Kuranda Skyrail & Scenic Railway

While Ruth and I were staying in Cairns we took the Skyrail to Kuranda and the Scenic Railway home again.

The Skyrail (effectively the bubble car from a ski resort) is the longest cable car in the world at 7.5km. The cable car drops you off at two stations within the forest. From the first there is a (very) short walking loop through the forest, with guides departing every 20-30mins telling you more about the fauna that you can see.

The second stations has a slightly longer walk and viewing platforms over the Barron Falls. Reduced to a trickle in the dry season, the photos of torrents of water gushing over the falls in the wet season are an impressive sight.

After the second station the cable car descends down into the tourist mecca of Kuranda village, filled to the brim with day trippers. The village itself was pleasant enough with lots of cafes, markets and gem shops. We took a rainforest walking loop that meandered on boardwalks through the forest, down to the river and then back into the village.

On the way back to Cairns we took the Scenic Railway from the olde worlde Kuranda railway station. The only thing missing from the idylic scene were the steam engines. The train winds its way back down to Cairns following the opposite side of the valley, giving you a different perspective on the views you saw earlier from the Skyrail.