The Kuranda Scenic Railway makes a 100-minute ascent past a rain forest and through 15 hand-hewn tunnels before arriving in tiny, tropical Kuranda, the gateway to the Atherton Tablelands. This elevated area of rich volcanic soil that produces some of Australia's finest beef, dairy, and produce was also home to several strategic sites during World War II. Excerpts from that point in history, as well as a narration of the railway's construction, are broadcast on the historic railway car by a high-tech audiovisual presentation system. Several tours are available, from full-day rain-forest safaris to simple round-trip train and bus rides combining railway and cable-car trips, Cairns-Kuranda transfers, and visits to local Aboriginal centers and wildlife parks. Many visitors take the train out to Kuranda and return via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
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