Uber offers up sweet deal to entice fans in Cairns

Controversial ride-sharing app Uber is back for a brief stint in the Cairns market after ruling out a full-scale rollout just a few months ago.


Is it just us, or is Uber playing games with Cairns?

Just last month, we thought the global ride-sharing juggernaut had ruled out moving into the North Queensland market - as one of TropicNow's most popular articles recently revealed.

But now Uber has announced Cairns is one of only a handful of Queensland cities taking part in its national ice cream promo campaign happening tomorrow.

Anyone with the Uber app can order a specially made ice cream and have it delivered to the Cairns CBD for a limited time tomorrow, starting at 11am through to 5pm.

At $15 for a half-litre tub, the personally delivered treat doesn't come cheap. The three flavours were created by celebrity chefs Matt Moran, George Calombaris and Neil Perry, with limited stock available.

Uber is justifying the price by partnering with charity organisation OzHarvest, which will receive the bulk of profits to help feed people in need.

The ice cream campaign is the latest effort in Uber's ongoing charm offensive aimed at winning over enough fans and supporters to help in its legislative battle against the Queensland Government.

Despite repeated attempts to ban the company's operations in the state, Uber is extremely popular in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Uber has previously tested the Cairns market with a similar ice cream promotion last year.

Despite persistent speculation it would begin operating in the tropical north, the company has been quiet of late.

That is, until today's announcement that Cairns was one of just 16 cities in Australia to take part in the promotion: 

"We’ve teamed up with OzHarvest and some of Australia’s top celebrity chefs to help you indulge and feel good at the same time.

"George Calombaris, Matt Moran and Neil Perry have each designed an exclusive flavour inspired by rescued ingredients. With a goal to fund 100,000 meals for vulnerable Aussies, we’re unleashing a guilt-free blizzard of icy creamy goodness across the nation."