Freshwater, Queensland — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Freshwater, in the Cairns Regional local government area.
| Locality | Freshwater |
| State | Queensland (QLD) |
| Local Government Area | Cairns Regional |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) - no daylight saving |
| Remoteness | Outer Regional Australia |
| Latitude | -16.88327 |
| Longitude | 145.71406 |
| Population | 2,020 |
| Density | 1160.9 /km² |
| Area | 1.7 km² |
| Elevation | 27 m |
| Postcode | 4870 |
| Area Code | 07 |
| Distance to Brisbane | 1396 km northwest |
Freshwater is a locality in the Cairns Regional local government area of Queensland, Australia. It has a population of approximately 2,020. The locality covers an area of 1.7 km², giving a population density of about 1160.9 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 27 m above sea level. It lies approximately 1396 km northwest of Brisbane. Freshwater is located at 16.8833°S, 145.7141°E. It observes Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) - no daylight saving. Postcode: 4870. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Outer Regional Australia.
Freshwater rests on a narrow coastal plain, a verdant stretch where the humid air, thick with the scent of damp earth and distant blossoms, seems to cling to everything it touches. It lies 288.7 km north-north-west of Townsville City, QLD (from Townsville City, QLD: bearing 336°T), and is situated 15.0 km north of Edmonton. The land here is a low-lying mosaic of emerald sugarcane fields, their broad leaves catching the sun with a rustling whisper, interspersed with patches of denser tropical vegetation that hint at the wilder country beyond. Beyond the cultivated fields, the terrain gently rises towards the foothills of ancient mountains, their misty peaks often veiled in soft, diffused light, creating a dramatic backdrop to the human endeavour below. The sky above Freshwater is a vast, ever-changing canvas, from the fierce, bleached blue of midday to the bruised purples and fiery oranges that paint the horizon at sunset, a spectacle that seems to imbue the very air with a quiet magic.
The history of Freshwater is intimately tied to the rich volcanic soils that have nurtured its primary industry for generations: sugarcane. This enduring crop has shaped the character of Freshwater, its cultivation dictating the rhythm of the seasons and the lives of its inhabitants, with the rhythmic hum of machinery during harvest time a familiar sound. Echoes of past endeavours can be felt in the quiet streets, where older buildings stand as silent witnesses to the pioneering spirit that first carved a life from this fertile land. While sugarcane remains the economic backbone, the proximity to the coast has also fostered a connection to the sea, with local fishing boats often dotting the nearby waterways, their catches finding their way to small, bustling markets. Freshwater, in its unpretentious way, offers a glimpse into a Queensland life lived in close communion with the land and its bounty, a place where the past informs the present with a gentle persistence.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Freshwater, Queensland with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Freshwater, in the Cairns Regional local government area.
Detailed location data for Freshwater includes the postcode (4870), telephone area code (07), and local government area (Cairns Regional), with an ABS remoteness classification of Outer Regional Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Freshwater is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |