Kuranda Scenic Railway

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Kuranda Scenic Railway
Kuranda Scenic Railway logo on railway carriage at Kuranda railway station, Queensland.jpg
Kuranda railway.svg
Kuranda Scenic Railway Cairns.JPG
Kuranda railway station
Overview
Headquarters Brisbane
Locale Kuranda
Dates of operation1891present
Technical
Track gauge 1,067 mm
Length37 km (23 mi)
Other
Website www.ksr.com.au

The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a tourist railway service that operates along the heritage-listed Cairns-to-Kuranda railway line. Constructed in 1891, the line runs from Cairns, Queensland, over the Great Dividing Range to the town of Kuranda on the Atherton Tableland. Along the way, the route passes through the Macalister Range, as well as the suburbs of Stratford, Freshwater and Redlynch. The train also stops at a lookout, which provides views of Barron Falls.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Train services operate every day of the year except on Christmas Day. A one-way trip takes approximately one hour and 55 minutes. [1]

The railway line is 37 km (23 mi) in length. [2] It is still used for some freight services and other passenger services, including The Savannahlander.[ citation needed ]

Attractions

The tropical gardens at Kuranda rail station are a well-known attraction in the area. Downhill, the line cuts through the Barron Gorge National Park. The tourist train stops at a lookout, with a sweeping view of Barron Falls. The route passes a number of smaller waterfalls, including Stoney Creek Falls. From the station, it’s a short walk into town where there is a zoo, markets, art galleries and ethnic Aboriginal crafts. At the bottom of the mountain, Freshwater railway station has an information centre, a gift shop, and a café that is housed inside an old train carriage. As the train travels up and down, a detailed and informative commentary of the railways' construction is provided.[ citation needed ]

History

Kuranda station in 1924 StateLibQld 1 242476 Kuranda Railway Station.jpg
Kuranda station in 1924

Construction of the railway began in 1886. [3] The railway was completed as far as Kuranda by 1891. Passenger services began operations on 25 June 1891. [4]

Many people died during the construction of the numerous tunnels and bridges of the line. 15 hand-made tunnels and 37 bridges were built to climb from sea level to 328 metres (1,076 ft) up the Macalister Range. [3] Three million cubic metres of earth had to be excavated during construction. [2]

The first operation of a tourist train from Cairns to Kuranda was in 1936, using four longitudinal seating carriages. [5] In 1995, major repairs had to be carried out after a severe rock fall damaged the track. On 26 March 2010, the train was derailed by a landslide injuring 5 of the 250 passengers on board. [6] The service was closed until 7 May 2010 in which during its closing, a geotechnical review of the track and risk assessments were completed. [7]

Awards

In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Kuranda Scenic Railway was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "structure and engineering feat". [8]

Kuranda Scenic Railway on top of a bridge Kuranda Scenic Railway on top of a bridge.jpg
Kuranda Scenic Railway on top of a bridge

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Cairns Western Arterial Road is a numbered state route in the Cairns Region of Queensland, Australia. The road provides a primary access route across the Brinsmead Gap for suburbs west of the Whitfield Range, and is one of two major crossings over the Barron River. In 2007, it was estimated that 24,000 vehicles per day used the road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redlynch, Queensland</span> Suburb of Cairns, Queensland, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns-to-Kuranda railway line</span> Railway line in Queensland, Australia

The Cairns-to-Kuranda Railway is a heritage-listed railway line from the Cairns Region to the Shire of Mareeba, both in Queensland, Australia. It commences at Redlynch, a suburb of Cairns and travels up the Great Dividing Range to Kuranda within the Shire of Mareeba on the Atherton Tableland. It was built from 1913 to 1915 by Queensland Railways. Components of it include Stoney Creek Bridge, the Rail Bridge over Christmas Creek, Kuranda railway station, and Surprise Creek Rail Bridge. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 August 1992. The railway is used to operate a tourist rail service, the Kuranda Scenic Railway. It forms part of the Tablelands railway line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barron, Queensland</span> Suburb of Cairns, Queensland, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barron Gorge, Queensland</span> Suburb of Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia

Barron Gorge is a rural locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Barron Gorge had a population of 0 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macalister Range, Queensland</span> Suburb of Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia

Macalister Range is a coastal locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Macalister Range had a population of 0 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freshwater railway station, Queensland</span>

Freshwater railway station is on the Cairns-to-Kuranda railway line in Queensland, Australia. It is located at Kamerunga Road, Barron in Cairns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuranda Fig Tree Avenue</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Kuranda Fig Tree Avenue is a heritage-listed avenue of trees at Coondoo Street, Kuranda, Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1931. It is also known as Avenue of Ficus Microcarpa and Ficus Obliqua trees. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 July 2018.

References

  1. "Kuranda Scenic Railway Timetables". Kuranda Scenic Railway. Archived from the original on 4 November 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Kuranda Scenic Railway celebrates 120 years". The Cairns Post. 21 June 2011. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 ""Money will force a Railway anywhere...": construction of the Cairns-Kuranda railway line, 1886-1892". Lectures on North Queensland history. No. 5 chapter 6 pp. 122-141. James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, Qld. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  4. "Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway - Cairns". RACQ. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  5. The Kuranda Tourist Train in 1991 Beckhaus, John Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, December 1992 pp283-299
  6. (26 March 2010). Kuranda train derails near Redlynch Archived 1 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine . The Cairns Post. News Limited. Retrieved on 24 April 2012.
  7. Stephanie Harrington (7 May 2010). Kuranda Scenic Railway rides again Archived 16 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine . The Cairns Post. News Limited. Retrieved on 24 April 2012.
  8. Bligh, Anna (10 June 2009). "PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.

16°53′05.63″S145°42′07″E / 16.8848972°S 145.70194°E / -16.8848972; 145.70194