The most difficult thing about moving, whether it's interstate or from overseas is not knowing the suburbs and if they have a good or bad rep. I will try and put together some information about the suburbs around Cairns and will also submit a questionnaire that a family put together about the different burbs and what their thoughts were. This family are currently back in the UK but are hoping to get out once they have a place in Queensland Police.
Here is a quick run down of the suburbs. The most desirable area in Cairns is Northern Beaches (everyone wants the beach life) followed by the rainforest life of suburbs like Redlynch and Brinsmead.

NORTHERN BEACHES:

Palm Cove – A beautiful suburb, with a very tropical feel, white sandy beaches lined with Palm trees. It is very well set up for tourists with seafront hotels, apartments and restaurants along the Esplanade. Beachside is a very busy area, however, if you cross the Captain Cook Highway they have built a gorgeous estate surrounded by the rainforest, if you live high on the estate you will have stunning sea views.

Clifton Beach – No Esplanade as such. New small shopping centre out at the main Roadside. No real holiday industry here. Expensive at the water front.

Kewarra Beach – More affordable areas. Large development taking place. Not much in the way of facilities but not far to travel to them.

Trinity Beach – A mini Palm Cove. Very nice.

Trinity Park – No beach. Water inlet. Big money going in here. Want to park your yacht at the bottom of the garden ?

Yorkeys Knob – Marina and small beach. In flight path, an older suburb.

Holloways Beach - Flight path. There are nicer suburbs

Machans Beach - Flight path. Poor reputation.


NORTH:

Smithfield – This is where the large shopping centre is, you have quite a few industrial units, Bunnings, Fast Food, etc, A very busy suburb, there is a touch of graffiti in the North Point Estate as this backs on to the industrial area, nothing major and nothing compared to suburbs in Melbourne. The nicest estate is Canopys Edge which also has the cable skiing. Gateway to the Tablelands and Kuranda.

Caravonica – Some very nice new housing. Can be subject to flooding in wet season

Kamerunga – Mainly rainforest type living. Pole homes.

Freshwater – Older suburb but very nice and upmarket

Stratford – Tipped to become the next Edge Hill.

Redlynch – Offers a lot. New suburb spread over several km. Great schools

Redlynch Valley - Life in the rainforests, stunning area, swimming in the creek, a few minutes to Crystal Cascades, a very family friendly area.

Brinsmead – Old and new. Better stuff tends to be up the hill. Good.

Park Ridge – Was part of Whitfield, a new estate which has become it's own suburb. East is virtually millionaire territory. The views are sensational – breathtaking million-dollar panoramas of the city and harbour on one side, and tranquil rural vistas over the valleys and mountains on the other.

Whitfield – Older leafy burb. Some good, some bad.

Edge Hill – Older leafy burb in excellent location and has a good reputation. Surrounded by the Botanical Gardens and has a lovely shopping complex.

Mooroobool – Prime example of where good meets bad. Some very good and some very bad. City Views within Mooroobool is where a lot of big money people live.


CITY SUBURBS:

Unfortunately, unlike other cities, it is not desirable to live in the inner Cairns suburbs, the properties are old and run down

Aeroglen – CLose to Freshwater, floods in wet season and next to the airport

Bungalow – Old housing meets industrial.

Manoora – Probably the worst burb in Cairns.

Manunda – Again a suburb to avoid, they always say avoid the 3 M's if moving to Cairns and I have to agree they are definitely right

Parramatta Park – Just made the news due to increasing crime rate.

Portsmith – Not much housing. Industrial leading to the port.

Westcourt – Bordering the main Mulgrave Road.

Woree – Same as Westcourt.


SOUTHSIDE:

Earlville – Older. Better stuff is at the back toward the hills. One of the largest shopping centres with cinemas.

Bayview Heights – Where the original money people of Cairns live – or lived ? Better at the back toward the hills. Some lovely areas and some not so nice, choose your area well.

White Rock – Not somewhere I would choose to live

Forest Gardens - Brand new estate, some gorgeous properties

Mount Sheridan – Older leafy burb.

Bentley Park – Nicknamed Nappy Valley. Cheaper housing. Lot of development out the back where it is now adjoining Edmonton.

Edmonton – High velocity expansion. A lovely suburb, some lovely housing built around the water park. Plans to join it with Gordonvale which is a 10 minute drive to the South

Gordonvale – Semi rural. Farming and cane field country. Some run down areas, but an area where you can get acreage for a reasonable price.