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Kuranda Walk beside a small stream

Three easy Kuranda Walks on the Atherton Tablelands Queensland

November 2, 2019 By Jan Robinson 27 Comments

This post may contain compensated links. We may earn a small percentage if you book through a compensated link, but it won’t cost you any more by doing so. You can read our full disclaimer here.


If you have visited or even heard of Kuranda on the Atherton Tablelands, in North Queensland, chances are you know about the famous Kuranda Markets, but do you know about Kuranda walks?

BOOK YOUR TICKETS TO SCENIC RAIL AND SKYRAIL HERE.

The markets were started by some locals in 1978 to try and attract tourists to the area, and have been uber successful.  Following the success of the original markets that showcased the arts and crafts of  the vibrant hippie community, the heritage markets were opened.

Then the whole street got in on the act.  The village atmosphere ranges from relaxed to frantic, as tourists on various timetables, weave their way through buskers, portrait artists, cafe tables, clothes, boomerangs and opals for sale.

On previous visits to Kuranda we have visited the markets and shopped up a storm, but on our recent visit we discovered a delightfully different approach to the village.

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What You Will Find in This Post

Where to find Kuranda Walks

Leaving the delightful old train station with it’s tropical plants and ferns via the timber overpass we walked toward the Barron River – away from the village and shops.

Marty has an aversion to shopping so I was sensing a plot.

Kuranda Rail Overpass

 

Kuranda Walks – The Barron River Walk

Barron River Kuranda

 

A path led both ways beside the river. 

The Path to the left looks inviting.

Take the path to the right. 

At this stage I thought we were just going to walk beside the river and then retrace our steps and walk up the main street.

The path to the right

Close up of the bark on a paperbark tree.  Crows Nest ferns flourish in the tree tops.

Trees beside the Barron River

I was just thinking what a delightful Australian Bush Walk this was when right on cue a Kookaburra started laughing!

Kookaburra at Kuranda beside the Barron River

 Obligingly he posed while we took shots from different angles.

Kuranda Kookaburra

Kookaburras are carnivores.  No doubt this one was looking for frogs near the river.

Water Reflections

Skyrail runs directly overhead and we would be returning to Cairns on it that afternoon.

Kuranda Skyrail Over

The track passes the train tracks the Kuranda Scenic Train used to bring us here. 

Kuranda Rail line on walk

Kuranda Walks – The Jungle Walk

The Jungle Walk connects the Barron River walk with the Jum Rum walk, which in turn leads up to the top of the village.

Kuranda Walk beside a small stream

This tranquil creek meanders through the rainforest to join the Barron River near the train bridge.

Kuranda Walk with Stream

 

I became obsessed with reflections before realising the submerged rock ledges and tree roots were perfect PLATYPUS  habitat.

Can you spell their real name?

Ornithorhynchus. 

Platypus hardly ever surface when people are around so after a while we moved on.

Kuranda Stream Obsession

A few large trees had fallen over the track and been cut to clear the path. 

This funghi looks remarkably like a coral formation.

Kuranda Fungi

 

Kuranda Walks – Jum Rum Creek Walk

Cross a bitumen road before finding the entrance to the boardwalk on the final leg, through the Jum Rum Creek Conservation Park.

A rustling from the undergrowth sounded larger than a bush turkey would make, possibly a cassowary or wild pig?

I wasn’t waiting to meet either of those face to face, although I am sure they would not actually come up on to the board walk.  The beautiful male cassowary hatches and looks after the chicks and will attack to protect his young, and wild pigs are just that WILD.

Maybe it was the allure of the shops, or the thought of protective cassowaries or wild pigs, but it seems I did not take any photos from this point on.

You can read about the Kuranda Scenic Railway trip from Cairns to Kuranda HERE.

Read about our trip on Skyrail from Kuranda to Cairns HERE.

After visiting Kuranda and Cairns, continue on to Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation.

LOOK NANCIE UP OVER AT TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY.

Kuranda is a village set in a World Heritage Listed Rainforest 25 km north-west of Cairns in Tropical North Queensland.  Although Kuranda itself has many attractions and activities, it is also the gateway to a host of other attractions on the Atherton Tablelands.

 

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Filed Under: Cairns, Short Walks, Wildlife

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Muza-chan

    August 22, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    Beautiful place 🙂

    Reply
  2. Sophie

    August 22, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    I’ve never been in northern Australia, neither in NT nor in northern Queensland. The whole area sounds so fascinating and deliciously thrilling with crocs and snakes and all kinds of unique wildlife. Would love to see a platypus in the wild, such an odd and interesting creature, isn’t it?(proof that nature has a sense of humour, maybe…). Kuranda is on my list, of course. Is the atmosphere similar to Byron Bay?

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 22, 2013 at 9:48 pm

      Sophie, I have not been to Byron for many years, but I believe that it would have many more visitors than Kuranda, and is possibly more upmarket. I open the floor to other readers who may know for sure 🙂
      I think nature certainly had a sense of humour.

      Reply
  3. Johanna

    August 22, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    What a gorgeous walk, Jan. We didn’t have enough time to do very much and I did want to look at the markets. Next time, we’ll definitely wander a little further. Your pics are lovely too.

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 8:16 am

      Yes Jo, we only did the walk because we have been to the markets quite a few times before.

      Reply
  4. Jackie Smith

    August 23, 2013 at 1:29 am

    We are heading to Australia this fall and these photos are helping to build the excitement! Thanks much. xx J.

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 8:15 am

      Exciting Jackie. We will be away for three months from September but if you are here any other time look me up.

      Reply
  5. noel

    August 23, 2013 at 3:09 am

    what a beautiful hike and forest, I enjoyed my visit, thanks for sharing this.

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 8:13 am

      Thanks Noel, It was in such contrast to the activity of the village 🙂

      Reply
  6. Marcia

    August 23, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Such a verdant setting for a relaxing walk. Nice fungi formation on that tree stump.

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 8:13 am

      I agree Marcia, and the cut is fairly recent so it has not taken long to grow at all.

      Reply
  7. Mary {The World Is A Book}

    August 23, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    Beautiful walk and such a peaceful setting too. I have never seen a Kookaburra and I would have taken dozens of pictures too. And now I can’t get that Kookaburra song out of my head 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 8:12 am

      Kookaburras are such stately looking birds, it is strange that they laugh so long and loud 🙂

      Reply
  8. Lisa Wood

    August 23, 2013 at 8:45 pm

    now that is one gorgeous walk….I so could see my boys exploring the wildlife there!! And yep they would be happy to see a wild pig…which probably would end up chasing me as I run off screaming 🙂
    Love the Water reflection pic you have, it almost looks like there is someone/something there!! Almost like there is a “Spirit” there watching…or maybe its just my wishful thinking….it sure looks like it would be a place where platypus would be playing!

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 8:06 am

      I know what you mean about spirits in the rainforest. There is a kids book called “Where the forest meets the Sea” by Jeannie Baker. It is a book with a message (conservation) and is different. It is quite old now because I bought a second hand book for my kids twenty years ago but a library may have it. It is set in the Daintree Rainforest of N.Q. If you can’t find it I could post my copy to you 🙂

      Reply
  9. denise

    August 24, 2013 at 9:37 am

    I have yet to see a Kookaburra in the wild, and to head as far north as Cairns.

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 24, 2013 at 3:19 pm

      I’m sure you will get up here sooner or later Denise. Kookaburras are awesome birds. I don’t see them that often, but I saw some in Townsville before we left for Cairns when we were walking one afternoon. There were a whole family of them in a very tall kauri tree, and then in the same week we saw the one in Cairns. Another good place to see them is inland from the Sunshine Coast at Kondalilla National Park near Maleny.

      Reply
  10. Michele {Malaysian Meanders}

    August 25, 2013 at 12:11 am

    We just wandered along the main road in Kuranda with all the shops, so I never got to see this part of the village. It looks very scenic and peaceful (and with far less candyshops) compared to where we went.

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 25, 2013 at 7:46 am

      We have been to the Markets and Shops several times before Michele, so this was a nice change.

      Reply
  11. Marisol@TavelingSolemates

    August 26, 2013 at 4:01 am

    Hi Jan,
    What a beautiful walk. I enjoyed everything along the way – the paperbark trees, the Kookaburras, the river and the reflection, the tranquil creek, etc. Thanks for taking me along;)

    Reply
  12. Nancie

    August 26, 2013 at 6:50 am

    What a gorgeous walk! Sometimes nature can be just as good as shopping (well almost!) 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      August 26, 2013 at 8:27 am

      Ha Ha Nancie 🙂

      Reply
  13. Ariana

    September 24, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    Looking at the photos, I’m sure there are a lot of ways to enjoy and explore the place. I like to cross the river and try different activities!

    Reply
  14. Kathy Marris

    November 15, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    We did the jungle walk when we were last here. I’ve been up to Kuranda twice and really enjoyed both the train trip up and skyrail back down. It is a funky little village and I love the markets. It really is a lovely green patch of paradise.

    Reply

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