Kuranda Scenic Railway                

The Cairns-Kuranda Railway offers a incomparably unique experience to the traveler to Australia.  The construction of the line is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of its time.  Work was begun in 1882 with the final track laid in 1891. 

Steep grades, dense jungles, disease and aboriginals plagued the workers.  There are approximately 60 miles of track climbing from sea level in Cairns to Kuranda at an altitude of 1200 feet.  There are 15 tunnels along the line that tenuously hugs the mountainsides.

Once in Kuranda the visitor cooled by the mild temperatures and low humidity at this mountain site.  Colorful shops line Main Street, while countless restaurants lay tucked away along side alleys.

The trees resonate with a cacophony of thousands of wild birds, like the Rainbow Lorikeet see above.

A must-do is lunch or drinks on the veranda of the Rainforest View Restaurant.

The day concludes with the descent back down the mountain via the Skyrail Cableway.  The cars pass through the canopy of the rainforest.  The five mile ride takes about 45 minutes.