The pronunciation of Cairns varies depending on the speaker’s origin and familiarity with the region. While residents typically pronounce it as “kerns,” visitors may use “cares” or “kearns.” Phoneticians transcribe the pronunciation as /kɛənz/, with a schwa sound for the second syllable. Regional variations exist, with accents in northern Australia using a broader “a” sound and those in southern Australia using a more closed “e” sound.