Cardwell Shire is part of the Far North Queensland coastal region, situated between Cairns and Townsville. Tully, the administrative centre of the shire, lies approximately 235 km south of Cairns. The area of the shire is 2,901 square kilometres stretching from the rugged Kirrama Range in the west to the fertile floodplains of the Tully, Murray and Hull Rivers and the coastal beaches. Cardwell Shire includes part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, a predominantly rainforested area providing the only habitat for numerous rare plant and animal species such as the cassowary.

Our Shire also lies adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the world and one of Australia’s precious natural treasures. Cardwell Shire enjoys a tropical climate with warm winters, hot dry summers and a wet season from January to March when cyclones may occur. Tully is famous for experiencing the highest average annual rainfall in Australia, over 4,000mm.

Our resident population is about 11,000, which includes a number of groups of notable ethnic origin, particularly those with an Italian and Finnish background. We also accommodate many visitors including Australian and overseas tourists, back-packers and itinerant workers throughout the year.

Cardwell was established by white settlers in 1864, when the first landing party arrived to set up a port for the inland grazing lands of the Valley of Lagoons region. This became the first port north of Bowen, and Cardwell actually pre-dates both Cairns and Townsville. The Aboriginal people of the area, Jirrbal, Girramay and Gulngay-speaking groups, lived in close harmony with the rainforest environment in pre-contact times, and today their descendants retain close links with their heritage.

The administrative centre of the Shire was moved from Cardwell to Tully in the late 1920’s following the expansion of the Tully district with the establishment of the sugar mill in Tully in 1925.

The main economic strength of the Cardwell Shire is agriculture, with the production of sugar and bananas of major significance. In 1996, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting accounted for over 30% of the employment of the Shire while in 1995 sugar cane production in the Shire amounted to over 1 million tonnes, and banana production over 76,000 tonnes. The tourist industry is also of significance, with Cardwell Shire emerging as the next most significant tourism destination in the Far North after Cairns and Port Douglas.

• Aboriginal Heritage
• Climate
• Dates of Notable Events
• Environment, Flora & Fauna
• Settlement History
• The Economy
• Townships & Services

More information on Mission Beach and its history can be viewed at My Mission Beach.