Kuranda Skyrail, Scenic Railway and Army Duck Tour Cairns

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Barron Falls

The day begins with one of the most memorable rides in Tropical North Queensland. The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway climbs from the edge of Cairns over the Macalister Range, with gondolas passing just metres above the canopy of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. From above you see the layered forest, giant trees and the coastline stretching toward the Coral Sea, and the ride takes around ninety minutes with stops.

It is worth getting off at both stations. Red Peak has a short boardwalk through the forest among towering kauri pines and strangler figs, while Barron Falls station leads to lookouts over the gorge, where the Barron River drops toward the coast, a thundering sight in the wet season. Allow fifteen to thirty minutes at each. Barron Falls is in the Barron Gorge National Park, and this is one of the easiest ways to see it.

Army Duck ride at a rainforest nature park

From Kuranda a shuttle takes you to a rainforest nature park just outside the village, the base for the Army Duck experience. These six-wheel-drive amphibious vehicles were designed during the Second World War to carry troops and supplies from ship to shore, and today they drive straight off the track and into a rainforest lake, then climb back onto land on the other side.

Your duck driver searches for wildlife along the way, from birds and lizards to turtles in the water, and explains the plants and trees that make up the rainforest, including the ones used by Aboriginal people for food and medicine. The ride lasts about 45 minutes and is fun for all ages. Afterwards, sample exotic tropical fruits and locally made ice cream at a fruit orchard, a fresh taste of the region's produce.

Kuranda Village and its markets

Kuranda is known as the village in the rainforest, a small mountain town surrounded by forest above the Barron River. In the 1970s it became a gathering place for artists and craftspeople, and today its streets are lined with galleries, cafés and the famous Kuranda markets, selling local art, Aboriginal crafts, leather goods, jewellery and souvenirs under the trees.

You have free time to explore at your own pace, have lunch and browse the market stalls. The village also has wildlife attractions such as a butterfly sanctuary and a bird aviary, which can be visited for an extra fee if time allows. How long should you spend in Kuranda? On this tour you have a few hours, enough to see the markets and main street comfortably before walking to the railway station for the return train.

Kuranda Scenic Railway

The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a feat of engineering built in the late nineteenth century, when workers cut a line through the steep rainforest of the Barron Gorge by hand. The journey down to Cairns winds through tunnels and over bridges, with views into the gorge and out to the coast, and takes around two hours in heritage carriages.

Highlights include the curving bridge across Stoney Creek Falls and a stop at Barron Falls station, where you can step out for views of the falls from the opposite side of the gorge. The historic Kuranda station itself, surrounded by tropical gardens, is one of the prettiest in Australia. On arrival in Cairns, our transfer takes you back to your accommodation, ending a full day in the rainforest.