"Exploring the Cairns area - Rainforests... " a Cairns Travel Page by BeverlyTyler

PHOTO: COTTAGE IN EDGEHILL CIRCA 1890. THESE PRESERVED HOMES IN ONE AREA OFTHE VILLAGE ARE A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE ALONG THE SUNSHINE COAST OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA.

Exploring the Cairns area, we stayed about 20 minutes (by bus) from Cairnes in Edgehill. Here we visited the Flecker Botanic Gardens and the Royal Doctor Flying Service Museum and Headquarters (see "Australia" section). In Edgehill we stayed at a absolutely wonderful B&B (see below) and had a fantastic meal at one of the friendliest restaurants we have ever been in (also see below).

PHOTO: WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS THROUGHT OUR B&B TO GO ON "REEF MAGIC CRUISES" OUT OF CAIRNS BECAUSE THEY GO DIRECTLY TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF AND ARE A SMALLER MORE INTIMATE OPERATOR. THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE REEF FROM THE BOAT. BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO THE WATER AND PUT YOUR MASK BELOW THE SURFACE IT IS LIKE BEING IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD> THE REEF EXTENDS TO THE TOP OF THE PICTURE WHERE YOU SEE THE DARKER WATER OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE LIGHTER BLUE IS THE SANDY BOTTOM BETWEEN THE REEFS OF LIVE ORGANISMS (CORAL). I SPEND ALMOST FOUR HOURS JUST GLIDING OVER THE REEF WITH MASK AND SNORKEL LIKE AN AIRPLANE GLIDING OVER A WORLD I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE, A WORLD OF COLOR AND CONTRAST, BEAUTIFUL AND STRANGE FISH AND STRANGE SHAPES OF LIVING ORGANISMS.

In Cairns we walked along the shorefront by the Pacific Ocean, had a number of delightful meals and were amazed by the number of internet shops within a few city blocks. We were surprised by the number of buses going here and there all over the area and found Cairns to be a very relaxing city. From Cairns we took a boat for a day at the Great Barrier Reef, spent a day exploring the Cairns-Kuranda Railway and rainforest as well as the Tjapuki Aborigional Cultural Village. We also spent a day at Palm Coast beach about an hour north of Cairns. It was a wonderful relaxing, informative and spectacular five days.

PHOTO: THE CAIRNS-KURANDA RAILWAY AT STONEY CREEK FALLS AND BRIDGE. THIS IS A SPECTACULAR TRAIN RIDE UP THE MOUNTAIN THROUGH THE RAIN FOREST TO KURANDA.

We had lunch in Kuranda, wandered around the interesting town, which is very tourist oriented but the prices are very reasonable. We took the skyrail back down the mountain over the dense rainforest. Due to the drought in Australia there are many gaps in the tree cover that would normally be denser and thicker, but it was interesting to see the birds near the treetops. We got out at the second stop and took a short nature tour. Much of the jungle canopy was destroyed by a typhoon in 1995. We were intrigued by Bumpy Satin Ash which has flowers of the tree growing right on the trunk, and the umbrella tree.

At the bottom of the skyrail we walked into the Tjapukai Aborigional Cultural Park. This was a real treat and we learned so much about Aborigional culture, folklore, and beliefs (see below).