CROCODILE and kangaroo pies are on the menu for a thousand World Youth Day pilgrims still providing an unexpected boon to the Far North's tourism industry.

Young Catholics from around the world visited Cairns ahead of the official World Youth Day activities in Sydney, but more have flocked here to round off their week-long spiritual journey.

A thousand-strong group will visit Kuranda throughout this week and be treated to a special menu of Australian cuisine at the Kuranda Trading Post.

Kuranda businesses are excited about the much needed boost to the local economy.

Trading Post owner Terry O’Riley described his menu as a unique way of ensuring his guests returned home to tell their family and friends about Kuranda and Cairns.

He said he hoped the World Youth Day pilgrims would put the spotlight back on to the region and encourage tourists from around the world to visit.

Earlier this month, Mr O’Riley hosted 800 people from Italy, US, Germany and Spain en route to the World Youth Day events.

"Most of the people were not aware of the tropics but they did indicate that they wanted to bring their families back to visit," he said.

Cairns Diocese world youth co-ordinator Deacon Matt Ransom, who was blessed by the Pope before reading from the gospel to welcome him to Sydney, said the region had been pumping with religious fervour.

He said thousands of young Catholics had earmarked the Far North for a visit and had planned Reef and rainforest trips, bolstering the tourism industry.

Mr O’Riley said there had been a 30 per cent decline in the tourism industry at Kuranda in the past year, including the four months the Scenic Railway was closed.

He credited the loss to the strengthening Australian dollar and flight cancellations to the Far North.

Tourism Australia’s quarterly reports revealed the number of visitors to the Far North declined by 17,000 from March 2007 to March 2008.

Share this article