Council provides more than 6400 parking places in Cairns, including 4700 in the CBD, through a mix of on-street parking and off-street car parks.
Parking hours, especially on-street parking, are updated regularly as the city grows, to ensure a regular turn over of vehicles to balance the needs of visitors, shoppers, businesses and employees.
Regulated parking hours in the Cairns CBD are between 8.30am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 8.30am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Parking times and hours at other locations in Cairns will vary, so please check the signs.
Council generally charges $1.80 per hour for its on-street and off-street parking.
Parking is free* on public holidays. *Normal rules apply to loading zones, taxi zones, bus zones, no parking zones and disability bays.
Cairns has a mix of paid and free on-street parking. Parking time limits are in place in the CBD and other high-use areas to encourage fair use of the space. More
Council's off-street carparks provide short-term and all-day parking at varying rates. There is also a large number of private off-street carparks that motorists can use. More
Parking fines are a way of encouraging the regular turn-over of vehicles.You can request a parking fine to be waived if you believe it is unjustified. More
You need to apply to Council for a permit to use commercial loading zones or for business parking and residential parking permits. More
Council owns popular camping and caravan / RV facilities at Palm Cove, Bramston Beach, Babinda, Cairns and Fitzroy Island. More
