Barron Gorge & Kurandra

MY TRIP TO FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND
Follow Kate as she dives, climbs, eats and sunbakes her way through lush Far North Queensland.

Kurandra is famed for the village surrounded by rainforest and tourist attractions such as the skyrail, Kurandra scenic railway, wildlife parks and art galleries. Approximately 15 minutes north of Cairns city and 50 minutes south of Port Douglas, it offers tourists a one stop shop to consume and experience a hippy rainforest village perched in the sky.

Locals? I didn't see any in the town, except for the ones working in the shops. The town is supposed to be an authentic hippy village in the rainforest; vaguely set in the 1960's when it flourished as a commune type destination. You are supposed to feel like you are part of an "alternative lifestyle" and more at one with nature however I felt like I was in a television commercial - a surreal, sterile and vacated authenticity. Once upon a time, it may have been a hippy community, but this is no longer the case. When I arrived, it was time for all the coach busses to return to the city - and the town was an empty nest. No shops were open, and there was not a single person in the street, it looked like a deserted Hollywood set (not from the 1960's though).

Many visitors catch the SkyRail to Kurandra, which makes it even more of an expensive visit to an uneventful village. I did not spend much time here - I did see it though. I saw it's gaudy authenticity. I saw the indigenous locals in the back streets mulling around. SkyRail is expensive - it's a glorified chairlift. True, it takes 1.5hrs to go one way and was very expensive to erect, and you get a panoramic, ever changing spectacular scenery of far north Queensland but the price! It costs as much as a diving tour, which is far more spectacular for the able bodied. And that's what you'll see in Kurandra, older folk who want minimal fuss and minimal movement.

Despite Kurandra's failings as a faux-authentic hippy village in the rainforest, we did follow the signs to Barron Gorge which is located a short drive away. Barron Gorge is spectacular and doesn't cost a cent to see. It's a Gorge with Barron falls the centrepiece of the massive scale rock formations. The walk from the car park to the viewing platform is beautiful, giving you glimpses of what's to come. When absorbing the view, the scale of nature tranquilised my thoughts and time seemed to be irrelevant. It was mesmerizing watching the water fall to the bottom of the Gorge.

In the surrounding areas, there are various walks and trails which were originally carved out by the Djabugai Aboriginal tribe, when they hunted and gathered food in their traditional tribal lands. In the aftermath of colonisation, these trails were used by miners and agriculturalists for access to the surrounding region. With the cooperation of the Djabugai people, the trails are open to the public and provide spectacular views for all levels of fitness. Some animals to look out for are the Musky Rat Kangaroos, Cassowary and you'll inevitably see the Scrub Turkeys which wander aimlessly the forest paths foraging for food - you just have to be patient and quiet.

The World Heritage listed national park offers various walks and below is a link with a description of each, so you can find the walk most suited to you. The walk can be reached by the Scenic railway which passes directly alongside the gorge - but again this attracts a fee of AUD39.

Travel Note

GETTING THERE
Approximately 15 minutes north of Cairns city and 50 minutes south of Port Douglas.
The upper section of the Barron Gorge National Park, 27km north-west of Cairns, can be reached through the village of Kuranda on the Atherton Tableland.

From Cairns, travel north along the Captain Cook Highway, turn onto the Kennedy Highway, which winds up the coastal mountain range, and take the turn-off to Kuranda. Follow the signs to Barron Falls through the village to Barron Falls Road to reach the park entrance. This entrance is beside the Barron Falls station on the scenic railway line that runs from Cairns to Kuranda.

Kuranda can also be reached via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway from Smithfield. It is a 3km walk from the Skyrail terminal to the park entrance.

THINGS TO DO
Kurandra attractions
Kuranda Riverboat Cruise, Birdworld, Butterfly Sanctuary, Koala Gardens, Batreach, Australin Venom Zoo, Skyrail, Scenic
railway.

Skyrail
7.5km cable car ride takes 90 minutes one way, or 2.5hours return trip. There are various pricing structures, e.g. if you want to couple it with the Scenic Rail tour etc. Prices start from AUD39, check the site and make a booking from there:
http://www.skyrail.com.au

Scenic Railway
The Kuranda Scenic Railway takes you through dense rainforest, ravines and waterfalls. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes from Cairns to Kuranda. Prices start from AUD39, check the website for more info: http://www.kurandascenicrailway.com.au

Barron Gorge National Park
Detailed descriptions of the walks/hikes
http://www.kuranda.org