Cooktown vs Cairns

Cooktown and Cairns are both Queensland hubs with significant First Nations populations, but they differ greatly in scale and accessibility. Cairns is far more walkable, with a score of 5.6 (somewhat walkable) compared to Cooktown's 3.2 (mostly car-dependent). This is reflected in the surroundings, as 84.3% of Cairns homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, while 0.0% of homes in Cooktown have the same access. There is also a notable gap in First Nations outcomes; Year 12 completion is far higher in Cairns at 49.3% compared to 32.9% in Cooktown.

These two areas have diverged in their connectivity, as the gap in street connectivity has widened with Cairns now reaching 53 intersections per square kilometre against Cooktown's 11. However, they share a strong First Nations presence, with both areas sitting well above the national figure for the share of people who speak a First Nations language. Cooktown's figure is far higher at 35.8%, while Cairns sits at 21.5%.