Final Leg To Cairns

Red Peak Station is one requiring all passengers to change cars, as there is a different cable loop for the journey down to the coast. However, as with Barron Falls Station, there was almost no wait to catch a car here - I don't know what happened to the long queue of people waiting at Kuranda.

Coming over the crest on the final leg, with a somewhat hazy view looking into Trinity Bay (location of Cairns) and out into the Coral Sea.

Looking a little to the north east, just visible in this photo is Scout Island, and part of Double Island, just off Palm Cove.

Another view looking towards Cairns, which is behind the mountain on the right. The middle area is Cairns International Airport, beyond that is Trinity Bay, with a bush fire on the other side.

The western end of Cairns, and the plains to its north. This is also where the Barron River flows, probably the line of trees snaking across the foreground.

The road to Kuranda. This was built during World War II to augment the carrying capacity of the railroad - the Atherton Tablelands was the home to many troops, and the railway carried supplies as well as injured soldiers. As there was no road to Brisbane at the time, any injured soldiers requiring treatment in Brisbane were transported by rail, taking 2 days to get there.

Approaching the end of the journey. This is a "cable ski" park, where people are able to water skiing without a boat, and without fear of crocodiles or stingers! The detail section shows a skier and a couple of the towers holding up the tow cable.

And, courtesy of money and Skyrail, the somewhat faked photo of my arrival at the end of the journey. The photo is taken as the car is coming into the unloading area, and the background image (outside the car, not out the back) is replaced with the rainforest image you see here. With far too much saturation.

From here it was a matter of waiting for the bus to take me back to Port Douglas, where we had our "Farewell to Port Doulgas" dinner - at the Combined Sports Club. A delightful way to end a truly enjoyable episode.

Red Peak Station
Port Douglas