David and Kerrie Varney operate the Little Morris Cafe on the Bruce Highway between Cairns and Townsville near the hamlet of El Arish. During earlier Covid restrictions•, they were forced to close as it was illegal to travel to their business. They reopened when travel up to 150km on weekends was allowed. They are still waiting for enough traffic on the Bruce Highway to warrant opening their little cafe during the week. Picture: Brian Cassey

David and Kerrie Varney operate the Little Morris Cafe on the Bruce Highway between Cairns and Townsville near the hamlet of El Arish. During earlier Covid restrictions•, they were forced to close as it was illegal to travel to their business. They reopened when travel up to 150km on weekends was allowed. They are still waiting for enough traffic on the Bruce Highway to warrant opening their little cafe during the week. Picture: Brian Cassey

Last year, Jacqui Barber took a punt. She quit her job in tertiary education and bought a vacant and untidy isolated shop in the Cairns suburb of Aeroglen. After sprucing it up, in October she opened ‘The Palms’, an up-market cafe and floral homewares shop.Then Covid hit. ‘The Palms’ closed for three weeks during the initial lockdown but then opened for takeaways only to try and give their Thai barista• Ryikarn Hattakit (in the background) some hours on her working visa. Picture: Brian Cassey

Cairns resident Erin Bell, with her 7-month-old son Tiago Fernandez, has been shopping in the iconic Rusty’s produce market, which has been open for business right through the coronavirus and lockdown. Picture: Brian Cassey

No problems at the moment for Cairns-based boutique realtor Marsh Property as sales and rental are currently going through the roof, despite the many issues associated with the coronavirus. The only worry is ‘running out of available stock’. Sales team Bridget Colleton (left) and Linda Adams (right) make of a fuss of company ‘”director’• Desmond Dougal Marsh (a Scotty dog). Picture: Brian Cassey

Doug Peters sells bananas at a stall in the iconic Rusty’s produce market in Cairns. The market has been open for business right through the pandemic and lockdown, albeit, at some stage with social distancing regulations in place. At this time most of those regulations have been rescinded. Picture: Brian Cassey

John Magoffin of Magoffin Law has been a prominent lawyer in Cairns for many years. Covid has seen a huge change in his practice with the advent of video court cases, a greater reliance on mobile devices, and less interaction with clients and the judiciary. Picture: Brian Cassey

At the height of the lockdown Graham Wheeler’s car packed up and he couldn’•t afford to fix it. So he dusted off his bush bike, fixed up a trailer for his lawn mower, whipper sniper and other gardening implements, and set off to cycle many kilometres around Cairns to complete his voluntary gardening commitments. Picture: Brian Cassey

Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, just 40 mins north of Cairns, was closed for weeks during the lockdown, but the crocs and other animals still needed feeding. The park relies heavily on the now virtually non-existent interstate and international tourist trade. Here, senior reptile keeper Bill Collette feeds a jumping crocodile from an electric boat in the one of the park lagoons watched by Tonka the Wombat carried by senior mammal keeper Elli Egan. Picture: Brian Cassey

Even if there are no tourists around, the military tanks and other artillery hardware still need cleaning. Jason Belgrave, assistant manager of the Australian Armour Artillery Museum in Cairns, is tasked with keeping the weapons of war in the best condition. The museum, which relies heavily on interstate and overseas tourists and enthusiasts, has been hit hard by Covid. But, after closing for a period during the lockdown, they are now open again. Picture: Brian Cassey

Bill Richardson is the proprietor of Cairns pie business, ‘Bushman Pies’. Billl also operates a bake shop, but says that sales during the covid outbreak from the old pie van on the side of the Highway opposite Cairns Airport is the icing on the cak, or the sauce on the pie! Picture: Brian Cassey

Bill Richardson is the proprietor of Cairns pie business, ‘Bushman Pies’. Billl also operates a bake shop, but says that sales during the covid outbreak from the old pie van on the side of the Highway opposite Cairns Airport is the icing on the cak, or the sauce on the pie! Picture: Brian Cassey

Bill Richardson is the proprietor of Cairns pie business, ‘Bushman Pies’. Billl also operates a bake shop, but says that sales during the covid outbreak from the old pie van on the side of the Highway opposite Cairns Airport is the icing on the cak, or the sauce on the pie! Picture: Brian Cassey

Master jeweller Graham Chibnall has been operating his boutique jewellery business since 1979. With a grin Graham says that business is brisk and the Covid outbreak is ‘going to save me’“ as much of his competition have not been able to remain open during the pandemic. Picture: Brian Cassey

Master jeweller Graham Chibnall has been operating his boutique jewellery business since 1979. With a grin Graham says that business is brisk and the Covid outbreak is ‘going to save me’“ as much of his competition have not been able to remain open during the pandemic. Picture: Brian Cassey

Richard Berman-Hardman, general manager of far north Queensland’s Skyrail tourist cableway is pessimistic about survival following the coronavirus. He is pictured in the goindoia storage facility closing the doors with gondola technician Adam Cowan (left). Picture: Brian Cassey

Sugar cane farmer Joseph Lizzio, of MSF Sugar, checks the soil in one of his cane paddocks at Silkwood south of Cairns. Picture: Brian Cassey

Sugar cane farmer Joseph Lizzio, of MSF Sugar, checks the soil in one of his cane paddocks at Silkwood south of Cairns then gives instructions to tractor driver Alan Cross. Picture: Brian Cassey