Cairns (pronounced Cans) is one of Australia’s fastest growing tourist destinations. Graced with sub-tropical sunshine and balmy breezes off Trinity Bay, visitors and locals alike flock to its shore, especially the 16 mile stretch of beaches to the north known as Marlin Coast. Almost a century of architecture is reflected in the city streets, a comfortable blend of traditional Queenslander style buildings with intricate wrought iron balconies and timber verandas stand alongside modern designs that reflect the outdoor lifestyle of tropical Queensland. The city is a great base for exploration of the Great Barrier Reef; however we chose not to go as we’d been before from Hamilton Island.
We took the skyrail which covered approximately 7.5 kilometres of amazing rainforests to Kuranda village, passing the Baron Gorge with its spectacular waterfall. We had terrific views of the treetops, the town and the Coral Sea. Kuranda village has hotels and self-contained units you can stay in whilst you enjoy the area, which is full of wildlife attractions, waterfalls and shops.
After lunch it was all aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway for the journey back to Cairns, which took just under 2 hours. The railway was started in 1886 because the miners were close to starvation, unable to get supplies due to flooding. Dense jungle and cliffs with sheer drops of hundreds of metres and a slope as steep as 45 degrees were extreme hazards for workers. However, without modern equipment and armed only with fortitude, dynamite and bare hands the team forged ahead. After removing 2.3 million metres of earth, creating 15 tunnels, 93 curves, dozens of bridges and 75 kilometres of track, the railway line opened in 1891 for all to enjoy, even to this very day.
Cairns (pronounced Cans) is one of Australia’s fastest growing tourist destinations. Graced with sub-tropical sunshine and balmy breezes off Trinity Bay, visitors and locals alike flock to its shore, especially the 16 mile stretch of beaches to the north known as Marlin Coast. Almost a century of architecture is reflected in the city streets, a comfortable blend of traditional Queenslander style buildings with intricate wrought iron balconies and timber verandas stand alongside modern designs that reflect the outdoor lifestyle of tropical Queensland. The city is a great base for exploration of the Great Barrier Reef; however we chose not to go as we’d been before from Hamilton Island.
We took the skyrail which covered approximately 7.5 kilometres of amazing rainforests to Kuranda village, passing the Baron Gorge with its spectacular waterfall. We had terrific views of the treetops, the town and the Coral Sea. Kuranda village has hotels and self-contained units you can stay in whilst you enjoy the area, which is full of wildlife attractions, waterfalls and shops.
After lunch it was all aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway for the journey back to Cairns, which took just under 2 hours. The railway was started in 1886 because the miners were close to starvation, unable to get supplies due to flooding. Dense jungle and cliffs with sheer drops of hundreds of metres and a slope as steep as 45 degrees were extreme hazards for workers. However, without modern equipment and armed only with fortitude, dynamite and bare hands the team forged ahead. After removing 2.3 million metres of earth, creating 15 tunnels, 93 curves, dozens of bridges and 75 kilometres of track, the railway line opened in 1891 for all to enjoy, even to this very day.
No comments:
Post a Comment