History of Brinsmead, Cairns

Named after Horace Clowes Brinsmead who came to Cairns from Melbourne around 1881. He obtained land on the Barron River Flats at Freshwater and began cane farming in 1882. He called his plantation 'Virginia Plantation'. Brinsmead died in an aircraft crash in 1933.

Horace Brinsmead was very active in civic affairs and served on the Cairns Divisional Board and other associations. He is remembered for:

1. Being a Father of Cairns Tourism when he took the first tourist party to view the Barron River Falls in 1885.

2. Moving the Motion at a Cairns Divisional Board meeting, that Cairns take the necessary steps to become a Municipality.