablelands the Palmerston Highway connects the Atherton Tablelands to the Innisfail area.

Industry

Significant industries include tourism, cattle grazing, agriculture and mining of both sand and bauxite. Agricultural products generate between $600 and $700 million a year. Sugar cane, tropical fruits including bananas, mangoes, papaya, lychees and coffee are grown in Far North Queensland (FNQ).

The region is home to the world’s biggest silica mine at Cape Flattery. The mine was established in 1967 and was severely damaged by Cyclone Ita in 2014. Rio Tinto Alcan operates a bauxite mine on the western coast of Cape York Peninsula near Weipa which contains one of the largest bauxite deposits in the world.

Tourism

The region supports a large tourism industry and is considered a premier tourist destination in Australia. Nearly one third of international visitors to the state come to the region. Attractions include the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest and other Queensland tropical rain forests within the Wet Tropics of Queensland heritage area, the Atherton Tablelands, Hinchinbrook Island and other resort islands such as Dunk Island and Green Island. Major attractions around and in Cairns include the The Reef Hotel Casino, Kuranda Scenic Railway, Barron Falls and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Towns and localities attracting large numbers of tourists include Cape Tribulation, Port Douglas, Mission Beach and Cardwell.