Stratford in Cairns

Stratford Cairns is a leafy suburb located just south of the Barron River to the north of the city. It has a population of around 1500 people.

Stratford is in the traditional lands of the Yidinji people who have occupied the lands for thousands of years.

Stratford Cairns Map

Located seven kilometres north-west of Cairns CBD, the suburb backs onto Mount Whitfield (which is now a conservation park) to the south. The northern boundary is the Barron River.

The suburb is also bordered to the east by the Captain Cook Highway and Freshwater to the West.

History

European occupation along the banks of the Barron River began in late 1876 when the Douglas Track and Smith’s Track were established, linking the new port of Cairns to the Hodgkinson goldfields.

In the late 1800’s  five-mile siding was renamed Stratford station. The name went on to be used to describe the suburb. In December 1887, William Henry Boden applied for a publican’s license to run the premises as the ‘Stratford Hotel’.

A timber mill was constructed on the bank of the Barron River in 1885. Stratford’s location on the Cairns-Kuranda railway line allowed the transport of saw logs from the Macalister and Lamb Ranges west of Cairns.

Consequently, Stratford developed into a timber town and this industry supported the area for many years, with a sawmill operating until 1975.

Stratford Cairns FAQs

People of Stratford

Stratford has a higher proportion of one-parent families than average. In the Freshwater – Stratford – Aeroglen area 13.1% of households were one-parent families, compared with 10.8% for Regional QLD.

There is also a higher proportion of lone person households. Overall, the proportion of lone person households was 27.3% compared to 23.4% in Regional QLD.

Stratford Cairns things to do

For a small suburb, there is a lot to do in Stratford. There are shops, restaurants, library, council parks and of course, the Barron River.

Shops in Stratford Cairns

Stratford has local shops, a hotel and a bowling club. The shops on Kamerunga Road include Marsh Butcheries, Origin Expresso, Vinnies, Stratford Village Pharmacy and the Stratford General Store.

There is also a second retail strip along the Captain Cook Highway. These shops include Sipping Duck Coffee Roasters and Jonsson’s Farm Market.

Education Opportunities

There are no schools in the suburb. As a result, the closest school is Freshwater State School in the neighbouring suburb of Freshwater Cairns.

Stratford Cairns falls in the catchment area of Cairns State High School. Consequently many high school students in the suburb attend this school, which is the oldest in Cairns.

Stratford Cairns Restaurants

Restaurants in this suburb include Palooka and the Siam Orchid Spicy.

In addition to these restaurants, you can always get a good meal at the Barron River Hotel.

Finally, The Fox Small Bar is a nice location to enjoy an alcoholic beverage of your choice and snack on cheese, crackers, cold meat or fruit. Very cool.

Stratford Cairns Crime

The crime rate in Stratford is lower than most Cairns suburbs (allowing for spikes and fluctuations).

To the extent there is crime in the area it is predominantly unlawful entry and theft.

Relevant Material

• Aeroglen
• Freshwater Cairns
• Cairns North
• Stratford Cairns

Other Areas

• Central Cairns
• Cairns West
• Mount Whitfield
• North Cairns
• South Cairns

Cairns