Wedding Anniversary and day trip to Cairns

Wednesday 23rd September - our 9th Wedding Anniversary.

As we didn’t budget for a lot of extras on our holiday, we decided that we wouldn’t do all activities together. I’d go to Cairns with Bec, Daniel and Daniel’s parents Rob and Cathy, to go on the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail today, and Steve would do the white water rafting in Tully Gorge (that he really wanted to do) on Friday.

Another early start of course, as we had to be at Freshwater Station in Cairns by 9.30am, and it’s about a 3 hour drive from Cardwell. A lovely day dawned though, and it had really started to warm up by the time we arrived in Cairns. First stop was a detour to the gift shop to buy Scenic Railway fridge magnets. (I have to get one from each place I visit, mostly to annoy Steve, lol)

Here's some of the pertinent info from the tourist guide - "Completed in 1891, the 37 km of track from Cairns to Kuranda ascends 328 metres and includes 15 tunnels, 37 bridges and 98 curves"

The Kuranda Scenic Railway really lived up to its name, but, as everyone is environmentally conscious these days, it was rather hard to get decent photos through the trees.

Although it is dry season, Stony Creek Falls are running, so I did almost manage to get the “postcard” photo, albeit with a narrower stream of water tumbling over the falls than you would usually see in postcards.

Barron Falls were also running nicely, and I got some lovely shots from the viewing platform at Barron Falls Station. (see photo below)



We had a few hours in Kuranda before our scheduled trip back on the Skyrail, so we wandered around the shops and markets then had an overpriced lunch in one of the pubs. After lunch, there was more browsing around the shops, where I taste-tested and bought a bottle of Mango Port, before heading to the Skyrail gift shop for (you guessed it) another fridge magnet!

The Skyrail gondolas seat 6, so we were able to travel together. It is almost like flying, being that high above the rainforest canopy. There was another fantastic view of Barron Falls and further downstream to the Hydro-Electric Plant. There are two stations along the route back down from Kuranda. We got off at Red Peak to walk along the rainforest boardwalk, then boarded another gondola for the rest of the trip down from the mountains.

Kuranda Skyrail Station - looking out over Daniel and Bec's shoulders to the next gondola

View out over the rainforest canopy from the Skyrail gondola

Self in the gondola on the downhill stretch

A quick stop off in Cairns to go to JB Hi-Fi, so that Bec could buy a charger for her dead camera battery, then we headed back home to Cardwell.

When I arrived home I had to hurry and get dressed because Steve had arranged for us to have dinner at the restaurant at Cardwell Marina for our 9th wedding anniversary. Helena, Jason and their family kindly offered to look after Cheyenne so that we could eat dinner in peace for a change.

All in all, it was a very nice day, and I’m glad I decided to go to Kuranda.