Kuranda Village: A Journey through an Ancient Rainforest

– August 30, 2011Posted in: Archive, Articles, Australia, Featured Articles, Queensland Road Trip

ROAD TRIP DIARIES # 26

On our second day in Cairns, Charles and I set out on a day trip to Kuranda, a popular mountain village known for its quirky markets, bush walks, wildlife parks, and hippie culture. On this particular trip however, we were more thrilled with the journey itself rather than the destination.

Although we enjoy traipsing through the rainforest, spotting wildlife, or hunting for great bargain in the local markets, it was the chance to board a historic train and Australia’s longest gondola cableway that made this trip unique and novel.

Our journey began at Freshwater Railway Station situated in a tranquil suburb half an hour from Cairns. We arrived at the station quite early so we whiled away the time at the museum and inside a pioneer cottage that had been set up to tell the remarkable history of the railway.

Freshwater Staion Museum

Constructed between 1882-1891, Cairns-Kuranda Railway was built by hundreds of men, many of which lost their lives while building the 15 hand-made tunnels and 57 bridges that cut through the World Heritage rainforest.

The station wasn’t just a waiting platform for the train but a bustling tourist hub complete with souvenir shops and restaurant designed with tables inside retired 85-year old railway carriages.

Off on the Kuranda Scenic Railway

The crowd instantly converged on the platform at the first sound of the horn and shutters started clicking like a mob of paparazzi about to welcome a celebrity on a red carpet. When the spectacle had mellowed down, we found ourselves on board an elegantly outfitted carriage with a voice recording about the history of Kuranda Scenic Railway piping in through the in-carriage speakers.

The train wound its way along the 34-kilometer scenic railway cutting through some of the oldest and most pristine rainforest in the world. It moved rather slowly and intentionally reduced its speed while laboring around some of the steep, sharp curves cut into the mountainside.

The highlight of this ride for me was passing over the numerous narrow bridges perched above dizzying canyons as well as a stopover at the breathtaking Barron Gorge Lookout. There wasn’t as much water flowing over cascades at Barron Falls as in the picture we had seen in the gallery, but the immensity of the gorge was still quite impressive. I felt my photos did not do justice on the grandness of this geological wonder.

Barron Gorge Lookout

Roaming the Rainforest Village

After an hour’s train ride, we arrived at a lively rainforest village already swarmed with tourists poking through its many markets and man-made attractions. We skipped all of the wildlife parks since we had already seen most of the Australian animals in the wild for free (including a python, which I never even wanted to see).

The village was as touristy and commercialised as the city of Cairns but I loved every part of it. After all, I seldom get to visit a vibrant little village surrounded by World Heritage Listed Rainforest and with a thriving alternative lifestyle

One of the highlights of my time here was watching old-fashioned candy making at the Kuranda Candy Kitchen and the making of nougat in another candy shop, which both offered free taste to everyone with sweet tooth.

Making of the traditional handcrafted candies

Mixing the nougat ingredients

It was tempting to take home some aboriginal paintings and local handicrafts but we decided against it. We still have a long way to go on this trip and it be would be cumbersome to lug them around in our already crowded motorhome. Instead, I managed to get a small boomerang and 3 small rubber toys that grow under water for the little ones back home.

Meeting the Global Gypsy

While perusing the shops of bohemian clothes and accessories in another alley, we chanced upon the store of Gerar Toye, a hippie nomad from New Zealand who calls himself the Global Gypsy. He had been on the road for last twenty years and shares spontaneous images and insights on his website.

He also sells shirts, postcards and books of his travel photos around the world hoping to raise funds for his film. Its plot has something to do with the assassination of Bush so we ended getting one. Despite the influx of visitors in Kuranda, it somehow managed to retain its alternative feel.

Nature Walk

We skipped the river cruise as well and basically anything that required shelling out money for something that we could see for free while trekking in the forest. That included the Koala Garden, the Butterfly Sanctuary, the Birdworld and other parks offering encounter with the native fauna.

Our purposed here after all was to experience the scenic transport between Cairns and Kuranda which was already pricey on its own. Instead, we tried some of its nature walks and had a great time strolling along the riverbanks covered with Eucalyptus and a backdrop of lustrous rainforest.

Skyrail Rainforest Cable Way

My favorite part of the trip was boarding one of the gondola cabins on our way back to Cairns. It was an amazing experience to have a bird’s eye view of an ancient rainforest for the first time. It was a whole new perspective gliding over the thick canopy of trees and tracing the length of Barron River.

The Skyrail was constructed from the air by a helicopter so as to completely protect the vegetation below. It took 7 years to get permission to build this structure over the rainforest.

Barron River

Barron Gorge Lookout

There were several stops along the way including the Red Peak and Barron Falls Lookout and the Interactive Rainforest Information Center. We did our own rainforest boardwalk and eavesdropped on this guy who was doing a guided tour on a group of gray nomads. Apparently the tree I was photographing at the time was 400 years old and we learned some interesting trivia along the way.

From the Skyrail Station, we boarded the complementary bus back to Freshwater Railway Station and drove back to Cairns Holiday Park. This day surprised us in many ways but before we even reached our camping ground, I was already daydreaming about finding Nemo the next day.

(This is part of our 6-week North Queensland Road Trip Series, which took place July- August 2010)

26 Comments

Reply

AJ

Posted August 30, 2011 at 11:59 AM

This got me singin’ “C’mon baby do the locomotion.” Kylie mode. I’ve always wanted to ride a choo-choo train like that. And are those kanga scrotums for real? Haha!

My fam is planning a trip Down Under soon. Hope to have a PTB meet-up with you then. Are you near Melbourne?
Reply

Claire

Posted August 30, 2011 at 12:17 PM

I knew you’re gonna notice the kanga scrotum hahaha, (yeah, PTB meet-up Down Under would be good)
Reply

Chris

Posted August 30, 2011 at 4:59 PM

This is the second entry I’ve read about Kuranda in the last half hour, haha. Must be the day for it :-p

I loved my visit there too, even if I didn’t get a chance to ride the scenic railway.

It’s a pity you didn’t get to check out the bird sanctuary and butterfly sanctuary. I thought I’d hate them but they were both really unique experiences. Not so much the koalas and kangaroos, but I had a pet one (kangaroo) growing up. Seeing ‘em in person isn’t so exciting for me :-p
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted August 31, 2011 at 9:15 AM
  
  We’ve been to a butterfly sanctuary in the Philippines just before we started this road trip and we’ve seen most of the bird species and reptiles at Billabong Sanctuary in Townsville so we thought to skip it altogether, unless it’s free of course Our best bird spotting experience though was when we were in the Outback. We’ve seen them by the hundreds – Galah, White and Black Cockatoos, vultures preying on dead carcasses and the ever present lorikeets.
Reply

Mark

Posted August 30, 2011 at 7:39 PM

To see the Barron Falls at their finest you need to be here during the wet season Ms Claire. Kuranda is a quaint little place indeed. The drive up to the village via the Cook Highway and the Kuranda Range road is very picturesque.Love your work!
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted August 31, 2011 at 8:59 AM
  
  Yeah I could imagine surging cascades during the wet season. On our next visit perhaps with a little kid in tow already , we might try driving up to the village. It would be nice to see the view via Cook Highway.
  - Reply
    
    Mark
    
    Posted August 31, 2011 at 6:10 PM
    
    Are congratulations in order Ms Claire?
    - Reply
      
      Claire
      
      Posted August 31, 2011 at 10:24 PM
      
      not yet
Reply

dong ho

Posted August 30, 2011 at 7:52 PM

stunning views. similar to the ones in Kalinga without the train.

reminds me so much of Paul Theroux stories of train routes.
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted August 31, 2011 at 9:07 AM
  
  I agree Dom, the provinces in CAR are just as breathtaking. This region is one of the places in the Philippines that I always suggest to my foreigner friends next to Palawan.
Reply

blissfulguro

Posted August 30, 2011 at 11:07 PM

natawa ako sa scrotums..haha
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted August 31, 2011 at 9:36 AM
  
  korek hindi na nga ako nagtanong kung paano gamitin yung nipple warmer
Reply

Aleah | Solitary Wanderer.com

Posted August 31, 2011 at 1:45 AM

The train looks so clean and well-maintained. If you’re going whitewater rafting in Borneo, compare this train to what they have there (And kangaroo scrotum?? What are people supposed to do with it? And nipple warmers?? So curious haha)
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted August 31, 2011 at 9:40 AM
  
  Hmmm you just made me google white water rafting in Borneo, it’s not part of our itinerary but we’ll see. I’m also curious about the nipple warmer but I didn’t really pay much attention to it as I did with the scrotum LOL!
Reply

kim and mj

Posted August 31, 2011 at 9:24 PM

train travels are love! but kanga scrotums? that’s taking repurposing to a whole other level haha!
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted September 5, 2011 at 10:27 PM
  
  Korek, in fairnes cool pangregalo yung kanga scrotum – ginawang lighter, can opener at container
Reply

Mari Sterling Wilbur

Posted September 1, 2011 at 6:55 AM

I always thoroughly enjoy your posts. The story and the photos go together in such an enticing way I feel I am with you on your journey. Your photography is wonderful and I love the way you are in many of the shots – it adds such a personal touch!!

http://www.mariscamera.blogspot.com/
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted September 5, 2011 at 10:37 PM
  
  I must be learning a lot from reading your photography tips. Keep em coming Mari
Reply

tina

Posted September 1, 2011 at 8:00 AM

I want to ride a train too, this one on my list!
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted September 5, 2011 at 10:39 PM
  
  Book na agad sa PNR, tapos balik ka ng Bicol
Reply

happysole

Posted September 3, 2011 at 7:22 AM

the first photo of the tourists armed with their camera was funny.. pero panalo ang kangaroo scrotum. hahahaha
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted September 5, 2011 at 10:42 PM
  
  Mukha ngang na-outshine nya lahat pati na yung rainforest at Barron Gorge, lol!
Reply

Ed

Posted September 10, 2011 at 4:59 AM

lol at the ‘assassination of bush’ film. hahahahaha.
- Reply
  
  Claire
  
  Posted September 29, 2011 at 7:00 AM
  
  Not that we have anything against him
Reply

Seair

Posted September 25, 2011 at 9:52 PM

kangaroo scrotums? haha wow!
Reply

Christian | Lakad Pilipinas

Posted October 2, 2011 at 8:18 PM

Ulitin ko lang comment sa taas:

Kangaroo Scrotums!?? =0