Kuranda
Kuranda is a little village in the rainforests overlooking Cairns. There isn't much left there but tourist attractions and craft shops, but the surroundings are very pretty.
You can get to Kuranda in one of three ways: take the little train, take the cable car, or go there by road. The brochures would have you believe that the only way to see Kuranda is to book a day tour that includes one of the two "original" transportation means. Do not be fooled, you can get there for free with your car.
Just down from Kuranda we walked along the Barron river, and through an area of rainforest regrowth. There are several walking trails around Kuranda.
On the way back we hear a big thud on the other side of the road. It's a coconut that just fell on the ground. Oops!
After our walk we rejoin the village for lunch at a restaurant "in the forest": the back of the restaurant opens up right in the canopy. Kookabura come around here and pose for photographers.
A bit further down the village, there is a plane wreck. Apparently the plane was used during WW2, then used for several movies before being made into a wreck for yet another movie.
One of the attractions in Kuranda is the butterfly sanctuary. It's composed of two buildings: a lab where they incubate eggs and raise caterpillars, and a greenhouse with luxurious green plants and literally hundreds of butterflies. We get to see the famous Ulysses, and many more. On the way out they have boards of pinned butterfly.
The Hercules is the world's largest moth. It's the size of Yves' hand! Crikey!
Finally we take another walking trail to the Barron Falls. It's the dry season so the falls aren't very big, but it's still one hell of a big hole.
