Brisbane, QLD


Friday, June 21, 2013

THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY


After lunch at Almaden and watching the Great Wheelbarrow Race we climbed aboard the Savannahlander Train for the last time. We thought Cairns, our final destination would be our next stop but we were in for a few more surprises.
 After an hour or so the driver stops the train and announces that we are being held up by train robbers.
Then two little robbers walked through the carriages holding a cash bag. How could we refuse to pay up. Apparently, every Saturday when the train comes back, the drivers stop at a farm where the children board the train to take up a collection. They are saving up for a holiday by the sea. Each week they are dressed differently.

 Then we had to dash to get to Kuranda Station before 4:30 as it closes down and the signalman will not be there to let us go through to Cairns so we rattled along at speed and arrived in time.
Everyone gets out to stretch their legs while the station master looks on. The gardens on the station are beautiful, as I showed you before on the way up.

 The railway line snakes its way through rainforest and down the steep Kuranda Range to the coast. It crosses tressle bridges and passes through many tunnels. It was built by hand in the late 1800's but has been maintained and renovated since then. This is the famous Stoney Creek crossing. It often appears in travel brochures. Our drivers gave us a treat by stopping the train and letting us walk across the bridge so we could take some brochure type photos of the train passing by the waterfall.
Stoney Creek Falls from the bridge.

The train slowly comes towards us. It is quite a breathtaking sight.

Then we all piled back on for the down hill run into Cairns. This was an amazing, fun filled trip and if you are ever in the Cairns area I highly recommend 'The Savannahlander 4 day trip". There is a 6 day trip where you join another train called 'The Gulflander" and go even further west.


20 comments:

  1. Diane, another great post on your train trip. I love the shot of the falls with the train. Very pretty. And the train robbers are too cute! Wonderful photos.

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  2. love the enterprising youngsters! :) glad the train company allows it for a cute break. the falls are beautiful!

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  3. What a trip it was; those little guys are quite the budding entrepeneurs.

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  5. wow that looks so cool!

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  6. The train looks so good in the rainforest. As train go, it is quite attractive externally.

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  7. After this great account of your journey I'll definitely be considering a trip on the Savannahlander, and maybe the Gulflander.

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  8. diane, You see more "breathtaking sights" than anyone I know. :) And good for you two.

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  9. I don't know which photo I enjoyed more...the train "robbers" or the beautiful garden at the station. They were ALL wonderful. I so enjoy 'traveling' with you around your beautiful and oh-so-varied country!

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  10. if only all our rail stations looked so fabulous as that one! The parents of the little train robbers sure got their head stuck on right. Those kids will grow up with such wonderful memories. Talk about easy money; they would love for that train to arrive each Saturday and go home and count their cash stack. What a memorable holiday you've had and I'd love to continue on with the Gulflander too

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  11. That seems like a lovely train ride :)

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  12. I would have never thought to call a robbery sweet and cute, lol ! Your trip is really full of surprises and you see so much !

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  13. It is such a nice trip and to have a picture of the train with the waterfall is wonderful. I regonize the children as the criminal Ned Kelly. We have been in his place where a huge statue of hem was placed with the iron bucket on his head.

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  14. adorable robbers. and fun. this train ride has been wonderful for me, i can't imagine how it must be for you... that is a really nice looking train

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  15. Gosh, those kids could end up on a Round the World tour at that rate!! I bet everyone pays up BIG!!! I've always wondered what it would be like on the Savannahlander - now I know! It's been a blast!!

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  16. Great waterfall. It most must be a great train ride.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  17. I am now trying to talk my parents into doing this trip with me and hubby I am going to go and find out about us getting a train to Cains to do the trip we talked about flying to Queensland but I would rather take a train........

    The more I read about this trip the more I want to do it

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  18. Oh train adventures are the best I have to say I have never been robbed by such cute little enterprising youngsters. What am I saying I have never seen anything like it very cool. B

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  19. I would love to have done that trip. If I ever come to Australia again I think that will definitely be on my 'things to do' list.

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  20. What a wonderful trip. It all looks so beautiful and such fun too.

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