HOLLYWOOD star Daryl Hannah flies into Cairns tomorrow while Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson's eccentric nephew, Ned RocknRoll hits town today.
The environmentally minded duo plan to spend a month in the Far North for a two week permaculture design course and the Australasian Permaculture Convergence.
The events will be at Kuranda.
Mr RocknRoll, the head of marketing promotion and astronaut experience at Virgin Galatic, will be joined by his wife Eliza.
Other big names at the event include former governor-general Major Michael Jeffery and SBS Television’s Costa Georgiadis, of Costa’s Gardening Odyssey.
Event co-ordinator Anne Stephens said yesterday the event would shine a light on Far North Queensland to thousands of potential visitors.
She said hosting the event was a fantastic opportunity for the region.
"(Ned and Eliza) are very excited about doing the course and coming to Far North Queensland," she said.
"They have been talking about it for months."
Hannah, best known for starring roles in popular 1980s films including Blade Runner and Splash, is one of Hollywood’s most hands-on environmental campaigners.
It will be her second visit to the Far North, having stayed in Cairns in December 2008 after participating in a Sea Shepherd campaign against Japanese whaling.
The conference will feature discussions on tackling governance and policy issues such as population and climate change responses, and the regeneration of Australia’s agricultural landscapes.
