Cairns
The tourist city of Cairns is our northernmost point, and is rightly famous for being sandwiched between the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. While the city itself is less
attractive than many we have been it has a great range of activities and an active nightlife. We took two trips on the Great Barrier Reef (with much brighter weather second time around) and a trip on the steep
and spectacular Kuranda Scenic Railway, built in 1891 as a lifeline for the mining towns inland. Underwater pictures from the second dive trip are here.
Click on a picture for a larger version.
Cairns Seafront
The shore in front of the city is muddy, the beaches are further north
The mud is teeming with mud crabs and Gobi
Great Barrier Reef (Trip 1)
Cairns marina
Leaving for a rough ride in a small boat
Leaving Cairns under threatening skies
A rainbow brightens an otherwise dull morning
A fearless bird hitches a ride
Evening shots
Sunset over the mainland, the brightest part of the day
Waves break on the reef edge
Coral bommie
Shallow reef (Moore's Reef)
The M.V.Kangaroo from the smaller boat that transfered us from port
Entering Cairns Harbour from another rough ride
Kewarra Beach
Cairns' beaches are found to the north of the city, this one is about 25km/ 15 miles north
Kuranda Scenic Railway: Cairns to Kuranda
Artistic locomotive
The carriages are all nicely refurbished, some date back over 100 years
First class
Tracy and Kelly (Tracy's cousin's daughter)
Leaving the city...
through the inevitable canefields...
a swamp when the line was built
We begin to climb
One of fifteen tunnels dug between 1886 and 1981
Once a thriving towns, now just an unused station
Bridge over Stoney Creek Falls
Stoney Creek Falls
Kelly and Tim
Views back over the coastal plain
Barron Gorge
Robb's monument, a rock left to commemorate John Robb who was in charge of building the toughest parts of the route
Barron Falls station
Train waits in the station
Barron Falls
Final part of the journey
The station has been nicely renovated
Barron River
Would not want to be around when this debris was deposited
Large elkhorn epiphyte
Kuranda
The high bridge was built in 1962 after several lower ones were washed away
This plane was crashed for a film then bought by the Kuranda Market
Rain forest walk
Flame tree
Rain forest
Huge epiphyte
Rain forest art
View back to Cairns down lower Barron Gorge
Ribbon Falls
Close up of Barron Falls
Skyrail treetop cablecar
Kuranda Scenic Railway: Kuranda to Cairns
Stoney Creek Falls
Detail of 118 year old concrete
Very tight turn
Freshwater Station
Old dynamite store (detonators went in the small building)
Pioneer Cemetary, the city's oldest
City Centre - 01/07/08
Stage setup on the main street, there were often performances going on here
Casino
The Lagoon, swimming pool on the shore
The Lagoon
The Esplanade
Seafront
Seafront walkway
War memorial
Great Barrier Reef (Trip 2)
Port of Cairns
Our boat M.V. Taka
Looking west to Cape Flattery
Swimming with Dwarf Minke Whales
M.V. Taka's bridge
Getting ready to dive
Main room on the boat
Shallow reef
Bottlenose Dolphins cruise ahead of the boat
Launching the tender
Cairns
Our dive group
Post Dive Party - 04/07/08
Cairns is popular with the Japanese
City Centre - 05/07/08
Covered market, we've seen quite a few in Australia
© Tim Cooke 2008
