Kuranda

Kuranda is a small village perched on the edge of the Atherton Tablelands at around 330 metres elevation, about 25 kilometres north-west of Cairns. The village sits in the heart of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and is surrounded by dense tropical rainforest that spills down the Barron Gorge escarpment to the coastal plain below. Kuranda has been a day-trip destination from Cairns since the late 19th century, and the two iconic transport links that connect it to the coast are as much a part of the experience as the village itself.

The Kuranda Scenic Railway, built between 1882 and 1891, climbs from Cairns through 15 tunnels and over dozens of bridges up the face of the Barron Gorge. The journey takes about two hours and includes a stop at Barron Falls station, where passengers can view the waterfall (at its most impressive after wet season rains between January and April). The railway is considered one of the most scenic train journeys in Australia and the engineering is a testament to the colonial-era labour force that carved the route by hand.

The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway runs six and a half kilometres from Smithfield (on the northern edge of Cairns) to Kuranda, passing over the rainforest canopy with two mid-station stops at Red Peak and Barron Falls. The gondola ride offers a bird's-eye view of the canopy and the distant Coral Sea, and the mid-stations have boardwalks through the rainforest with interpretive displays on the ecology of the Wet Tropics.

The village itself centres on the Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets (operating since 1978) and the Heritage Markets, which between them house dozens of stalls selling local art, handmade jewellery, leather goods, tropical food products and Aboriginal artwork. The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary is the largest butterfly flight aviary in Australia, housing over 1,500 tropical butterflies. Birdworld and the Kuranda Koala Gardens are adjacent and can be visited on a combined ticket.

The Barron River runs through the village and is the starting point for white-water rafting trips during the wet season when river levels rise. The Jumrum Creek Conservation Park, a short walk from the main street, is a pocket of lowland rainforest with walking tracks and excellent birdwatching. Kuranda is a year-round destination, with the village markets open daily. Most visitors take the railway up and the Skyrail down (or vice versa) to experience both transport links in a single day.