Kuranda Village

 Centenary Park, Kuranda QLD 4881, Australia +61 7 4093 9311 Website 9:30am – 3:30pm Cairns Campervan Hire

scarlettherbal (contributor)

Fairyland in Kuranda is an actual rainforest area where back in the early 1900’s visitors arrived by the scenic train from Cairns to explore the beautiful forest.It must have been difficult to climb up embankments in long dresses and suits with ties etc during that period, but they did wear sensible boots.
Most areas around Kuranda railway station now have boardwalks and stairways that take you down to the Barron River or the Barron Falls and through the jungle walk. I like the Fairyland rainforest at the top of the Kuranda range near the Billabong,you need a car to get there but well worth it.
I love the remote feeling of the forest and the flora & fauna are amazing,especially if you sit still and be quite.Lots of birds,frogs and friendly pythons..don’t forget to wear protective clothing,take water and insect repellent.

taigabrewer (contributor)

You can visit the Freshwater Railway Station after the tourists have had their breakfast and the train departs for its journey to Kuranda through the World Heritage Rainforest and the ancient culture (Buda-dji) Murals are painted on the locomotives by aboriginal artist George Riley.He tells the story of Buda-dji the Carpet snake who carved out the Barron Gorge.
The scenic railway follows the path of Buda-dji.
Take your time and stroll around this beautiful station full of history and how they worked and survived the early days of the railway.
It must have been very hard for the women and children living in the camps at each tunnel.
You can find out how,why and when this happened at the station museum.
The station has a gift shop,restaurant and tropical gardens to enjoy.
It is free to enter the station , the museum and cottage.
The train carraiges and in the station is an ambient place to have breakfast.
Best time to visit if you are not travelling on the train is after 9.30am —4pm.

jewishglands (contributor)

Yes I know this tip should be on the Kuranda page, but really it is a suburb of Cairns and we went there and back on the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway.

Some would say that my wife and are “bird-a-holics” and we just love birds – and particularly parrots. Our own home is owned by a small parrot named Zorro, we just pay rent to the bird – LOL

OK jokes aside. After we had walked through what I thought was a rather tacky market, we paid up, given a “warning, take off anything that’s shiny like jewelry, watches and the like and they love hats too,” and then we entered the huge covered flight area of Birdworld. Almost immediately we were landed on by a variety of parrots who took possession of their new human bird play mates (parrots are like that – LOL). One, a Macaw, took an immediate liking to the pen that I’d just obtained from the Kuranda Scenic Railway and another landed on my hand to investigate whatever was available. Then a third joined in the fun on my hat – he wanted the air holes and I could sense that I was not going to get out of that enclosure alive.

Over the next hour we were enthralled at the antics of the birds – mainly parrots, but there was a couple of over-protective of their territory Australian black swans who hissed their displeasure, as well as 2 rare Cassowaries, which are enormous emu like birds with a funny head dress. I had a long and very meaningful conversation with an Indian ring-necked parrot. We got to discuss Eastern religion and he may have convinced me to change my habits and become a seed eater like him. Perhaps he was attempting to rid me of eating birds, like chickens, I’m not too sure of his motives; all good fun.

I happened to look at one of my hands and saw that a parrot had taken a small chunk out of one of my fingers. (No the Indian ring-necked parrot was not guilty) The lady at the ticket booth had seen it all before and I was very quickly kitted out with a swab, antiseptic and a band aid and directed to the nearby bathroom to repair the damage. Maybe they should have souvenir band-aids with the Birdworld logo and a slogan – I survived Birdworld – just!

Admittance price; $16.50 for adults, $8.25 for children, discount for seniors (produce card) and band-aids free.

unifieddeat (contributor)

BIRDWORLD
Soon after arriving in Kuranda with the Scenic Train and having walked through the town, I decided to visit “Birdworld” ..being able to wander around in this large environment of over five hundred free flying birds seemed to be a great idea to get some really “up close” photos while being able to hand feed some of the many different types of birds found here…To be able to be so close to the many large Parrotts and Cockatoos along with so many other varied species..it .made a really enjpyable natural experience..

spewlego (contributor)

In most of Australia its illegal for the public to hold koalas. Queensland is the only state that allows it. Here at the Koala Gardens I actually had the opportunity to hold a koala! They also have a petting zoo with kangaroos and wallabies, as well as other native Australian animals living within.

getcorrosive (contributor)

One of the not to be missed things today includes a scenic trip to the village of Kuranda from Cairns. We took the sky rail to get there, and the scenic train ride down the mountain to return. Cost was very reasonable. Once in Kuranda, there are many little shops and museums to check out at your leisure. The views getting there are awesome!

croaksace (contributor)

I highly recommend looking at a satellite map of the area, such as this photo from Google Earth. Most tourists to Cairns see a very limited part of the area, although if you take the Skyrail cablecar you are treated to spectacular views and this research will stand you in good stead.

Perhaps the first thing you notice is that, outside the city center, the populated area is dominated by cane farms, demonstrating that, despite a modern veneer, Cairns is a city that until my generation was primarily a rural outpost.

From Cairns on your satellite map, scroll North without changing the zoom. Keep going. And going. And going. This should start to bring home what many foreign tourists do not really comprehend – that the Australian wilderness is just extraordinarily vast and untouched by modern man.

truepractice (contributor)

When in Oz you must go to see atleast one wildlife sanctuary. To be honest I have been to better sanctuariesnear Brisbane but if you are only going to Cairns then Wild World is great at $24, particularly if you go to all the talks (probably wont want to spend more than half a day). Kuranda koala sanctuary is small, cheaper $12 but hasagoodrange of animals only will take 1 hr to see

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