IRONMAN is here... find out all the info you need and what roads will be closed this weekend.

What a weekend it's set to be.

We've just seen the Masters Games finish with more than 2000 competitors and now we welcome the World's best Ironman challenge to the tropics.

It's one of the most gruelling challenges there is, but those who dare to compete take home the glory of knowing what they've achieved.

This Sunday, June 9 will see the running of the 70.3 and and Ironman event which will commence in Palm Cove and run over essentially the same course used in previous years.

70.3 competitors will hit the water at Palm Cove at 6.35am, followed by the Cairns Airport Ironman competitors jumping into action at 7.35am.

Both events will run simultaneously over the half course and full course which will run to Port Douglas and then back to the Cairns Esplanade.

CHANGED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – PORT DOUGLAS:

A number of traffic conditions will be changed to accommodate athletes involved in Ironman Cairns on Sunday, June 9.

The Captain Cook Highway, north of Veivers Road Palm Cove to Old Port Road at Port Douglas, will be closed to all traffic from 5.30am to 5.30pm.
Anyone wishing to travel between Cairns and Port Douglas during those hours will need to travel via the Kuranda Range Road (Kennedy Highway) Mareeba, Mount Molloy, and Julatten or vice versa.
Old Port Road will be closed between the Captain Cook Highway and Port Douglas Road from 6am to 5pm.
Port Douglas Road will be closed Agincourt and Barrier Streets from 6am to 5pm.
The first cyclists will be back onto the Northern Beaches at approximately 8.30am and we expect there will be a steady flow of cyclists for most of the day until approximately 5pm.

CHANGED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – NORTHERN BEACHES: 

A number of traffic conditions will be changed to accommodate athletes involved in Ironman Cairns on Sunday, June 9. Full road closures will be in place on the following:

PALM COVE:

• The Captain Cook Highway, north of Veivers Road Palm Cove to Old Port Road at Port Douglas, will be closed to all traffic from 5.30am to 5.30pm.
• Williams Esplanade will be closed to all traffic from 4am to 2pm.
• Cedar Road and Warren Street will be closed to all traffic from 4am to 12 midday.

SMITHFIELD:

• Cheviot Street will be closed to all traffic from 4am to 7.30pm.

All other streets and roads along the cycle course will remain open to all traffic but under changed traffic conditions with competitors utilising a designated cycle lane on the minor roads and the left inbound lane of the Captain Cook Highway. Inbound motor vehicles will be utilising the right lane.

As a quick overview of the route through the beaches area, the cyclists will travel inbound on the Captain Cook Highway from the direction of Port Douglas before turning left off the highway onto Cheviot Street, then left onto Sidlaw Street, left onto McGregor Road, right onto Dunne Road, right onto Yorkeys Knob Road, then left to rejoin the Captain Cook Highway before heading into Airport Avenue at Cairns North.

As in previous years, motorists are requested to drive to the conditions and heed the directions of traffic controllers and police officers who will be undertaking traffic control duties on the day.

The first cyclists will be back onto the Northern Beaches at approximately 8.30am and we expect there will be a steady flow of cyclists for most of the day until approximately 5pm.

Soon, we’ll look at the changed traffic conditions for the Esplanade and Cairns North areas. 

In the meantime though, you can access further information and all of the changed traffic conditions for the entire 2019 event here.

Full road closures

Saturday June 8: The Esplanade will be closed to all traffic from 6.30am to 10am.

Sunday June 9: The Esplanade will be closed to all traffic from 5am to 2am on Monday June 10.

Partial road closures with changed traffic conditions

7am to 7pm Sunday June 9:

• The Esplanade between Upward Street & Lily Street – Northbound traffic allowed only.
• Lily Street between the The Esplanade & Lake Street – Westbound traffic allowed only.
• Lake Street between Lily Street & Airport Avenue – Northbound traffic allowed only.

Wharf Street between Spence and Lake Streets will be partially closed between 7am on Sunday and 1am on Monday with Northbound traffic allowed only.

Airport Avenue between Captain Cook Highway and Lake Street will be open to traffic, however, delays can be expected as the cyclists turn onto Lake Street.

Parking changes this week: The Esplanade will have no parking between Spence and Shields Streets from 5am Friday, June 7 to 2pm, and between Shields and Upward Streets from 5am Sunday, June 9 to 2am Monday, June 10.

Please be mindful that any vehicles left parked inside these zones during the closure times may affect the safe running of the event, and therefore may be towed to a holding facility!

The Cairns Lagoon car park was closed earlier this week and will not reopen to the public until 5.30pm on Wednesday, June 12.

As in previous years, motorists are requested to drive to the conditions and heed the directions of traffic controllers and police officers who will be undertaking traffic control duties on the day.

You can access further information and find all of the changed traffic conditions for the entire 2019 event here.