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Innisfail
in the Johnstone Shire (population 18,000, town of 8,000) is
positioned in the heart of the Cassowary Coast and is situated
88km south of Cairns and 260km north of Townsville. Both those
cities have direct air access to overseas markets.
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Innisfail in our 3D
VIRTUAL REALITY MOVIE GALLERY. See
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Cairns is
Australia's fastest growing domestic and international airport
destination, with all major airlines both passenger and freight
using these facilities. Innisfail maintains an all-weather airport
with automatic night landing facilities.
 The
area is well serviced by road, rail, air and sea. All the
major coach companies provide daily connections north and
south.
Innisfail is on the Bruce Highway and the Palmerston Highway connects
us to the west with Atherton Tablelands (and beyond to the Gulf
Savannah). It directly accesses over 101,000 sq. kms of highly
productive land - grains, tobacco, potatoes, mangoes, avocado and
dairy products being produced. Smaller productions of melons, coffee,
show the diversity of produce available.
It is fast
becoming the service centre for the region between Townsville
and Cairns with most major chain stores having a presence. These
include Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Kmart, Country Target, Warehouse,
Home Hardware, Retravision, Harvey Norman, Betta Electrical,
Super Cheap Auto. Also national food chains like Macdonalds,
KFC and Subway add to the many local eateries giving the residents
and visitors a wide range of eating choices.
 Our
International deep water port at Mourilyan Harbour caters
for cargo and freight ships and is being used for a sugar
handling facility, with ships up to a draught of 8 metres
being able to enter.
The region, first settled more than 110 years ago, developed as
a sugar growing and timber producing area. Sugar is still the economic
base, with total sugar revenue having a gross value in excess of
$87 million, and total cane revenue valued at $55 million.
 There
are approximately 180 papaya growers with an area of
about 500 hectares. Innisfail papaya growers have moved
to ensure quality standards are maintained for fruit
sold under the 'Innisfail Naturally Ripened' red sticker.
The Innisfail Papaya Growers Assoc. has had a Quality
Standard wall chart developed which shows the minimum
standard of fruit to be labelled with the sticker. The
red sticker has proved very successful in giving Innisfail
papaya prominence in southern markets.
 The
majority of the banana farms in the Johnstone Shire
can grow a wide range of horticultural crops. The plentiful
water and warm weather are necessary for fruits like
Papaya, Passionfruit, Lychee and Rambutan to produce
high quality fruit that regularly fetch above average
prices at the market.
Beside the major fruit crops there are plantings of a wide range
of other fruits, vegetables and spices. Purple Mangosteen, Taro,
Pummelo, Abiu, Star Apple, Carambola, Pepper, Choko, Sapodilla,
Longan, Black Persimmon, Jakfruit, Lemon Grass and Turmeric are
just a few of the crops sent to southern markets.
Ornamental horticulture is a growing industry with many businesses
having established interstate and future export markets. Heliconias
are grown locally to serve local & interstate markets.
 Many
facets of aquaculture production are in operation, producing
prawns and barramundi. There are ready overseas markets
for the hatched prawns being produced.
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