FNQ Apartments in Australia

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Cairns and the Battle of the Coral Sea

We’re sometimes asked about the history of Cairns and FNQ in the ‘front line’ of World War II.

Now obviously we at FNQ Apartments weren’t around at the time! Even so, we know something of the history. So, if you’re a history buff, here’s a quick summary.

If you look at the map, you’ll see that this part of Australia branches up towards New Guinea.  Back in 1942, The Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were advancing rapidly towards Australia’s northern coast and New Guinea was very much in their sights, as potentially were the New Hebrides.

In order to try and forestall an invasion of Port Moresby, a combined US/Australian fleet fought a desperate naval battle against Japanese invasion forces in what later became known as the Battle of the Coral Sea - just off the coast

The battle is generally regarded as a tactical Japanese victory in spite of much allied propaganda claiming to the contrary and the battle monument at Kuranda likewise. That’s because in purely military material terms, the Japanese destroyed and damaged more Allied shipping than the reverse.  

However, it proved to be a strategic victory because the Japanese fleet sustained sufficient damage for it to be forced to withdraw and cancel the invasion plans.

The battle is famous in military history for being the first time a major fleet engagement was fought without the two fleets ever sighting each other or firing a single direct shot at the enemy. All the fighting was done ship-to-aircraft with the planes being launched by each side’s aircraft carriers.

Today you’ll see very little evidence of the battle and luxury accommodation in Port Douglas and elsewhere looks out over peaceful and tranquil waters.

As a related aside, it’s not commonly known that Townsville and Mossman in Queensland were bombed by the Japanese during the war. They were small-scale raids that led to no fatalities and today little visible evidence of them remains.

Are You Ready for the Tennis?

It’s surprising how many people don’t realise that there is a great tennis tournament held in Cairns every year during the month of October.

What you get there are a lot of younger talented players. Many of them are bubbling around the edge of breaking into the big time and the major circuit tournaments so they’re keen to improve their rankings.
It’s seen as an important staging post for development and you might be surprised at how many of today’s big names cut their teeth on such tournaments.  It’s a really great event which manages to be both serious and friendly at the same time.

Now it’s true that sometimes watching players with lots of talent who still have many of their best years ahead of them can be a bit disheartening to those of us who really never got past the stage of knocking a ball about aimlessly on the court!  Even so, don’t be put off because even those who may be prone to ‘puff and blow’ after running around for few minutes can still pick up some useful tips and tricks from watching people who really know what they are doing.

In fact, whether you are in our Cairns, Palm Cove or Port Douglas accommodation, you’ll find plenty of life and vitality going on at this time of year and not just on the tennis courts.

There is a thriving local community around this part of the Far North Queensland Coast and stacks of cultural events going on in the town centres.

So, why not pack your tennis racket and plan to get some serious sporting and other exercise, ready for Christmas and the next holiday season?  We’re waiting to welcome you – even if you’re not likely to be a budding grand slam winner for the foreseeable future!   

Port Douglas holiday accommodation and holiday myths

Strangely, holiday myths sometimes arise for no obvious reason.

Here at FNQ Apartments we come across them fairly regularly. Here’s a selection and some corrective reality.

“Port Douglas holiday accommodation is expensive”

Not necessarily. It depends upon what you’re looking for and how much luxury you want.

Taking into account special offers and deals, it should be perfectly possible to find Port Douglas holiday accommodation that will be suitable for your budget.

“Port Douglas is hard to get to”

Well, no, it isn’t.

Of course Far North Queensland is a fair way from many of Australia’s major cities but Cairns International Airport is a relatively short drive away.

“You can’t swim in the sea”

This part of the coastline has patrolled and netted beach areas in many locations.

Providing you follow expert advice and swim in approved and supervised areas, you should be fine. Do check local advice though – just as you should before swimming in any sea anywhere in the world.

“Shopping is limited”

This is a sometimes-heard rather strange one!

If you’re comparing Port Douglas to New York, well, maybe this has some truth but there are excellent shopping facilities locally including The Port Village shopping centre and the famous markets. You can also find some great designer-label boutiques if retail therapy becomes a pressing need.

The shops here will cover all of your basic requirements and more – including crafts etc. Of course, Port Douglas isn’t a destination for you if you’re looking for an extravagance of non-stop haute-couture shopping over several days. It’s not that sort of holiday destination.

“Crocodiles wander around”

No they don’t – at least not in your Port Douglas holiday accommodationthey won’t.

Having said that, Port Douglas is surrounded by a natural environment and the local authorities are determined to protect that. At times, crocodiles do move around in some locations and sometimes certain beach areas might have restricted access if they’re seen to be passing through.

This is all about peaceful co-existence between humans and nature. Providing visitors respect local advice and apply common-sense, there should be no issues here at all.