The magnificent Barron Falls near
Kuranda is one of the most visited sites in the World Heritage
Listed Tropical Rainforest in North Queensland. Here, the
waters of the Barron River come to the edge of the Atherton
Tablelands plateau and cascade over the sheer precipice, down
through the thick tropical rainforest and into the Barron
Gorge. The Barron River then makes its way through the cane
fields of the flat coastal plain before disgorging into Trinity
Bay just north of the Cairns airport.
A man named John Doyle is recognized as being the first white
person to have gazed upon the majestic splendour of the mighty
Barron Falls. This took place in 1876, when Doyle, Bill
Smith and another man named Cardnow attempted to penetrate the
thick scrublands of the Tablelands while trying to blaze a trail
between the tin mining centre of Thornborough and the coast at
Trinity Bay.
Today, the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway carries half a million
or so travellers annually on the 34 kilometre journey between
Cairns and Kuranda. The Barron Falls lookout is one of the
highlights of the trip. The train makes a stop at the
lookout, giving enough time for visitors to disembark and
photograph the spectacular scenery, before continuing on to the
internationally recognised village of Kuranda.
As well as via the breathtaking scenic railway, visitors
to Kuranda who wish to see the Barron Falls can do so by
motor car. The Barron Falls Lookout is approximately three
kilometres from the centre of Kuranda and directions on how to
get there are readily available from numerous sources within the
village.
A short drive from the Barron Falls Lookout is Wrights
Lookout, which is another site offering a bird's eye view of
the Barron Gorge and parts of the distant city of
Cairns.
The road to this scenic vantage point is clearly signed, leading
off from the main road to the Falls Lookout. Again,
directions are available within the Kuranda
village.
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