The Kuranda Scenic Railway
This bench made from old railway tracks and wheels is a reminder of the important role played by the railway in the existence of Kuranda, a village northwest of Cairns, in Queensland, Australia.
(click any image to view the gallery of larger images)
One of two locomotives and three of many carriages of the Kuranda Scenic Railway.
These old signals are still used at Kuranda station.
The dreaded term “signal failure”, the bane of every commuter’s trip to work, has taken on a new meaning for me!
KSR – second class carriage.
KSR – gold class carriage.
Gold class has a number of benefits: comfy seating, more room, and finger food and drinks.
Cheers! This is possibly the largest glass of sparkling wine I have ever been served.
Kuranda Scenic Railway – end of the line, Cairns station.
The site of the village was first surveyed by Europeans in 1888. Completion of a railway from Cairns on the coast led to trade and people moving over the Macalister Range. Coffee was grown until severe frosts in the early 1900s wiped out the harvest. After a significant military presence in the area during World War II, tourism became the primary money earner.
A popular way to visit Kuranda from Cairns on a day trip is to take the skyrail one way and the train the other.
Construction of the railway began in 1882 and was completed to Kuranda in 1891. Fifteen tunnels were dug by hand through stone and 37 bridges were erected over ravines to allow the railway to climb from sea level to Kuranda’s elevation of 328 metres (1,076 feet). Passenger services began on 25 June 1891. The first dedicated tourist train from Cairns to Kuranda ran in 1936.
Known now as The Kuranda Scenic Railway, today’s train takes 90 minutes to cover the 34 km (21 miles), passing spectacular waterfalls and providing stunning views of the lush rainforest. The KSR uses carriages that hearken back to an earlier era of train travel, with wooden panelling and windows you can open. It is indeed a relic of an almost forgotten time.
And finally, this photo has nothing to do with history or relics — it’s one of those spectacular waterfalls I mentioned. I shot this from the train as we passed.
Information about Kuranda and the Scenic Railway taken from: