What is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway?
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is a gondola cableway that carries visitors about 7.5 kilometres above the World Heritage-listed rainforest between Smithfield, near Cairns, and the village of Kuranda in Queensland.
Skyrail opened in 1995 and was built with great care to protect the rainforest. Towers were put in place by helicopter so that no roads had to be cleared through the forest.
Gondolas glide just above the canopy, giving views of the Coral Sea, the forest and the Barron River gorge. The full one-way trip takes about 90 minutes including stops.
Rainforest stations
Passengers can stop at two mid-stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls, to walk on boardwalks and learn about the rainforest from rangers and displays. Barron Falls station offers views of the waterfall.
Glass-floored gondolas, called Diamond View, let passengers look straight down into the canopy.
Many visitors combine Skyrail with the Kuranda Scenic Railway, travelling one way by cableway and the other by train. The cableway has won awards for eco-tourism and is one of Tropical North Queensland's most popular attractions.
Did You Know?
The Djabugay people, Traditional Owners of the Kuranda area, share stories of the rainforest with visitors.