Cairns, Australia
Sunrise at the Great Barrier Reef coast
Local time now00:35
Dedicate this sunrise · from $4.99Local time at the place (Australia/Brisbane) · 16.9186° S, 145.7781° E · calculated live with the same rules as our certificates.
The Great Barrier Reef stretches more than two thousand kilometres along the coast of Queensland. It is the largest living structure on Earth, made of thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands, and Cairns is one of the main gateways to it.
The coast here faces east over the Coral Sea, so the sunrise comes up straight out of the ocean. In the minutes before it, the sky over the reef goes from deep blue to pink and gold, and the mountains of the rainforest behind the town catch the first light.
A sunrise over the Great Barrier Reef is a gift of the wild ocean — a living reef under the water, and the first light of the Australian day above it.
The best season
The dry season, June to October, brings calm seas and clear water. The wet season, December to April, is hot and humid, with storms and huge skies.
Where to watch
The Cairns Esplanade and the beaches north of the city face east over the Coral Sea. On the islands of the reef, any eastern beach gives an open ocean sunrise.
Give this moment
Dedicate a sunrise, sunset or full moon night at the Great Barrier Reef coast to someone you love, the nearest one or on the day you choose — from $4.99. They get a gift page with a live countdown, and a certificate with the exact minute, ready right after payment.
The SunriseDedicate this sunrise
The SunsetDedicate this sunset
The Full Moon NightDedicate the full moon night
Questions
What time is sunrise at the Great Barrier Reef coast today?
It changes by a minute or two every day. This page calculates today’s sunrise and sunset live for the exact point (16.9186° S, 145.7781° E), in local time (Australia/Brisbane), with the same rules as the almanacs: the moment the upper edge of the sun clears the horizon.
Can I dedicate the sunrise at the Great Barrier Reef coast to someone?
Yes. Choose The Sunrise, The Sunset or The Full Moon Night with this place, the nearest one or on the day you choose: it is dedicated to the person you name, they receive a gift page with a live countdown, and the certificate with the exact minute of the moment is ready right after payment.
What if it is cloudy?
The sun rises and sets whatever the weather. The certificate records the real astronomical moment, and the gift page tells the story of the sky at that minute.
Can you see the sunrise over the sea in Cairns?
Yes. The coast faces east, so the sun rises over the Coral Sea.
When is the best time to visit the reef?
From June to October, when the weather is dry and the sea is calm.
Nearby places
- Sunrise at Uluru · Australia
- Sunrise at the Sydney Opera House · Sydney, Australia
- Sunrise at Denarau · Nadi, Fiji