Top 80 largest schools in Cairns (2025)

Schools with the highest total enrolments. Ordered by the measure shown, with the Success Index for context; 80 schools shown out of all eligible largest schools in Cairns.

#	School	Sector	Students	Success Index	ICSEA	Students	Students : teacher
1	Redlynch State College Redlynch · Combined · Prep-12	Government	1,834	40.1 Lower 50%	1007	1,834	13.5
2	Trinity Bay State High School Manunda · Secondary · 7-12	Government	1,784	25.7 Lower 50%	908	1,784	12.4
3	The BUSY School Cairns · Secondary · 11-12	Independent	1,780	41.2 Lower 50%	975	1,780	20.9
4	Bentley Park College Bentley Park · Combined · Prep-12	Government	1,771	24.6 Lower 50%	869	1,771	13.1
5	Cairns State High School Cairns North · Secondary · 7-12	Government	1,636	51.1 Top 50%	1019	1,636	13.2
6	St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch Valley Redlynch · Combined · Prep-12	Catholic	1,373	50.7 Top 50%	1067	1,373	13.6
7	Trinity Anglican School White Rock · Combined · Prep-12	Independent	1,204	66.4 Top 25%	1103	1,204	12.9
8	Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High School Smithfield · Secondary · 7-12	Government	1,135	44.3 Lower 50%	983	1,135	11.4
9	MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter Mount Peter · Combined · Prep-12	Catholic	1,119	41.4 Lower 50%	987	1,119	12.9
10	Innisfail State College Innisfail Estate · Combined · Prep-12	Government	951	27.9 Lower 50%	889	951	10.6
11	St Mary's Catholic College Woree · Secondary · 7-12	Catholic	949	52.6 Top 50%	1023	949	12.1
12	Tropical North Learning Academy - Trinity Beach State School Trinity Beach · Primary · Prep-6	Government	899	46.8 Lower 50%	996	899	14.4
13	Edge Hill State School Edge Hill · Primary · Prep-6	Government	864	46.2 Lower 50%	1016	864	15.7
14	Jubilee Christian College Atherton · Combined · Prep-12	Independent	850	48.6 Top 50%	1017	850	14.7
15	Atherton State High School Atherton · Secondary · 7-12	Government	781	34.8 Lower 50%	963	781	12.0
16	St Augustine's College Cairns · Secondary · 7-12	Catholic	777	66.8 Top 25%	1060	777	11.8
17	Whitfield State School Whitfield · Primary · Prep-6	Government	774	39.9 Lower 50%	974	774	15.8
18	Woree State High School Woree · Secondary · 7-12	Government	750	14.0 Lower 50%	854	750	11.0
19	Mareeba State High School Mareeba · Secondary · 7-12	Government	721	15.0 Lower 50%	886	721	12.1
20	Tully State High School Tully · Secondary · 7-12	Government	721	26.6 Lower 50%	925	721	11.6
21	St Monica's College Cairns · Secondary · 7-12	Catholic	697	64.7 Top 50%	1058	697	12.3
22	Mareeba State School Mareeba · Primary · Prep-6	Government	695	14.7 Lower 50%	855	695	14.0
23	St Stephen's Catholic College Mareeba · Secondary · 7-12	Catholic	652	60.6 Top 50%	1041	652	12.8
24	Newman Catholic College Smithfield · Secondary · 7-10	Catholic	625	70.6 Top 25%	1046	625	10.9
25	Gordonvale State High School Gordonvale · Secondary · 7-12	Government	623	12.3 Lower 50%	883	623	12.2
26	Freshwater State School Freshwater · Primary · Prep-6	Government	594	62.5 Top 50%	1064	594	14.8
27	Holy Cross School Trinity Park · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	572	62.3 Top 50%	1058	572	16.2
28	Freshwater Christian College Brinsmead · Combined · Prep-12	Independent	562	53.0 Top 50%	1041	562	12.2
29	Mossman State High School Mossman · Secondary · 7-12	Government	553	26.6 Lower 50%	938	553	11.2
30	Peace Lutheran College Kamerunga · Combined · Prep-12	Independent	544	53.8 Top 50%	1054	544	11.6
31	St Therese's School Bentley Park · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	541	41.4 Lower 50%	991	541	13.9
32	Caravonica State School Caravonica · Primary · Prep-6	Government	540	59.3 Top 50%	1020	540	14.2
33	Malanda State High School Malanda · Secondary · 7-12	Government	538	60.1 Top 50%	994	538	10.4
34	Woree State School Woree · Primary · Prep-6	Government	530	15.6 Lower 50%	860	530	14.8
35	Our Lady Help of Christians School Earlville · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	506	48.6 Lower 50%	1025	506	15.4
36	Isabella State School Edmonton · Primary · Prep-6	Government	496	20.3 Lower 50%	899	496	14.4
37	Parramatta State School Parramatta Park · Primary · Prep-6	Government	482	39.2 Lower 50%	887	482	10.4
38	Cairns West State School Manunda · Primary · Prep-6	Government	481	22.5 Lower 50%	784	481	11.5
39	White Rock State School White Rock · Primary · Prep-6	Government	439	17.2 Lower 50%	837	439	13.5
40	St Thomas' School Mareeba · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	431	44.4 Lower 50%	1002	431	15.0
41	Good Counsel College Innisfail · Secondary · 7-12	Catholic	414	43.6 Lower 50%	982	414	11.9
42	Malanda State School Malanda · Primary · Prep-6	Government	410	45.8 Lower 50%	1001	410	15.0
43	Yarrabah State School Yarrabah · Combined · Prep-10	Government	405	23.5 Lower 50%	688	405	9.2
44	Gordonvale State School Gordonvale · Primary · Prep-6	Government	403	21.7 Lower 50%	886	403	13.0
45	St Gerard Majella Primary School Woree · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	399	50.0 Top 50%	1035	399	16.8
46	St Francis Xavier's School Manunda · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	382	30.2 Lower 50%	953	382	13.5
47	Balaclava State School Mooroobool · Primary · Prep-6	Government	381	23.9 Lower 50%	797	381	11.8
48	Hambledon State School Edmonton · Primary · Prep-6	Government	378	15.3 Lower 50%	865	378	12.5
49	Mother of Good Counsel School Cairns North · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	354	70.2 Top 25%	1091	354	16.1
50	Ravenshoe State School Ravenshoe · Combined · Prep-12	Government	351	30.1 Lower 50%	848	351	9.9
51	St Joseph's School Parramatta Park · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	348	48.6 Lower 50%	1029	348	16.3
52	Good Counsel Primary School Innisfail · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	340	47.3 Lower 50%	1001	340	16.0
53	Atherton State School Atherton · Primary · Prep-6	Government	331	25.2 Lower 50%	903	331	11.3
54	Goondi State School Goondi Bend · Primary · Prep-6	Government	330	20.3 Lower 50%	919	330	15.1
55	Mossman State School Mossman · Primary · Prep-6	Government	321	26.4 Lower 50%	879	321	13.6
56	Yorkeys Knob State School Yorkeys Knob · Primary · Prep-6	Government	321	44.9 Lower 50%	998	321	15.1
57	Mission Beach State School Wongaling Beach · Primary · Prep-6	Government	296	37.9 Lower 50%	991	296	15.7
58	St Joseph's School Atherton · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	287	49.2 Top 50%	1022	287	15.4
59	Kuranda District State College Kuranda · Combined · Prep-12	Government	285	23.6 Lower 50%	862	285	10.4
60	Babinda State School Babinda · Combined · Prep-12	Government	280	30.4 Lower 50%	931	280	11.7
61	St Michael's School Gordonvale · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	279	44.9 Lower 50%	993	279	14.1
62	Tolga State School Tolga · Primary · Prep-6	Government	269	38.3 Lower 50%	981	269	13.7
63	Tully State School Tully · Primary · Prep-6	Government	268	31.3 Lower 50%	885	268	10.2
64	Djarragun College Gordonvale · Combined · Prep-12	Independent	259	24.8 Lower 50%	683	259	8.4
65	Port Douglas State School Port Douglas · Primary · Prep-6	Government	230	52.9 Top 50%	1012	230	12.4
66	Yungaburra State School Yungaburra · Primary · Prep-6	Government	217	57.1 Top 50%	1025	217	14.1
67	Miallo State School Miallo · Primary · Prep-6	Government	176	49.8 Top 50%	996	176	12.5
68	St Clare's School Tully · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	170	49.2 Top 50%	1008	170	14.9
69	Mourilyan State School Mourilyan · Primary · Prep-6	Government	165	31.8 Lower 50%	943	165	13.4
70	Cairns Hinterland Steiner School Kuranda · Combined · Prep-8	Independent	157	61.4 Top 50%	1059	157	10.0
71	Herberton State School Moomin · Combined · Prep-10	Government	154	33.9 Lower 50%	930	154	9.7
72	Innisfail East State School East Innisfail · Primary · Prep-6	Government	148	17.3 Lower 50%	814	148	12.1
73	Mount St Bernard College Herberton · Secondary · 7-12	Catholic	145	23.3 Lower 50%	807	145	7.1
74	Radiant Life College East Innisfail · Combined · Prep-10	Independent	137	21.8 Lower 50%	749	137	13.7
75	Machans Beach State School Machans Beach · Primary · Prep-6	Government	135	30.3 Lower 50%	944	135	15.3
76	Innisfail State School Innisfail · Primary · Prep-6	Government	117	20.5 Lower 50%	771	117	5.4
77	St Augustine's School Mossman · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	109	47.8 Lower 50%	1002	109	10.5
78	St Rita's School South Johnstone · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	107	43.1 Lower 50%	970	107	11.9
79	Kairi State School Kairi · Primary · Prep-6	Government	99	30.3 Lower 50%	940	99	14.1
80	St Teresa's School Ravenshoe · Primary · Prep-6	Catholic	85	33.0 Lower 50%	939	85	13.9

There are 80 largest schools in Cairns eligible for this list; the top 80 are shown. Redlynch State College in Redlynch is ranked first (students: 1,834). 48 of the top 80 are government schools and 32 are Catholic or independent; the median ICSEA across the list is 978.

The top 10 largest schools in Cairns for 2025 are: 1. Redlynch State College (Redlynch); 2. Trinity Bay State High School (Manunda); 3. The BUSY School (Cairns); 4. Bentley Park College (Bentley Park); 5. Cairns State High School (Cairns North); 6. St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch Valley (Redlynch); 7. Trinity Anglican School (White Rock); 8. Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High School (Smithfield); 9. MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter (Mount Peter); 10. Innisfail State College (Innisfail Estate).

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best largest school in Cairns?

Redlynch State College in Redlynch ranks first among largest schools in Cairns with a Success Index of 40.1 out of 100 and an ICSEA of 1007.

How are largest schools in Cairns ranked?

Schools with the highest total enrolments. Only schools eligible for the Success Index (ICSEA published, 80+ students, not a special school) are included; the Success Index is shown alongside for context.

How many public schools are in the top 100 largest schools in Cairns?

48 of the top 80 largest schools in Cairns are government schools; 32 are Catholic or independent.

Do these rankings include NAPLAN or ATAR results?

Not yet. ACARA does not publish school-level NAPLAN results in bulk, and ATAR results are released by state authorities in different formats. The Success Index uses the measures ACARA publishes for every school so that all schools are compared on identical data. Where a school publishes its own results we link to its website.