We travelled to Kuranda via the Scenic Rail that winds around the hillsides and through tunnels cut into the rock. The echoing rumble of steel against steel reverberates as we cross viaducts high above rivers and waterfalls of the Barron River Gorge.
Building the railway line was a major engineering feat that started in 1886. Five years later the Cairns to Kuranda passenger service began along the line, dug out of the mountainside by hand. The trip climbs to 327m and includes 15 tunnels, 93 curves and dozens of bridges, taking just over two hours.
Near the Barron River Falls the train stops for the views over the river. It’s the dry season when we visit, but in the wet season that same river would carry terrifyingly large amounts of water cascading down to the coastal plains around Cairns.
Flowering plants surround the Kuranda Railway Station covering the platforms and track sides.
