14 must-visit markets in and around Cairns

Jemma Fletcher Jemma Fletcher
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Sharing the region’s incredibly diverse offerings, there’s a Cairns market out there to suit every taste, budget, and whim.

Tropical North Queensland offers a hefty number of unique experiences, but when it comes to tasting the unique flavours of this region, you have to head to the eclectic variety of Cairns markets.

From stalls along the beachside promenade and out in the rustic country to indoor night markets and plenty more in between, here are 14 of the best markets Cairns has to offer.

1. Rusty’s Market

desserts on display at Rusty’s Market, Cairns
Delight in sweet creations at Rusty’s Market. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Those in town for the weekend should set their sights (and stomachs) on the iconic Rusty’s Market. What began as a modest, community food market has now transformed into a bustling three-day event every week, showcasing over 180 stalls.

Both tourists and locals convene from Friday to Sunday to browse the region’s best. You’ll find local produce – exotic fruit, artisan bread, samosas, coffee, smoothie’s organic meats, and the like – as well as international foods, jewellery, clothing and more.

Opening hours: Friday – Saturday 5am to 6pm and Sunday 5am to 3pm.

Location: 57-89 Grafton Street, Cairns City
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 minute drive

2. Cairns Night Markets

unique items at Cairns Night Markets
Find unique gifts and trinkets at Cairns Night Markets. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Each night when the sun sets, the Cairns Night Markets come alive and are famous for good reason.

With over 70 market shops to explore (including gifts, homeware, jewellery and more), as well as a varied food court and licensed restaurants, it’s the perfect place to grab dinner and hunt for a bargain. Oh, and it’s fully air-conditioned too, so if it’s a scorcher of a night, you know where to go.

Opening hours: Daily 4.30 – 11pm.

Location: 54-60 Abbott St, Cairns City
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 minute drive

3. Carnival on Collins

guests exploring Cairns Botanic Gardens Conservatory
Wander through the lush Cairns Botanic Gardens. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

A market and festival wrapped up one? Yes Please. Join the annual Carnival on Collins Street party celebrating life in the tropics as you wander through the Tanks Arts Centre and Cairns Botanic Gardens precinct.

Be entertained in every direction, from pop-up dance acts and lively street performers to the multicultural rhythms coming from the main stage. Over 200 market stalls will feature on the day, with plants, arts, and crafts, alongside an extensive array of free workshops.

Opening hours: Sunday 7 September 2025, 9am – 3pm

Location: Tanks Arts Centre & Cairns Botanic Gardens, 46 Collins Avenue, Edge Hill.
Distance from Cairns Centre: 8 minutes drive

4. Tanks Monthly Markets

For a taste of the arts, the Tanks Monthly Markets showcase a blend of local art, craft, and vintage clothing, as well as produce, collectables, natural-health products, and food and drink stalls.

Everyone is invited to wander the leafy promenade and enjoy the local musicians and refreshments.

Opening hours: Held on the last Sunday of the month from 8am – 1pm (between April and November).

Location: Tanks Arts Centre, 46 Collins Ave, Edge Hill
Distance from Cairns Centre: 8 minutes drive

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5. Gordonvale Cottage Markets

potted plants in a shopping cart
Find an abundance of potted plants at Gordonvale Cottage Markets. (Image: Getty/Ольга Симонова)

At the heart of the sugar farming township of Gordonvale is their monthly market with a happy country vibe, often with live music, and an enjoyable atmosphere. There are around 120 stalls to explore, including a wide variety of homemade crafts, locally grown produce, and delicious food.

Opening hours: Held on the first Saturday of every month (except in January).

Location: Norman Park, Gordonvale
Distance from Cairns Centre: 25 minutes drive

6. Palm Cove Markets

chakra coconut candles at Palm Cove Markets
Chakra coconut candles at Palm Cove Markets.

Heroing its sustainable, local, quality handmade products, the Palm Cove Markets have a reputation for being one of Tropical North Queensland’s best community markets. With over 130 stalls stretched across Williams Esplanade and entertainment alongside beachside scenery, it’s a market experience unlike anything you’re used to at home.

Opening hours: Held on the first Sunday of every month.

Location: Williams Esplanade, Palm Cove
Distance from Cairns Centre: 30 minutes drive

7. Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets

two women strolling along Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets
Meander around the stalls at Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland/ Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

Found high up in the famous mountain village of Kuranda, the Kuranda Rainforest Markets showcase the area’s local arts, cuisine, culture, and history, and attract thousands of visitors annually.

With rustic yet charming outdoor stalls, a strong eco-conscious ethic, gourmet regional fare, tropical gardens to walk through, and even a mini golf course, why not enjoy a whole day trip here?

Opening hours: Held every day 10am – 3pm.

Location: 13 Therwine St, Kuranda
Distance from Cairns Centre: 35 minutes drive

8. Port Douglas Sunday Markets

market stalls at Port Douglas Sunday Markets
Spend your Sunday shopping at the esplanade. (Image: Port Douglas Sunday Markets)

Just a short stroll from the esplanade, the Port Douglas Sunday Markets have a little bit of everything, from freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, opened coconuts, chocolate-coated bananas, fresh tandoori, and ice creams, smoothies, and great coffee, as well as fashion, jewellery, art, music, local buskers and entertainers.

Opening hours: Held every Sunday from early morning to late afternoon.

Location: Rex Smeal Park, Macrossan Street, Port Douglas
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour drive

9. Wednesday Market at Crystalbrook Superyach Marina in Port Douglas

boats moored at the Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina in Port Douglas
Enjoy some shopping on Wednesdays at the marina. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Wednesday is a popular day for cruise ships to visit Port Douglas, so what better place to hold a market than at the Marina to greet visitors? It’s an easy way to hop off and connect with local products and services.

Opening hours: Held every Wednesday from 11am – 5pm (April to October) and every Wednesday over Christmas school holidays.

Location: 44 Wharf St, Port Douglas
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour drive

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10. Mareeba Markets

a stall selling plants and locally grown produce at Mareeba Markets
Shop locally grown produce at Mareeba Markets.

Browse up to 150 stalls at the Mareeba Markets showcasing locally grown produce, quality handmade products, food, drinks, live music and much more. Coordinated by the Lions Club of Mareeba, it’s a fantastic opportunity to support the area’s local sellers in the community.

Opening hours: Held every second and fifth Saturday of the month.

Location: 100 Park (Centenary Park), Byrnes Street, Mareeba
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour drive

11. Yungaburra Markets

fruit stalls at Yungaburra Markets
Meander around the stalls selling fresh fruits at Yungaburra Markets. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Fancy a day trip to the Atherton Tablelands? With a relaxed family atmosphere and the philosophy of fostering the value of buying local, the Yungaburra Markets bring together around 260 local growers, producers, and artisans to display and sell their produce and handiwork in the middle of the historic village of Yungaburra.

Opening hours: Held every fourth Saturday of the month from 7.30am – 12.30pm.

Location: 4 Maple Street, Yungaburra
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour 10 minutes drive

12. Mossman Markets

a woman walking through Mossman Markets
Browse your way around the stalls selling arts and crafts. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

Described as the world’s most beautiful markets under the Mossman Raintrees, the Mossman Markets are a genuine country market where you can expect to find a lot of fresh produce, including exotic fruits, herbs and spices, and a wide range of vegetables.

As well as taste testing and browsing, take your pick of arts and crafts to take home as a unique handmade souvenir.

Opening hours: Held every Saturday from 7am – 1pm.

Location: 13 Foxton Ave, Mossman
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour and 15 minutes drive

13. Mission Beach Markets

a woman browsing through the stalls at Mission Beach Markets
Look for handcrafted items at Mission Beach Markets. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Located in the shady Ulysses Day Park beside the beach on Porter Promenade, you’ll find something for everyone at the local Mission Beach Markets. Meander around 100 stall sites consisting of a wide range of goods from fruit and veg, takeaway food, plants, clothing, jewellery, books, second-hand items and handcrafted wares and more.

Opening hours: Held every first and third Sunday of the month from 8am – 1pm.

Location: Opposite Hideaway Holiday Village in Porter Promenade in the Mission Beach Village
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour and 50 minutes drive

14. Mission Beach Monster Markets

Managed and promoted by the Mission Beach Rotary Club, the Wednesday Monster Markets are a much-loved sibling to the Sunday Mission Beach Markets, but held nearby on a grassed sports field at MARCS Park, where you can expect to find much the same — a huge variety of exciting stalls.

Opening hours: Held on the last Sunday of every month from 8am – 12.30pm (April to November)

Location: MARCS Park, Cassowary Drive, Mission Beach
Distance from Cairns Centre: 1 hour and 50 minutes drive

Stay up to date with openings, special market events, and local community markets via the Cairns Market Facebook page.

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Jemma Fletcher
Based in sun-kissed Brisbane, Jemma Fletcher is an accomplished writer, editor and content manager. Armed with a Bachelor of Journalism from The University of Queensland, as well as over a decade of tourism marketing experience, Jemma now specialises in freelance travel writing and has a soft spot for the beauty of Queensland. Her expertise has been honed through her previous roles as Chief Editor of Queensland.com and WeekendNotes.com and she is the passionate creator of High Cup of Tea, an online directory celebrating Australia's finest high tea experiences. After growing up in the UK (hence her love for tea and scones) and a delightful chapter in Sydney, Jemma loves to explore quaint towns with a rich history. Also high on her weekend list is tasting the local cafe scene, enjoying charming farm stays with her young family and deciding where her next travel adventure will be (half of the fun is in the planning!)
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7 wellness experiences on Hamilton Island for complete rejuvenation

(Credit: Riley Williams)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    Conjuring calm and active adventure in equal measure, Hamilton Island is a tropical tonic for body and mind.

    Hamilton Island knows a thing or two about indulgence. There are long lunches to linger over, seafood towers to savour and poolside loungers designed for guilt-free idling. But for health-minded travellers wanting to feel energised inside and out, this sliver of the Whitsundays takes wellbeing just as seriously. Think yoga mats rolling out at dawn, kayaks skimming turquoise water, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and spa therapists working tropical magic. These Hamilton Island wellness experiences promise to restore, rebalance and leave you feeling brand new.

    1. E-Mountain biking

    mountain bikers on Hamilton Island wellness
    Follow Hamilton Island’s mountian biking trails. (Credit: Harry Gruttner)

    For travellers with an appetite for adrenaline, Hamilton Island’s new self-guided e-mountain biking experience is worth carving out a morning for. Start at HI Trails HQ, where you’ll be fitted with a full-suspension, pedal-assisted e-mountain bike and given a run-through of a nine-kilometre section of the island’s 25-kilometre trail network. The electric boost makes the ride more accessible (and the climbs more manageable), though an intermediate level of fitness is still recommended.

    As a first-time mountain biker, I start off wobbly – taking my time to get used to switching gears and electric modes – and wonder if I’ve overestimated my coordination. But soon something clicks. Suddenly we’re zooming through pockets of eucalyptus and out onto ridgelines with sweeping views of electric blue waters, catching our breath at hidden bays with barely another soul in sight. More than 70 per cent of the island remains untouched, so witnessing these lesser-explored pockets feels like a blessing. It’s the kind of adventure that leaves you buzzing, accomplished and blissfully tired out.

    2. HI Fitness Club

    HI Fitness Club reformer pilates
    Stretch out with reformer pilates.

    If mountain biking isn’t quite your speed, there are plenty of other ways to stay active on the island. One of the newest Hamilton Island wellness experiences, HI Fitness Club now has 24-hour access, offering a fully equipped modern gym, group classes spanning HIIT to yoga, plus two bubbling spas and a sauna waiting to loosen sore muscles.

    I drop in for a Reformer Pilates class. Each of the four machines has its own mini screen with a wide selection of high-quality virtual classes, meaning I can select one that suits my level and mood that day. Beyond Pilates, the virtual library is like a choose-your-own adventure for fitness enthusiasts: dance, Body Pump, Body Combat and GRIT Cardio are among the options. Or perhaps challenge a family member or friend to a hit of tennis at one of the three courts.

    3. Walking trails

    runners on hamilton island
    Get the blood pumping on a morning run.

    We set out early. By 6:45am, we’re halfway up Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island and widely considered its most impressive vantage point. From the Scenic Trail Entrance, the viewing platform takes around an hour to reach by foot, with moderate inclines that will get your heart pumping without feeling too punishing. The payoff at the top is immediate. Bush-clad Whitsundays islands scatter across the horizon in every direction, the sunrise brushing the scene with soft melon and gold tones. I take my time soaking up the 360° panorama, remembering how powerful an active start in nature can be for clearing the mind and energising the day ahead.

    While Passage Peak is one of the most popular hikes on Hamilton Island, Flat Top Hill Lookout and the longer Southeast Head Trail are also excellent choices.

    4. Spa wumurdaylin

    Spa Wumurdaylin on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Feel your worries melt away at Spa wumurdaylin.

    In a tranquil treatment room at Spa wumurdaylin, the world disappears. The space is all brown stone tiles, bamboo racks and lush garden views, setting the tone for my Soul Temple treatment. My therapist, Kass, begins with a full-body, exfoliating orange buff sugar scrub that feels divine. Next comes the vertical Vichy shower and underwater massage to knead out muscle knots. The sound of cascading water is reminiscent of a tropical rainstorm, and stress becomes a distant memory.

    It’s a prime example of the transportive power of the island’s spa, where guests can come to reset the mind and loosen tension in the body. The menu spans radiance facials to deep release rituals and mud wraps, all using products from pH-balanced skincare brand LaGaia Unedited. Concluding with herbal tea, I leave in a blissful daze.

    5. Sunrise yoga

    sunrise yoga session at the sundays on hamilton island wellness experiences
    Start your day on the right foot.

    Morning movement doesn’t get more surreal than sunrise yoga on The Sundays’ seaside terrace. As we roll out our mats, morning light spills across Catseye Beach below, turning the water into a sheet of molten gold. But the setting only does half the healing. I match my breath to the rhythm of the waves and feel my body gradually lengthen and wake as instructor Tyla Rae guides us through a slow, mindful flow.

    Available exclusively to guests of The Sundays, this session captures the spirit of wellness on Hamilton Island – immersion in nature, slowing down by the sea, recalibrating both body and mind. To round out the experience, the perfect ocean cool-off awaits just steps away.

    6. Getting out on the water

    people on sup boards at the sundays hamilton island
    Try your hand at a host of watersports.

    Speaking of ocean delights, Catseye Beach’s host of watersports delivers spades of fun and rejuvenation. Glide over the crystalline water in a kayak, test your sailing skills in a mini catamaran, spot schools of fish (and a turtle if you’re lucky) from a stand-up paddleboard, or slip into an underwater wonderland when you snorkel off the beach.

    Out here, the water is so clear it feels like floating in glass, and the green silhouettes of the Whitsunday Islands rise on the horizon. Half an hour on the water here is all you need to reset your entire mood.

    Guests staying at qualia, Beach Club, The Sundays, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows and Hamilton Island Holiday Homes have complimentary access to all these water activities, making it easy to dive right in.

    7. Take a swing

    Dent Island Golf course
    Enjoy incredible views with a swing of golf.

    For others, mindfulness comes from calm concentration – and golf fits the bill to a tee. Designed by five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson, Hamilton Island Golf Club is perched along the scenic ridges of Dent Island. It’s Australia’s only golf course on its own island, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the world. The experience is suitable for golfers of all skill levels, with spectator bookings also available for those simply wishing to take in the views. Follow the game with a well-earned lunch at the Clubhouse restaurant.

    Find out more ways to unwind in the Whitsundays at hamiltonisland.com.au.