Infrastructure & accessibility

The Bruce Highway, the major coastal highway in Queensland and part of the Australian National  Highway, runs through the region passing through Cardwell,Tully and Innisfail. Ongoing upgrades are ensuring that the Bruce Highway becomes safer and that disruptions due to flooding are minimised. Innisfail sits at the coastal end of the Palmerston Highway, the easiest road route to the Tablelands Region and gateway to the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York. Most roads within the region are sealed.

Vehicular transport is available across the Cassowary Coast region via bus services, taxis and car rental companies. Transfer services from Tully and Mission Beach to Cairns airport are also available.

There are railway stations in Innisfail, Tully and Cardwell for passenger travel and freight transport via QR National and Pacific National. An extensive network of light gauge tramways exist to service the sugar mills in the northern part of the region.

There are three aerodromes in the region, Mundoo Aerodrome (outside Innisfail), Dallachy Aerodrome (just north of Cardwell) and Tully Aerodrome. Cairns Aiport is approximately one hour from Innisfail and Townsville Airport is approximately two hours from Cardwell.

Mourilyan Harbour is a high quality natural harbour.  The harbour exports timber, cattle and sugar. The port of Cairns is approximately one hour from Innisfail. For smaller boats there are marinas available at Innisfail and at Port Hinchinbrook.

Broadband internet access and mobile phone coverage are reasonably good across the region. Precise coverage details are available from your preferred service provider.

Cassoway Coast Regional Council is responsible for managing the abundant water resources and supplying potable water in the region. It is also responsible for waste management.

A safe, secure and reliable electricity supply is available from a combination of local generation facilities and via transmission and distribution networks connected to other power stations in the state. The local sugar mills generate electricity during the crushing season and feed the surplus back into the State transmisison grid.