Imports by industry are sales of goods and services from industries located outside Cairns Plains boundaries to resident households, businesses and other organisations within the area. Imports (domestic) includes all imports from other parts of Australia to the Region.Imports (international) includes the value of all imports to the area from outside Australia.
To get the full picture how each industry sector contributes to the regional or state economy, import data should be viewed alongside the other industry characteristics in the Industry sector analysis section.
Detailed notes about how the figures are derived can be found in the specific topic notes section.
Data source
National Economics (NIEIR) - Modelled series
Current benchmark:
Comparison year:
Import type:
| Total imports by industry sector | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2023/24 | 2018/19 | Change | ||||||
| Industry | $m | % | Queensland | $m | % | Queensland | 2018/19 - 2023/24 | ||
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 255.9 | 3.2 | 5.0 | 187.0 | 2.6 | 3.9 | +68.9 | ||
| Mining | 337.4 | 4.2 | 9.4 | 487.0 | 6.7 | 13.6 | -149.5 | ||
| Manufacturing | 3,078.8 | 38.1 | 33.6 | 2,905.3 | 39.8 | 33.0 | +173.5 | ||
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 120.3 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 136.1 | 1.9 | 2.4 | -15.9 | ||
| Construction | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | ||
| Wholesale Trade | 243.4 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 257.8 | 3.5 | 3.3 | -14.4 | ||
| Retail Trade | 80.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 70.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | +9.7 | ||
| Accommodation and Food Services | 302.3 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 234.9 | 3.2 | 3.0 | +67.4 | ||
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 456.7 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 436.1 | 6.0 | 5.4 | +20.6 | ||
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 587.5 | 7.3 | 4.4 | 400.2 | 5.5 | 3.5 | +187.3 | ||
| Financial and Insurance Services | 1,035.5 | 12.8 | 7.8 | 776.8 | 10.6 | 7.3 | +258.7 | ||
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 32.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 20.6 | 0.3 | 0.5 | +12.1 | ||
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 619.0 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 614.8 | 8.4 | 7.1 | +4.2 | ||
| Administrative and Support Services | 103.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 86.5 | 1.2 | 1.6 | +16.4 | ||
| Public Administration and Safety | 224.7 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 130.2 | 1.8 | 5.3 | +94.6 | ||
| Education and Training | 179.3 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 149.4 | 2.0 | 1.8 | +29.9 | ||
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 251.8 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 255.9 | 3.5 | 4.2 | -4.2 | ||
| Arts and Recreation Services | 88.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 53.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | +35.7 | ||
| Other Services | 85.2 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 92.5 | 1.3 | 1.5 | -7.3 | ||
| Total industries | 8,082.7 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 7,294.8 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +787.9 | ||
Source: National Institute of Economic and Industry Research (NIEIR) ©2025. Compiled and presented in economy.id by .id (informed decisions). Note: All $ values are expressed in 2022/23 base year dollar terms. NIEIR-ID data are inflation adjusted each year to allow direct comparison, and annual data releases adjust previous years’ figures to a new base year.Learn more Please refer to specific data notes for more information | |||||||||
Dominant groups
An analysis of the total imports by industry sectors in Cairns in 2023/24 shows the three largest industries were:
- Manufacturing ($3,079 million or 38.1%)
- Financial and Insurance Services ($1,035 million or 12.8%)
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services ($619 million or 7.7%)
In combination these three industries accounted for $4,733 million in total or 58.6% of the total imports by industry in the Cairns.
In comparison, the same 3 industries in Queensland accounted for 33.6% in Manufacturing; 7.8% in Financial and Insurance Services and 7.3% in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.
The major differences between total imports by industries of Cairns and Queensland were:
- A smaller percentage of total imports by Mining (4.2% compared to 9.4%)
- A larger percentage of total imports by Financial and Insurance Services (12.8% compared to 7.8%)
- A larger percentage of total imports by Manufacturing (38.1% compared to 33.6%)
- A larger percentage of total imports by Information Media and Telecommunications (7.3% compared to 4.4%)
Emerging groups
The total total imports by industry in Cairns increased by $788 million between 2018/19 and 2023/24.
The largest changes in the total imports by industries between 2018/19 and 2023/24 in Cairns were for:
- Financial and Insurance Services (+$259 million)
- Information Media and Telecommunications (+$187 million)
- Manufacturing (+$174 million)
- Public Administration and Safety (+$95 million)