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Hospitals in Cairns 2026, Public & Private

Find hospitals and emergency departments in Cairns. Guide to public and private hospitals, emergency services, and what to do in a medical emergency in Tropical North Queensland.

By Cairns Daily · Published 20 July 2026

How we reported this

This article was written by AI from the linked sources and was not reviewed by a journalist before publishing. The Daily Cairns is part of The Daily Network and follows our reasonable editorial care.

Hospitals in Cairns 2026, Public & Private — Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels

Cairns Hospitals 2026, Overview

Cairns and Tropical North Queensland are served by the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS), with Cairns Hospital as the major public hospital and the regional tertiary facility for an enormous geographic area stretching from Cooktown to the Cape York Peninsula. The hospital handles not only metropolitan Cairns presentations but also complex retrievals from remote communities and Torres Strait Islands. In a medical emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Cairns Public Hospitals

Cairns Hospital (Cairns CBD), The principal public hospital for Tropical North Queensland. Comprehensive emergency department, major trauma, oncology, cardiac, maternity and specialist services including hyperbaric medicine (critical for diving accidents on the Great Barrier Reef). The Esplanade, Cairns. (07) 4226 0000.
Mareeba Hospital, Tablelands facility serving Atherton Tablelands communities. Constance Street, Mareeba. (07) 4086 1055.

Diving Emergencies and the Cairns Hyperbaric Unit

Cairns Hospital operates a hyperbaric chamber, critical for decompression illness (the bends) suffered by divers on the Great Barrier Reef. In the event of a diving injury, call DAN (Divers Alert Network) Australia on 1800 088 200 in addition to Triple Zero. DAN provides specialist medical advice for diving-related emergencies and coordinates with Cairns Hospital's hyperbaric unit.

Cairns Private Hospitals

Cairns Private Hospital (Cairns), Comprehensive private hospital. Specialist surgical, medical and maternity services. Upward Street, Cairns. (07) 4050 6000.
Cairns Day Surgery, Day surgery and specialist procedural services. Upward Street, Cairns. (07) 4053 3100.

Medical Emergencies in Cairns

Triple Zero (000), Life-threatening emergencies.
Health Direct (1800 022 222), Health advice. 24/7.
13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84), Queensland health advice line. 24/7.
DAN Australia (1800 088 200), Diving emergencies.

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.