Edge Hill, a residential suburb, is 4 km north-west of central Cairns. It adjoins the Cairns North railway station on the line to Kuranda.

In the 1880s the area was known chiefly for the Edgecliffe quarry, a supplier of road metal, and for Eugene Fitzalan's tropical nursery. Fitzalan leased land adjoining the railway and, with the borough council's agreement, used the borough's botanical reserve. They became the Cairns botanic garden (1889), and were named the Flecker Botanic Gardens in 1971. (Dr Hugo Flecker (1884-1957) did important work in Cairns on developing anti-venine for marine stingers.)

During the 1930s minor housing growth occurred in Edge Hill, the area having been a popular day-trip destination to the botanic gardens. A primary school was opened in 1940. Two years later, however, large fuel tanks were put there for military purposes, remaining in position for the rest of the century and beyond. In the 1950s more housing was built, set in a relatively desolate backdrop. Landfill was taken from Edge Hill to recover mangrove areas across the railway line. Nevertheless, tree cover took on and Edge Hill became a well-regarded residential area. Its five-ways shopping centre westwards along Collins Avenue acquired a village reputation, sufficiently distant from drive-in centres to have an adequate retail catchment.

In addition to the botanic gardens and an orchid fernery, there are the Centenary Lakes reserve and a cultural centre. A master plan was published in 2005 for improvement and redevelopment of the precinct. Edge Hill has bowling, swimming, tennis and soccer clubs. Both the Flecker Botanical Gardens and the site of RAN fuel tanks are listed on the Queensland heritage register. Three of the tanks were refurbished for arts and exhibition purposes.

Edge Hill's census populations have been:

census datepopulation



UQ Logo