Secrets of · Scavenger hunt
Secrets of Cairns Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Cairns Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
- In the free Loquiz app on your phone
- Start any time within 12 months
- Free cancellation until you start
Chase a detective murder case on foot through central Cairns, from St Monica's Cathedral past the Night Markets to the Cairns Art Gallery.
The Balthasar case is open in Cairns, and it stays open until somebody walks the route and reads it properly.
A self-guided murder mystery game for people who would rather walk than sit. Cairns holds the evidence, the app holds the file, and the puzzles, codes and photo tasks in between are what narrow a long suspect list down to one name.
Part of what the route covers: St Monica's Cathedral, Cairns Performing Arts Centre and Cairns City Library.
Where the Case Takes You in Cairns
Cairns Night Markets and Cairns Art Gallery are on the route as well. Anyone keeping decent notes will find they only have to confirm there what they already suspect.
How Your Case in Cairns Plays Out
You walk and the case reaches you in pieces. Digital characters wait along the way, each with part of the truth and each wanting something first: a puzzle, a code, a photograph. Whatever you solve crosses a name off the list. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours over 3 to 4 km, though nobody is timing you - stop for an hour and the case waits. It asks the sort of attention Sherlock Holmes made his name on - the detail other people step over.
For Families, Friends and Teams in Cairns
With friends. Four of you on one phone and everybody gets a say. Somebody always commits to a theory early, loudly, and wrongly - that is half of what you will talk about afterwards.
With your team. Two teams on one case turns it competitive, which is the whole point. No booking a room, no briefing, no waiting for stragglers: a team outing in Cairns that starts when the last person shows up.
With kids. Eight years old is about the floor. The distance is not the problem it sounds like, the photo tasks are where children beat adults outright, and the codes end up being solved by the whole family at once.
Questions People Ask First
How does the murder mystery game work?
It runs in the Loquiz app on your own phone. Open it at the starting point in Cairns, and from there the case comes to you: someone to question at each location, something to solve before they talk, and a name to hand in at the end.
How long does it take?
Set aside an afternoon. The case itself takes 1.5 to 2 hours across 3 to 4 km, but nothing counts down and nothing shuts, so the breaks are free.
How many people can play on one ticket?
One ticket covers one to four players on a single device, €19.95 in total. Bigger groups buy one ticket per four and race each other through the same murder.
Do we need to book a time?
A date is all we need. The starting time is yours, because there is no host, no departure and nobody else's schedule involved.
Is it suitable for children?
Eight and up handle it well. Nothing along the way is beyond them, and more often than you would expect it is the youngest player who notices the detail that decides the case.
What happens if it rains?
Rain is an interruption, not a problem: you choose the moment to start and you can stop as long as you like. Plenty of groups split the case over a morning and an afternoon.
Is this a detective game or a walking tour of Cairns?
It is a detective game first. But you see Cairns properly while you play it, and people tend to remember a street they searched better than one they were shown.
What else is there to do in Cairns?
There are other city games in Cairns built on the same idea and a different story, and Australia has plenty more where this came from.
Also in the city: Secrets of Cairns · The Cairns Syndicate · city games across Australia
- St Monica's Cathedral
- Cairns Performing Arts Centre
- Cairns City Library
- Cairns Night Markets
- Cairns Art Gallery
- The Cairns Post
How it works
- BookYour ticket arrives by email.
- Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
- PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.
What players in other cities say
- ★★★★★
Wir (Mein Mann, unsere 9-jährige Tochter und ich) haben heute ganz spontan das Spiel "Moordmysterie Düsseldorf" gebucht und gespielt. Die Buchung verlief schnell und reibungslos. Es hat super viel Spaß gemacht! Die Story, die Rätsel, das Konzept, die Route, die Gestaltung der App... richtig gut!!! Das Spiel würde ich vor allem Familien mit Kindern empfehlen. Für Erwachsene waren die Rätsel (meiner Meinung nach) zu einfach. Aber trotzdem wegen der schönen Route durch Düsseldorf, der Story, den lustigen Anweisungen zwischendurch eine schöne Aktion, die man zusammen machen kann.
Lingling Z.October 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!
Martin M.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Game in Amsterdam was fun!
Enzo L.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had So much fun playing while exploring the city
Philip C.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!
Jessica S.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.
JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google
How we check reviews
These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.
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