Doing business in Cairns
Information and advice is critical in the early stages of starting or expanding a business. Council can help you to find the right information, networks and support, and locate the resources you need to navigate the requirements and paperwork of the different levels of government.
Small Business Friendly Council
We are a Small Business Friendly Council. In 2021, we signed the Small Business Friendly Charter, formally committing to initiatives to support small business, including better communication and engagement, more promotion and development, and importantly, cutting red tape.
We like to keep our contracts and procurement local. Council is a major contributor to the Cairns economy, generating a range of economic benefits for the region through employment and expenditure on goods and services. Council’s total expenditure for 2021/22 financial year was $383 Million, with 88% ($338M) being spent local.
Of the remaining 12% there was no local option for 5%, non-local suppliers were used for 4% and the remaining 3% is attributable to government expenditure.
Getting started
- Register a business at the Australian Government's Business Registration Service.
- Find the forms permits and licences you need with the Australian Business and Licence Information Service
Business Launchpad for hospitality and construction
New hospitality and construction businesses in Cairns can access the online one-stop-shop service Business Launchpad, provided by the Queensland Government, to help them locate and complete the right paperwork to get started.
Support to grow
- Queensland Government Business Portal provides information, support and tools for Queensland business owners and industry sectors.
- business.gov.au is the Australian Government's online business portal offering advice on grants and assistance, programs to help businesses innovate, grow and succeed, business establishment and compliance, skills and training and a range of useful templates.
- Advance Queensland helps entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers turn their ideas into commercial success.
- The Entrepreneurs' Programme is the Australian Government’s flagship initiative for business competitiveness and productivity.
We love sustainable businesses
Council has comprehensive resources to help you make your business more sustainable. Find out how to increase your recycling, decrease your emissions and more.
Local business networks, industry resources & support
Advance Cairns is a peak independent non-government advocacy and economic development organisation for Tropical North Queensland. The group is business-funded, outcome-driven and has a long-term vision for growth across the region.
- Babinda Taskforce runs events, offers community services, promotes Babinda and delivers regular communication to and about the Babinda community.
- The Babinda District Chamber of Commerce Inc. meets once a month on the second Tuesday of the month at 70 Munro St.
Black Business Finder (BBF) is an online database established to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses an opportunity to be involved and benefit from the rapidly expanding major project program currently under way in Queensland.
The Cairns Business Women's Club supports and unites women in the business community, providing leadership and opportunities to network, as well as rewarding achievement at an annual awards ceremony.
Becoming a member of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce can help you to stay connected, informed and active in the Cairns business community. The Chamber is focussed on making it easier for local businesses to increase exposure, take advantage of networking opportunities, and access information and services that can increase business efficiency.
EcoBiz is delivered by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland and is funded by the Queensland Government.
For information about a fully subsidised program featuring online management tools, webinars and coaching to save on energy, water and waste in your business, head to the CCIQ ecoBiz website.
The Chamber is a group of Gordonvale business owners who have a passion for promoting the township and bringing people into the city to enjoy the facilities.
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) serves, partners and invests with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to assist in achieving financial success and economic independence. Support is provided for starting or growing a business.
Study Cairns is a collaborative international education and training network and marketing cluster in the Cairns region, showcasing the quality and range of study options available. It represents organisations, institutions and businesses in Cairns that are dedicated to providing help and support to students in the region.
The Superyacht Group Great Barrier Reef Inc. was established in 1999 and incorporated in 2001. The group’s principal aims have been to promote Cairns as a superyacht destination for cruising, refit and maintenance, training and charter.
Membership of the SYGGBR includes marine trades, engineering, electronics, electrical, stainless steel fabricators, metal workers, shipwrights, upholsterers and food service providers.
Taste Paradise promotes Tropical North Queensland regional food. A not-for-profit, volunteer organisation run by the people who produce the food – farmers, the value-adders, the chefs and the businesses that care passionately about bringing to you the abundant, unique and delicious produce from the north tropical region of Australia.
Tradelinked is about building on the existing relationships between Cairns and PNG to mutually benefit both business and communities.
Cairns and PNG are ideally positioned to be trade partners with strong economic, social and cultural links with the respective Chambers of Commerce working cooperatively and productively.
Cairns is becoming an established base for large PNG mining projects, with frequent air services allowing business operators and mine workers to comfortably commute.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) is the Regional Tourism Organisation for Tropical North Queensland and Cairns & Great Barrier Reef. TTNQ is responsible for promoting Tropical North Queensland as a travel destination around the world.
The region includes Cairns, Palm Cove and the beaches, Port Douglas and Daintree, Kuranda and the Atherton Tablelands, Mission Beach and the Cassowary Coast, Cape York and the Gulf Savannah.
Y(E)P is a free service with the objective of encouraging entrepreneurship in the Cairns region. The service is funded by the Australian Government.
Y(E)P's mentoring, small group workshops, webinars, meetups, full-day seminars and networking events help local entrepreneurs learn important skills, make connections and overcome entrepreneurial problems.
Last Updated: 10 August 2023
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