Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

The Skyrail (English and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway ) is a 7.5 km long cable car that runs from Cairns, Australia, to Kuranda. The route runs through the tropical rainforest, where the gondolas float only a few meters above the treetops.

Starting point of the cable car is 14 km north of Cairns located Caravonica terminal. The six-person gondolas need for the ride with two intermediate stations around 1.5 hours. At both stations there is the opportunity to get out and hike on developed trails through the rainforest. The cable car ends up in the rainforest town of Kuranda.

The Skyrail is one of the main tourist attractions of North Queensland.

The cable car goes back to a concept from the year 1987. In 1994 started the construction of the single-wire orbit, which was supplied by POMA and opened on 31 August 1995. The Caravonica Terminal is located just 5 meters above sea level, the intermediate station to 545 m and the last stop in Kuranda at 336 m altitude, resulting in a height difference of 749 m. In the two terminals in Caravonica and Kuranda are the electric motors that drive the orbiting each case up to the intermediate station Red Peak in 2.7 km and 4.8 km from the 40.5 mm thick supporting and pulling rope. The ropes run a total of 32 cable car supports that are up to 40.5 m high. Over the tops of the towers is running a communication cable, and calls are transmitted over the data between the operating stations. Originally the train had only 47 gondolas. Due to the large crowds they built it in 1997 to 114 gondolas. It has a top speed of 5 m / s (18 km / h), but usually runs significantly slower to allow the passengers a heartier overlooking the rainforest. In 2005, the rope of the steep section of Caravonica on the Red Peak was replaced in 2007 and the other rope.

The Olympic flame used on the way to the Summer Olympic Games in 2000 the Skyrail. In March 2002, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip drove to the Skyrail.