Skyrail

Captain Cook Hwy & Cairns Western Arterial Road, Smithfield QLD 4878, Australia +61 7 4038 5555 Website 9am – 5:15pm Cairns Campervan Hire

machotaboo (contributor)

The Skyrail is one of the 3 main ways to get down from Kuranda and in my opinion, by far the best way. Self-proclaimed “world’s best rainforest experience,” after thoroughly enjoying the 50 minute ride from top to bottom, I have to agree. Floating feet above the rainforest canopy sit back, relax and enjoy the 7.5km (4.5m) ride while viewing waterfalls, amazing flora, and lots of birds.

There are two stops for travelers to get out and enjoy – Red Peak Station and Barron Falls Station. Red Peak has a boardwalk tour that lets you explore a close look at the rainforest environment. The Barron Falls Station provides a great lookout for viewing the falls.

As you approach the Smithfield Terminal, where your shuttle awaits, remember to smile as the cam captures an image of all passengers to try to sell to you on your way out.

One way is $49, return is $73. We opted for Kuranda Scenic Railway on the way up and Skyrail on the way down which was $120 AUD per adult.

gleadsprove (contributor)

We got the train up and the skyrail back. While in Kuranda coming out to the main street be sure to make your morning tea stop the Kuranda Hotel which is right on the corner. Cold beer, hot delicious coffee and warm scones. The scones were only $3.50 for two including jam & cream and were extremely delicious and the coffee is locally grown and one of the nicest cups if not the nicest I had the entire time I was away.

The train has allocated seating which has it advantages and curses, especially if you dont like to travel backwards. There is an aisle on the left of the carriages and then seats to the right facing into each other, eight persons to a section. Lots to look at, mostly out of the right side of the train. It was a great journey.

Whilst in Kuranda you can just stroll around the shops, markets and the various wildlife parks. We went to the Butterfly House and the Bat Rescue. I have heard that Rainforestation is the better of all the places up there. The Bat rescue centre is only open certain days and entry by donation.

The Skyrail back was good even though I hate the bumps and find that kind of thing quite terrifying. I was put off because they said the journey takes 1.5 hours and I didn’t want to be stuck in something like that for so long but it doesn’t take that long, actually if anything what takes so long is standing in their queues to get on the darn thing!. There are a few stops along the way you can get off and one mandatory one where you have to change lines and queue up all over again. It was a bit annoying the way you had to allocate a return time yet you still had to fight crowds. Having said that the views are magical, especially toward the end as you come over the final hill and see the ocean and Cairns area and this leg of the journey seems to last quite a long enough time to take plenty of photos and enjoy the view.

Overall a fantastic day out !

eraseshooks (contributor)

ON THE SKYRAIL OVER THE RAINFOREST ON THE WAY FROM KURANDA TO CAIRNS. AT THE END OF THE SKYRAIL IS THE TJAPUKAI ABORIGINAL CULTURAL CENTER.

The scenery up to Kuranda on the train is spectacular (see main Cairns article) and we ate in one of the many dining places in Kuranda, the Kuranda Rainforest View Restaurant. We recommend it. The sandwiches were delicious and the view of the rainforest was pleasant.

Kuranda has shopping (I bought a black Kangaroo skin hat that fold up and is very soft and Barbara bought opal earings at a good price) but I would recommend you spend only an hour or two here and take the skyrail down to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center unless you have another day to spend there. There are two stops on the skyrail, get off at the second (you have to disembark) and take the nature tour. Well worth it.

This is an activity you can do on your own. We went with a tour company, being first time visitors but it is easy enough to go to the train station and purchase a ticket for the historic train trip to Kuranda and then buy a Skyrail ticket for the return trip (the way I recommend you go). However, If you go with a tour company they tell you everything you need to know and pick you up at your B&B;/Hotel and it probably doesn’t cost an more than buying it on your own.

paunchingbobble (contributor)

What an experience! The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is an amazing cable car ride which takes you for a 7.5km trip across the top of the rainforest, just north of Cairns.

A one-way trip takes about 1.5 hours and departs from either Caravonica or Kuranda, depending on your direction of travel. If you are going to take just the one-way option (you can do a return trip as well) then I would recommend starting in Kuranda so you get the great views as you come down the hill into Cairns. There are two station stops along the way if you want to get off and go for a wander in the rainforest.

We found this to be a fabulous experience and loved the feeling that we were floating about the trees. A friend of mine who is scared of heights also thought it was an amazing experience, but did confess to being terrified the whole time!

Highly recommended.

aquatickali (contributor)

Kuranda Scenic Railway – Gold Class will get you lounge seating and heavy hour d’oeuvres and beer/wine service in special vintage carriages.
Photos to take along the way: Barron Falls, Barron Gorge, Stoney Creek Bridge….

Skyrail – take a gondola ride over the World Heritage Tropical Rainforrest on the cable way from Kuranda to Caravonica

While in Kuranda visit the Koala Gardens, Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, and Kuranda Birdworld.

Watch out for your backpacks while in Birdworld. Something ate the plastic pieces of my zippers. Also, make sure you see the most dangerous bird in the world – the frightening Cassowary!!!!

legothames (contributor)

If you like trees and the rainforest in general, SkyRail is a pretty cool experience. It allows you to ‘fly’ above the canopy across the Great Dividing Range in what are essentially ski pods. They seat six people and there is very little extra room for baggage – this is important if you intend to stay in Kuranda for awhile, because you are typically only allowed to bring one small bag with you. The pods stop at two places along the way, and you can explore parts of the forest at ground level. There are walking paths that guide you through the trees and a building with information about the rainforest. The second stop is Barron Falls, a fairly large waterfall that is best during the wet season. I didn’t see much for animal life along the way, but seeing the rainforest from above is a pretty surreal experience!

lairandes (contributor)

The Skyrail takes you on a trip not through, but ABOVE the rainforest all the way to Kuranda. It’s a unique opportunity to see a rainforest in a different way. On the way to the top there are two stops, where you can go for a walk through the rainforest, visit the interpretative centre and have a look at Barron Falls.

In Kuranda, a little town 40 km north of Cairns, you can go for a walk through the rainforest or have a look at the tacky souvenir shops and markets.

The way back to Cairns can be done by the ‘scenic railway’, that takes almost two hours. On board of the train you’re provided with information about the construction of the railway line and all the nice sights the train passes.

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Skyrail is an alternative way to travel between Kuranda and the suburb of Smithfield, Cairns. The Kuranda Railway is the other. Skyrail travels above the rainforest canopy for most of the journey, with a stop to view the Barron Gorge Falls.

Heading back to Cairns
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Me + Ant at Barron Falls
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Barron Falls
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Cassowary bird :P
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Barron River
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Looking out to the Coral Sea
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Cable car :)
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Skyail from Cairns to Kuranda. View from the Kuranda train trip of the rainforest and a tower for the Skyrail..
The Kuranda Railway and the Skyrail. Construction began in 1886 but there was a long struggle to get to that point. Cairns was not the first place to be considered for an inland railway. In 1882 both Cairns and Port Douglas formed railway committees to lobby for a railway from their port. Then Innisfail joined the competition! The government sent Christie Palmerston, a prospector, explorer and adventurer to explore all three sites. He had previously cut a track through the rainforests from Port Douglas to the Herberton tin mines on the Arthurton tablelands. He also created a road from Innisfail to Herberton. He worked closely with Aboriginal people in his endeavours and he moved to Townsville in 1886 living there until he died a few years later. He recommended Cairns for the new rail terminal in 1884. It was a further two years before the rail work began. Getting a rail line up through the Barron River Gorge was a great engineering feat and it was all accomplished with hand pick and shovel. No wonder it took 5 years of work for the rail line to reach what is now Kuranda. The goal was to reach Mareeba which it did 2 years later in 1893. The rail contract was split into three sections with different contractors for each. The first section had easy gradients nevertheless it took three different contractors to succeed in crossing the swamps which were more difficult than imagined. It took government workers to finish off this first easy section in 1887! The middle sector was the most difficult as it covered the main climb of over 300 metres to the top of the ranges. A contractor began this difficult task in 1887. Up to 1,500 men worked on this part of the track with at least one death. The section required 15 tunnels, 93 bends and dozens of bridges, yet the contractor finished on time in 1891. Meantime work had started on the third section to Kuranda which was finished a few weeks after section two. The line opened with fanfare in June 1891. After reaching Mareeba it was a further 12 years- 1910- before the line was extended even further to Herberton tin mines. The early rail freight from Kuranda included coffee, butter, milk, and timber. Mareeba in the Atherton tablelands has a mild climate- 920 mm of rain a year, with temperatures varying from an average of 11 for July minimum to 32 November maximum. It is still a dairying district. Skyrail cableway train was a much easier project! But there was much controversy surrounding its construction through the Barron Gorge National Park which is part of the World Heritage listed Queensland Rainforest site. Fears about damage to the rainforest meant it took 7 years to get planning approval for the project after numerous environmental impact surveys and appeals and changes to the designs. Unlike the Kuranda railway, construction was the easy part. It took just over a year to erect the towers for the cables to support the railcars. Four Skyrail stations were constructed allowing passengers to get off and walk around each area. The Barron Falls Station is the best as you get wonderful views of the impressive Barron River Falls. The Falls drop around 260 metres hence in 1935 a hydro-electric power station to harness that energy was built. The map above shows how the Skyrail route crosses the rail track a couple of times. Since its opening this impressive and easy way of looking at the rainforest has won dozens of Australian tourism awards and four international tourism awards. In the rainforest beneath the Skyrail you should be able to see Birds-nest and Elkhorn ferns, and native Sandalwood, Candlenut and Corkwood trees. Kuranda. This Atherton Tablelands town has a population of 1,600 people. The town was established just a few years before the railway line reached Kuranda and although coffee was an important early industry, forestry and timber have been an ongoing industries. Today it relies heavily on tourism and people wanting an “alternative” lifestyle- hence the numerous craft and art shops in the town. The Djabujay Aboriginal people have lived in the area for over 10,000 years and they now support the Indigenous Dance Theatre troupe which performs daily for tourists. Kuranda is often referred to as the village in the rainforest. You will have a little free time in Kuranda for some browsing, shopping and tea drinking before we catch the last afternoon train back to Cairns, from the Railway Station (built in 1915). We will be advised of the train departure time on the day. Although we go no further into the Tablelands they are an important geographic region. Mareeba has 7,000 people, Atherton (home town of former QLD Premier Peter Beattie) has over 7,000 and Herberton has over 1,000 people. The Tablelands Regional Council has a population of almost 50,000 people as it is such a rich agricultural region. The Council headquarters are in Mareeba. Lake Eacham is a huge lake, created by past volcanic activity. Although no rivers currently flow into the lake its water levels are maintained by the high rainfall. The district around the lake and town has around 6,000 people. So the rich volcanic soils, the moderated tropical climate because of the high altitude and the high rainfall makes this Tableland region one of Australia’s richest agricultural areas. The tablelands are known for their sugar cane, peanuts, cashews, pineapples, coffee, mangoes, potatoes, avocados, macadamia nuts, milk, butter, cheese, corn, lettuces, tomatoes and other vegetables (pumpkin) and beef cattle. Tin mining in Herberton continued for almost 100 years finally ceasing in 1978. Further out on the edge of the Atherton Tablelands is Chillagoe, a former copper, lead, silver, gold and zinc mining township with a smelter works. The smelter works closed in 1950. Chillagoe is known for 1,000 caves in the karst limestone landscape of the district. 300 kms out from Cairns on the Atherton Tablelands is Undara lava tubes park. They are the most extensive outflows of volcanic lava in the world, and the massive lava caves are exceptional. The vast amounts of molten lava flowed down from the volcano cone as the outer crust cooled and hardened but the lava was flowing so quickly that the insides of the flows continued flowing until the great tubes or caves were left empty. So the Atherton Tableland is also a rich area in terms of geology and natural features.

What a View!
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Skyrail Cairns | Kuranda Rainforest

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View from the Skyrail. Cairns, Queensland, Australia, June 2017

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From a skyrail, Cairns, AU

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