German Gardens school opened.
Cairns had a population approaching 1500.
Dredging commences in the Cairns harbour channel. Completed in 1888.
John Moffat sends another prospecting party into the Chillagoe area, and, as a result of their findings secured numerous mineral-area leases. Pastoral entrepreneur, William Atherton, anticipating westwards mining ventures, took up a pastoral station on Chillagoe Creek to supply meat.
Croydon local government division established, and the town's population had reached 7,000.
Hambledon primary school (first named Blackfellow's Creek) opened.
Silver and lead leases were pegged on Lawn Hill station.
State primary school opens in Innisfail.
Hampden primary school was opened.
January
21 John Robb’s tender of $580,188 for Section Two of the Cairns-Kuranda railway was accepted. McBride and Co. relinquished contract for Section One, which was finally completed by the Queensland Government.
March
5 Burketown started the day with a population of 138 four hotels, a general store, eight small neat weatherboard cottages and a three-trooper police station. At 11 a.m. a cyclone accompanied by a tidal surge struck Burketown. Seven people died, two hotels were completely destroyed and five houses carried away. Only the highest part of town escaped the waters. A 1918 report to the Queensland Parliament from the Department of Harbours and Rivers Engineers refers to the sea rising to 5.5 metres above the highest spring tide level at the Albert River Heads, about 8 metres above Australian Height Datum.
December
31 Croydon local government division created under the Divisional Boards Act 1887.
First issue of Mackay Banner.