When you think of Far North Queensland or Tropical North Queensland in Australia, you tend to think of rainforests, reefs and crocodiles. You don’t think that one of the towns, [clickToTweet tweet=”Innisfail, lays claim to be the Art Deco Capital of Australia” quote=”Innisfail, lays claim to be the Art Deco Capital of Australia”].

 

Getting to Innisfail

We drove 88kms south from Cairns wending our way through sugar plantations and past cane trains, which carry the canes to the sugar mills. These sugar mills were blowing their sweet smelling smoke into the air. We passed banana plantations and tried to find the elusive cassowary, which is why this part of the Queensland is called the Cassowary Coast. The iconic Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest border the Cassowary Coast where Innisfail is located.

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Arriving in Innisfail

And then we arrived at Innisfail. Innisfail is located 5 kms from the coast and is situated where the North and South Johnstone Rivers meet. This is a pretty town with palm trees, and people sitting outside in the sunshine. It is a pretty town.

The Esplanade runs along the riverfront and is a very popular meeting place. The surprise came when we saw the buildings. This is art deco heaven.

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

 

Innisfail, The Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail claims to be The Art Deco Capital of Australia, and this came about because of the vagaries of nature. As one of Australia’s wettest towns, Innisfail was hit by a devastating cyclone in 1918 and had to be rebuilt. It was rebuilt in the art deco style, a style popularized after World War 1. It was again severely hit when Cyclone Larry struck the town in 2006 causing enormous damage, but this gave the town the opportunity to be revitalized and preserved.

Innisfail is a very multicultural town, and this can be seen in the Art Deco architecture and Streamline Moderne architecture. You can see examples of the multiculturalism of the town in the different styles of Art Deco like Spanish, Sicilian, Moroccan, and the Italian facades.

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

 

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Innisfail is the Art Deco Capital of Australia

Fly to Cairns with TigerAir Australia from any capital city.

Train to Innisfail from Cairns Central Station.

Drive to Innisfail, Queensland – 88kms, 1 hour

Bus, Greyhound Australia from Cairns to Innisfail

Pin It on Pinterest