Today's excursion was to Kuranda, a quirky village in the rainforest near Cairns, via two modes of transportation.
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| From the Cairns Railway Station, we took the Kuranda Scenic Railway (1886-1891), a 37-km/23 mile rail journey through the Barron Gorge National Park, travelling over 55 bridges, 98 curves & through 15 hand-carved tunnels; the track rises 327 m/1073' above sea level with the steepest gradient being 1:50 (KSS) |
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| Kent in one of the original train carriages |
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| Freshwater Station is one of the original stations on the route (KSS) |
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| Rainforest below the Macalister Range, with red flowers of the Alloxylon flammeum/Tree Waratah |
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| Starting around Horseshoe Bend with a 180-degree turn |
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| Looking towards the rear of the train at Horseshoe Bend |
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| As the train starts to climb, we get a glimpse of the Coral Sea |
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| Going into one of the tunnels |
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| Exiting a tunnel |
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| Stoney Creek Falls Bridge (1890) |
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| Stoney Creek Falls |
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| Looking back at Stoney Creek Falls Bridge |
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| Oh! ...the end of the train and Stoney Creek Falls |
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| Glacier Rock |
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| Robb's Monument honors the engineering feat of contractor John Robb, as well as all the railway workers (KSS) |
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| A stop to see Barron Falls with a total drop of 125 m/410'; however, this is dry season |
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| The current path of the upper falls |
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| Two Queensland Rail 1720 Class diesel-electric locomotives |
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| The Honey Bear was on the trip with us, and has its own Instagram account @honey_bear_touring following his travels through Australia |
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| National Engineering Landmark (2005) at the Kuranda Railway Station |
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| Later in the day we will leave by the Kuranda Skyrail |
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| Our guide met us at the Kuranda Station and proceeded to show us some flora, including the unusual Strongylodon macrobotrys/Jade Vine flower |
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| Strobilanthes auriculata/ Eared Leaf Coneflower (KSS) |
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| Costus vargasii/Spiral Ginger |
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| Licuala ramsayi/Australian Fan Palm (KSS) |
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| Platycerium bifurcatum/Staghorn Fern, an epiphyte/non-parasitic air plant (KSS) |
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| Drynaria rigidula/Basket Fern is also an epiphyte |
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| Lunch at Café Suzi |
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| Anzac biscuit/cookie is essentially an oatmeal cookie made with golden syrup and desiccated coconut that were traditionally made by wives of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which could be easily sent to their men at war |
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| Toastie with cheese and tomato |
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| Homemade beef burger with chips accompanied by tomato sauce |
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| Painted Cassowary Bird, a flightless bird with a casque or helmet on top of the head; they are found in the local rainforest (KSS) |
Next: Kuranda II.
