Just terrible. Really bad.
When we arrive in a new place, we usually go to the local information center first. Run by the local governments, they’re extremely informative when it comes to local info like accommodation and the staff are cheery and helpful. Except in Cairns.
The info center here is just terrible. The people are just useless. They’re unfriendly and have no useful information whatsoever. Dealing with them is like trying to get info from the Taliban without the joy of being able to waterboard them. If they know something, which they probably don’t, then they aren’t saying. On top of that, they seem to hate their jobs and hate everyone that interferes with them gossiping, namely the customers. Most likely they were trained by United Airlines (company motto: “We Hate You!”)
So if you come to Cairns, don’t bother with the info center on the Esplanade. It’s a waste of time. Oh, and those two accommodation help centers in Lonely Planet? They’re run by backpackers who will go out of their way to steer you into a backpackers dorm building. -jp
