Riding the Kuranda Scenic Railway near Cairns

The old Kuranda township is a popular shore excursion destination for cruise passengers visiting Cairns on the northeast coast of Australia. The 17-mile drive to Kuranda is interesting since it sits in a mountain rainforest, and the bus crosses fields of sugarcane before climbing up a mountain road. The area has good shopping for native arts and crafts and some fascinating family nature adventures.

Some visitors only take the bus part way, opting to exit at the skyrail station and enjoy gliding high over the rainforest to Kuranda on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. I think the best way to get to Kuranda is on the train, which is named the Kuranda Scenic Railway. This historic train dates back to the 19th century.

Kuranda Scenic Railway Photo (c) Linda Garrison