Car Hire in Cairns

Part of our guide to car hire in Australia.

Driving and Parking in Cairns: What You Need to Know

• Side of the road: Australia drives on the left. If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time and take the first few minutes slowly. The most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
• Licence for visitors: A valid overseas licence is accepted in Queensland, provided you follow its conditions. If it is not in English, carry an International Driving Permit or an official English translation, and some guidance recommends a permit in every case.
• Speed limits: Limits are in kilometres per hour. Unless signed otherwise, the default is 50 km/h in built-up residential areas and 100 km/h on rural roads and highways. Speed cameras operate around the clock.
• Alcohol and phones: The blood alcohol limit is 0.05% for a full licence holder, so the safest course is not to drink before driving. Hand-held phone use is illegal, including calls, texts and navigation, and mobile phone detection cameras operate 24 hours a day.
• Seat belts and children: Everyone must wear a seat belt, and children aged seven and under need a restraint suited to their size and weight. Only child seats approved to Australian standards may be used, so request one from the supplier in advance.
• Toll roads: Queensland's electronic toll roads are in the Brisbane area and at Toowoomba, so there are no toll roads on the usual routes from Cairns. Confirm with your supplier at collection if you plan to continue south.
• Council car parks: The council lists car parks at Lake Street (multi-storey), Grafton Street, Hartley Street, McKenzie Street, Hospital Esplanade, Southern Esplanade (by the Lagoon) and the Cairns Performing Arts Centre. Most use pay-by-plate machines that take coins (not 5c) and Visa or Mastercard, with a $1 minimum and no change, and the EasyPark app works at Grafton Street, Hartley Street, Hospital Esplanade and Southern Esplanade.
• On-street parking: Time limits apply from 8:30am to 6pm on weekdays and 8:30am to 2pm on Saturdays, and in the city centre they are generally between one and three hours. The free city centre allowance was reduced from three hours to two hours from 1 July 2026, and signs still showing the old limit stay valid until they are changed. Parking is free on public holidays, and the sign at each space is the final authority.
• Cyclists and wildlife: Cairns has a strong cycling culture, so check for bicycles and leave them plenty of room. North of the city, drive slowly where you see cassowary crossing signs, because cassowaries can be dangerous.
• Wet season roads: Heavy rain can close roads, particularly on the Tablelands and in the Daintree, so check the QLD traffic app before you leave. Mobile reception can be patchy outside the city, so download offline maps and bookings in advance.
• Fuel: Fill up before heading north of the Daintree River, and refill the tank before you return the car to avoid premium refuelling charges. Confirm the fuel type on your booking confirmation before you refuel.

Top Places to Visit from Cairns by Car

• Palm Cove — about 26 km north, in roughly 25 to 30 minutes along the coast. The beachside village has a jetty car park run by the council, and the drive is the easiest introduction to the northern beaches.
• Kuranda — about 25 to 29 km inland, in roughly 30 to 35 minutes. The rainforest village is known for its markets, wildlife and local Indigenous culture, and the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway run to it, so many drivers go one way by rail or cable car and return by car.
• Port Douglas — about 66 km north, in roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, along the Captain Cook Highway. The coastal road is the route to Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge and the Daintree.
• Atherton Tablelands — about 1 to 1.5 hours inland, usually by the Gillies Range. The Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit is a loop of about 17 km, around 30 minutes without stops, with Millaa Millaa Falls, Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls. The roads are generally well paved, and the crater lakes at Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham are on the same day loop.
• Daintree River and Cape Tribulation — about 2 hours to the Daintree River by the Captain Cook Highway. A cable ferry runs continuously from 5am to midnight, with waits of 5 to 30 minutes on average and longer at peak holiday times. The Bloomfield Track beyond Cape Tribulation is recommended for high-clearance 4WD vehicles only, so check your supplier's terms before you go.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Cairns?

Peak season: Demand follows the Australian school holidays: mid-December to late January, Easter, late June to early July, and late September to early October. Accommodation and car hire prices rise in these weeks, and attractions are busier.

Shoulder season: May, and the weeks of the dry season outside school holidays, are the most comfortable for driving, with winter days peaking around 26°C. Spring suits wildlife and birdwatching around the Daintree.

Low season: The wet season runs from about December to April, with the heaviest rain usually in February and March. Heavy, short bursts of rain can close roads on the Tablelands and in the Daintree, so allow extra time and check conditions before you set out.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for school holidays, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change, and the balance is paid at the desk on collection, so nothing is charged in full at the time of booking.

Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Cairns

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.

Car Hire Suppliers in Cairns

Car hire in Cairns is available through the following supplier.

• Green Motion

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Cairns

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Cairns Airport (CNS)