We have just returned from 3 weeks in outback Queensland. We flew from Brisbane to Cairns where we stayed over night. The next morning at 6:00 am we were on Cairns Railway Station waiting to board 'The Savannahlander" train for a 4 day trip into the country.
The Savannahlander train consists of two units. They are 2000 class rail motors built in 1963. They have since been modified. New diesel engines have been installed and the bulkhead between the driver and the passengers has been removed so that passengers can take turns of sitting next to the driver for good views. The driver also gives a commentary. We had two drivers who were great fun as tour guides. The railway is privately run and there is only this one train using the track, which means they can stop wherever and whenever they wish. It was a quaint old train and TOH loved it.
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| The Savannahlander Train coming into Cairns Station at 6;00am |
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| Sitting behind the driver gives a good view of the Stoney Creek Bridge. |
View Sanannahlander tour in a larger map
Click on the - sign to zoom out so you can see where in Australia this railway is. Click on the markers to read the names of the places where we stopped.
The next 3 shots were taken from the train window.
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| Stoney Creek Falls |
The waterfall crashes down beside the train and falls underneath the bridge we were on. This railway was built by hand in the late 1800's.
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| Stoney Creek Falls |
The railway climbs up the Kuranda Range which is part of The Great Dividing Range.
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| Looking back down towards Cairns and the ocean. |
It climbs through rain forest and then comes to the top and the Atherton Tablelands.
We stopped at Barron Falls for photos. It is the dry season now and there isn't much water but in the wet season it is a raging torrent. It is also harnessed for power generation.
We pulled into the beautiful Kuranda Station. It wins prizes for the best gardens on a station.
They had a Pitcher Plant- Nepenthes, where the insects are attracted to the nectar inside the well and then fall in to be consumed by the plant.
