Australia > Kuranda

Get In

• Drive from Cairns via the Captain Cook and Kennedy Highways. The trip takes approximately 40 minutes.
• Hop on the Kuranda Scenic Railway for a (very) leisurely two-hour trip 300 meters up and 34 kilometers out from Cairns.  One or two services daily in each direction.
• Catch the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway from just outside Cairns for great views of the rainforest canopy.
• Catch the shuttle bus between Cairns and Kuranda.

Many visitors combine the scenic railway and the cableway, traveling to Kuranda on one and returning on the other.

Get around

Kuranda is a small village, although somewhat hilly.  Walking 3 kilometres will take you from one end of town to the other.

The wildlife exhibits run a courtesy bus between the skyrail and scenic railway stations at the south end of town and the wildlife attractions at the north of town.  The bus departs every twenty minutes.

See

• Birdworld is a large mesh canopy, open to natural light in which you can wander among free flying birds armed with an identification sheet to pick them out.  The birds are divided evenly between colorful parrots and drab quails and doves with the addition of some cassowaries fenced away from people wandering around the circuit.
• Kuranda Koala Gardens is a small wildlife zoo housing Australian native animals.  In addition to koalas, there are kangaroos, crocodiles, snakes and lizards. Visitors can hold a koala and have their picture taken.
• Australian Butterfly Sanctuary is an aviary containing rainforest butterflies - Birdwings Ulysees and more.  It's great for kids.

Buy

Kuranda is famous for its markets.  They run everyday, not just Sundays (that was in the past) and have a wide range of craft or flea markets.  It's just a short walk from the Skyrail or the Train to the village.