A Tale Of Two Networks (4)

 Kuranda Kaleidoscope

The Skyrail (with not a sliver of a rail anywhere in sight) is a cable car (Skycable???) that starts from Kuranda. To find it is very easy. You leave the station using the steps and footway ...

... walk up a short slope opposite that sign ...

... and there is the terminal ...

... such are the joys of integrated tourist transport.

The cable cars are small by Switzerland's standards ...

... seating just six persons. The ride is a little over 5 miles in length with a terminus at Smithfield, a location we met top left on the Cairns road map.

Here we see a car ascending from Smithfield ...

.. and crossing the River Burrow at Kuranda.

Spot the Kuranda terminal at the far end of the grassy avenue in the trees on the left.

Between the two s rail forest all the way.

You see the falls

... and, simply, enjoy the ride.

Many visitors travel one way by train and back to the start by Skyrail.

The above package also includes a tour by an army duck.

Duck??

Actually an ex US army DUKW! The letters are translated as follows.

D - built in 1946

U - Utility

K - all wheels driven

W - double rear axle

Because the acronym was unpronounceable (Duck-wuh?), it was shortened to 'Duck'.

The rain forest experience is well created ...

The duck's amphibiosity is also demonstrated.

Train, cableway and duck; such are the joys of fully integrated tourist transport.

Although not part of the particular package as above, another transport mode available at Kuranda.

A river trip.

All Expensive but All Exciting, All Exhilarating!

A Tough Travel Trudge!

Queensland Rail has another "heritage" railway ...

... but it is disconnected from any other railway with only a three-days-a-week bus link from Cairns.

Because it doesn't quite reach the sea at Normanton ...

... the train is called the ...

Gulflander runs across low lying land between Croydon and ...

... Normanton, neither if which locations have any obvious link with their UK namesakes.

The country is beautiful, brown and flat.

The ride s long at XXX miles and there us no day return option.

You start at Normanton at 0830 on Wednesdays arriving Croydon at 1330.

The return train leaves Crotdon at 0830 on Thursdays!

Not surprisingly the only realistic way to access this line is by car

Croydon us 350 miles by car from Cairns

The powered railcar ...

... hauls two coaches, not too much of a challenge as the route us flat.

fbb will aim to look more closely at this intriguing railway in a future blog.

For Bus Spotters!

Skyrail branded vehicles used for transfers to and from Cairns, for example, are seen at the Smithfield terminal.

I'llBut a hearty Ozzy boo to Skyrail for obscuring the windows on this vehicle. Tourists do not need contravision dots before the eyes; the cableway is scary enough!

Tomorrow, we explore Queensland's real networks, used by locals to get to places where they need to go.

  Next "Other Networks" blog : Friday 6th Mar