Cairns, the tropical paradise in Far North Queensland, is a city known for its stunning natural beauty, from the Great Barrier Reef to the lush rainforests and waterfalls of the surrounding area.
Day One (we have two days here) we took an excursion to Kuranda and rode the Sky Rail high into the tropical rainforest. Only a 20 minute bus ride up the mountain from Cairns and we arrived to the Sky Rail. Kuranda is a mountain village that has a scenic railway which winds along forested hillside tracks carved out by early settlers. The railway was unusable while we were here due to heavy rain in the area so we were unable to ride it during our stay. Kuranda is in the Barron Gorge National Park and boasts Barron Falls. The upside of the heavy rain is that the falls are spectacular!! Kuranda is surrounded by the world’s oldest living tropical rainforest. This area experienced a Gold Rush in the 1890’s much like the California Gold Rush in America. After which, the early 1900’s found lumberjacks harvesting the beautiful Red Cedar trees in the area and establishing the railway. As it became easier to navigate with roads added, the Hippies moved into the area in the 1960’s. Our tour guide told us that the Hippies that weren’t at Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco were here in Kuranda. Today, it is a vibrant community of artists (Aboriginal artefacts, handmade leather goods, wood and jewelry), cafes and sanctuaries for butterflies, koalas and native birds. Tourism is its main commerce today after the Sky Rail was build in 1995.
While on the Sky Rail, as far as the eye can see is a canopy of lush vegetation. Trees in the rainforest can have fern nests that grow right out of the intersecting branches. Those nests have their own eco-systems within them and can weigh hundreds of pounds. The fauna is so thick that there is a literal “fight for light” as each plant reaches high into the sky to continue to grow. I have never seen anything like this and to say it was breathtaking would be an understatement. Absolutely incredible…the pictures hardly do justice to its size and awe inspiring beauty. Many of the plants we saw are those that we buy for our homes. Ferns, ficus, multi-colored philodendrons, and Spanish moss cover every possible square inch. I do not possess a green thumb so many of my house plants are fake and after witnessing this rainforest I’m a bit more inspired to try my hand at it again.
Joe rose early this morning to scuba dive The Great Barrier Reef. I am going to enjoy a massage and take a walk through the city of Cairns. Stay tuned for Day Two.
