Separated from Machans Beach to its immediate south by Barr Creek, and from Yorkeys Knob to its north by Thomatis Creek, Holloways Beach is the second of eight beaches along the Marlin Coast which make up the "Northern Beaches" district of Cairns.

With a population of around 1500 residents, the beach is named after Richard Holloway, a British immigrant who arrived in Australia from Wiltshire, England, in 1910.  He lived with a son and a daughter in West Cairns.

Records show that Holloway was a successful businessman who invested part of his wealth in vacant, undeveloped beachfront land in the parish of Smithfield, which then took his name and became known as Holloways Beach.

Richard Holloway lived to 88 years of age and his grave stone can be found in the Cairns Martyn Street Cemetery.

With the development of apartment style holiday accommodation on its sandy foreshore, Holloways Beach has left its purely residential image behind and moved in step with its more tourist oriented northern neighbours.

As with all of the Cairns Northern Beaches suburbs, Holloways Beach is accessed by following the Captain Cook Highway northward out of the city.  The turn-off to Holloways Beach is clearly signed along the highway.