Kuranda

We re-mortgaged the house today in order to take the kids on the Kuranda Sky-Rail and Scenic Railway.  We hopped on the Skyrail at 10am, for the 7.5 km journey to the top.

I realised that my memories of riding the Skyrail on my 'around Australia' trip in 1991 were fabricated when I read with interest that the Skyrail was built in 1995.  Hmmm.  However, we did enjoy sweeping views over Cairns, the hinterland and out to the Coral Sea.

We stopped for a short rainforest walk at Red Peak Station and checked out the sometimes spectacular (not today) waterfall at Barron Falls station.  Then it was on to Kuranda for a picnic lunch, a game of "tiggy" (which is what the local kids call chasey) at the playground and a wander around the markets.



 

The Kuranda Markets began back in 1978 on honey house land by a group of local people trying to attract visitors to Kuranda.  At that time the village was very small and was dominated by hippie artists and craftspeople.  Not so today!  The village is now recognised as a unique Australian rainforest destination.  So it was that we arrived at Kuranda amongst a throng of what seemed like three hundred million American and Japanese tourists.  It kind of took some of the romance out of it for us...

 

Nevertheless, we enjoyed the markets until 2pm when we were outward bound on the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway.

 

 

The construction of the Cairns-Kuranda Railway was, and still is, an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude.  It is recognised as a National engineering landmark and tribute to all those who laboured in its construction.  Construction commenced in 1886 and wasn't completed until 1891.  The 37 kms of track was laid by 1500  (mostly Irish & Italian) men.  Their work involved the removal of 2.3 million cubic metres of dirt, 106 cuttings, 15 hand carved tunnels (1746 metres in length), 55 bridges and 98 curves.

 

I'm pretty sure that the historical significance, the view and the cost were all lost on the young Johnston boys.  They were much more interested in what was for afternoon tea (which they tried to eat under the carriage seats!)

 

 

All in all, a good day was had by everyone.  We were all tuckered out by the time we boarded the coach that took us back to our car.  Being a tourist sure is hard work!