Kuranda Skyrail offers a unique way of seeing the rainforest, as the Sky gondolas transport you right over and sometimes inbetween the trees. We took the trip from the Caravonica Station in the Cairns flatlands to the Kuranda Station up in the Rainforest. There are a number of stations on the way up that you can get off at, each one offering a slightly different experience from Rainforest boardwalks to the Barron Falls waterfall. It gets interesting as the gondola dangles out over the Barron River but as long as you don’t think too hard about the crocs waiting in the water below you’ll be fine !
The village of Kuranda is a great destination for a daytrip. It seems to have attracted all kinds of arty people…so the kids went crazy trying to decide on souveneirs. There was aboriginal art and artifacts, pottery, glassblowing and all manner of crafts to choose from. In the end they had carictatures done by a local artist, which were great.
The scenic railway up was excellent…even I was too enthralled to bother being scared of heights but the cable car down scared the pants off me! great views though…if you can look!
One nice way to tour the scenic area inland from Cairns is to take a ride on the Kuranda Scenic Train. After climbing just a short distance in elevation the landscape becomes more dramatic, with steep rocky hillsides and dense vegetation.
The train leaves from Cairns and travels past Freshwater, Stoney Creek, and then finally to Kuranda. Now there is evidently a sky train at Kuranda too, though it was only in the planning stages when I was there.
As I’m a volunteer conductor on Melbourne’s iconic Puffing Billy Railway, it was compulsory that I ride and enjoy the experience of the Kuranda Scenic Railway. I had pre-booked tickets from Melbourne, but judging on the number of people on the train, I didn’t need to bother – perhaps I was there on a quiet day.
We decided to “lash out” and travel first class for the forward journey and heritage class for the return. Whilst I would have liked to combine the train with the Skyrail, sadly Lady Gaw is a wimp when it comes to such overhead rides and experiences.
We boarded the train and settled in to the luxury of first class (called Gold Class) from Cairns that left at 9.30am. We headed through the suburbs of the city while peering into private back gardens, past the international airport before we arrived at what is considered the main station of Freshwater, which looked like a sleepy hamlet that only came to life with the arrival of each train – then the real fun started.
The train line was an engineering and rail building challenge as it was originally built in a number of stages from Cairns to the gold mining area of Herberton and finally completed in 1910. Perhaps the most difficult section of the line is through the Barron Gorge, which meant a large number of tunnels, very sharp bends and bridges all had to be built. It is a very spectacular trip to the terminus of the scenic railway at the small and I think over-rated town of Kuranda. We enjoyed the ride while nibbling away on the pastries as supplied in Gold Class. There was a stop and a chance to get out and enjoy the panoramic view of the Barron River Falls.
We explored the town of Kuranda before returning to the spectacular railway station and then the trip back to Cairns in Heritage Class.
I felt the Gold Class was overpriced at $46 per person. It did include a selection of drinks, various savories, sweet treats and finally coffee or tea as well as a souvenir pack containing a pen, brass hat or lapel badge and a postcard. I would have liked to travel on the scenic railway when the river was in full flow over the spectacular falls. Heritage class offers harder seats, less panoramic windows and no in-train catering. There are toilets and a water cooler in all carriages.
Overall a great experience and particularly for the train buffs like me.
About the photos:
1. Two locomotives and part of the string of carriages crossing the famous Stoney Creek Bridge.
2. Interior of the Gold Class carriage – opposite direction is catering section.
3. Barron Falls – would love to see in full flood.
4. Robb’s Monument – 2 large rock formations left in place as a monument to those who built the line.
5. Up close and personal with the hard working locos – and note the sign celebrating 120 years of train service on the line.
I’d definitely recommend this as the best way to see the rainforest. The Sky Rail runs from Cairns to Kuranda (both directions) and you can take it either way you choose, or even roundtrip. I took the ride from Kuranda back to Cairns. It’s unbelieveable how high above ground you are, and the views are breathtaking! There are also two lookout points where you can get off to walk through the rainforest a bit before hopping back on to continue your journey.
The Kuranda Railway winds its way slowly (heed the warning) from Kuranda Village down to Cairns, following closely the route of the Barron falls River. Originally built to transport miners, the train is now a major tourist attraction. Most visitors to Kuranda go one way on the Skyrail and one way on the Railway (you can get combined tickets from either end). We went up on the Skyrail and down on the Railway. Although it’s slow it’s very relaxing and you get to see some glorious scenery on the way, including the Barron and Stoney Creek Falls.
Latest Images of Kuranda Scenic Railway, Cairns
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