KURANDA and SKYRAIL

14^th June, 2013

We’re back on the Atherton Tablelands after our trip to the Cape and for the next few weeks will base ourselves at Walkamin Caravan Park while we relax and do day trips.  Mitzi and the Van have had a thorough going over and everything is no longer coated in red dust.  It has been a bit overcast since we got back but today has turned out lovely and sunny so we are off to explore the tourist town of Kuranda and ride the Skyrail.  Most of the people visiting Kuranda travel from Cairns via the heritage Scenic Railway or by the newer Skyrail Cableway.  This means that the village is jam packed with people wandering around from around 10am to 2pm so we head off early and literally have the whole place to ourselves for the first couple of hours.

Kuranda's main street is pretty quiet in the early morning

There are lots of quirky shops selling locally made handicrafts and jewellery.  The heritage markets keep us occupied browsing through the stalls and in the main street a mock-up ship houses aboriginal art and a great collection of didgeridoos.

Aboriginal Art Gallery in Kuranda

After getting our fill of retail therapy we head down to the Skyrail terminal.  This 7.5 kilometre cableway was completed in 1995.  All the towers were lifted into place by helicopter to avoid disturbance to the rainforest and took one year to be constructed.  There are two stations along the way where you can hop off and take a look around.  It is mid morning and we are the only people taking the ride down the mountain so no waiting in a queue.  We hop into a gondola and are soon swinging our way over the tops of the rainforest trees and across the Barron River.  We get a birds eye view of this World Heritage listed area and see many birds flying from tree to tree as well as hear their calls.  At the Barron Falls Station we disembark and take a walk to the viewing platforms where we can see the water tumbling down the falls.  There are also information panels and displays of some of the equipment used in the early 1900’s to transport men and equipment to the hydro electric station on the opposite side of the river.  Back on the cableway we can see the tourist train stopped at the Barron Falls viewing area on the other side of the gorge.

Looking across the gorge to the Barron Falls railway station

The railway is a great way to see the gorge and travels from Cairns to Kuranda each morning and returns in the afternoon.  It has been a Cairns tourist icon for many years and we have done the trip on the train back in the 60’s and 80’s.  This time we are getting a whole new perspective on the gorge and rainforest.  From the gondola we get a great view of the Barron Falls

Barron Falls from the Skyrail

and the gorge as the river makes its way to the coast.

Barron River Gorge

Our next stop is at Red Peak Station which is the highest point on the cableway at 545 metres.  We hop out and take a ranger guided tour of the rainforest.  So far we have not had to contend with hordes of tourists at either of the stops along the cableway.  The gondolas heading up to Kuranda have had people in them but the majority of tourists seem to be more intent in continuing on to Kuranda than stopping to smell the roses along the way.  That is just fine with us and we only have four other people with us on the ranger tour at Red Peak.  Our guide is very good and we learn lots of interesting things about the flora and fauna of the rainforest.  The rainforest was heavily logged for the Kauri Pine in the ‘olden’ days and it was pleasing to see that not all the pines had been felled.  This 400 year old Kauri Pine is still going strong

400 Year old Kauri Pine

and high in its branches elkhorns, staghorns and bird’s nest ferns provide apartment living for numerous insects and animals.

Bird's nest ferns adorn the Kauri Pine's top branches

As we near the escarpment a fabulous vista appears as the rainforest drops away.

Coastal view from the Skyrail

To the right in the distance lies the city of Cairns

View of Cairns from the Skyrail

and we cross over the road as it heads up the mountain.

Crossing over the road

Soon we are coming in for a landing at the Cairns terminal and after a quick look around the gift shop we hop in a gondola for our trip back up to Kuranda.  The return trip is just as interesting as the ride down and goes much too quickly.  From Red Peak we can see the village of Kuranda in the distance.

Travelling over the rainforest

Much to our surprise Wok spots a crocodile swimming in the Barron River as our gondola crosses over.

Crossing the Barron River

There are not supposed to be any saltwater crocs in the river above the falls but this croc was very large for a ‘freshie’.  We were just glad that the croc was down there and we were up here.  All too soon we were swinging our way back into the Kuranda terminal where the obligatory tourist photo shoot was well under way.

We made our way up to the village and found a street café for lunch and then discovered an ice cream bar.  It was a great way to finish the day as we sat back and watched the passing parade.   The locally made rum and raisin was delightful and the decadent triple choc was scrumptious  …!   YUMMM ……