Cairns QLD

Monday 27th May

We left Paronella park and heading up the Bruce highway 100km to Cairns. We booked ahead into the Big 4 Cairns Coconut resort about 10km from Cairns for 7 nights. The caravan park has been voted number one in Australia many times and everyone we spoke to said you must stay there if you have kids. 

What an amazing park. When you arrive you are taken around on Froggy or Nemo ( 2 modified golf carts) showing you your site, the amenities and all the attractions/ facilities etc. The best name for this park is kid heaven, between the 2 pools, the 2 jumping pillows, one being the largest in Australia, the adventure playground, the water park, the chess set, bike tracks and mini golf there certainly is enough here to keep the children amused.

We were allocated powered site 41 mid way between the amenities and the attractions.

One of the pools with a wading end for the little ones 

The mosaic sun in the sun lagoon pool

The two jumping pillows

The water park

The other side of the water park with Rob and A coming down the slide

The boys under the big pineapple which dumps water once full

J met up with Callum and Finn who we had met in Charters Towers and also Mission Beach and once again the boys had a great time playing with each other

Left to Right, J, Finn, Callum and A.

We really didn't do much while in Cairns expect let the boys go wild with the activities in the park and usually it was the water park.

Tuesday we had a look around Cairns city and then dinner in town before having a look at the night markets. 

Wednesday we did the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Sky Rail. Leaving the park at 8.30am we had to be at the sky rail terminal by 9am to catch the bus to Freshwater Station where we boarded the train for the hour and half trip up the range to Kuranda stopping at Barron Falls for photos

The boys on the Kuranda Scenic Railway prior to departing Barron Falls

The view towards the locomotive from our carriage 

The view behind our carriage

The Kuranda Scenic Raliway in at Kuranda Railway Station

On arrival in Kuranda we decided to check out the markets and had a walk around the town before having lunch. We had to be back at the Sky Rail terminal at 1.30pm to catch it back down the mountain which is 7.5kms. There are 2 stops Barron Falls and Red Peak Stations. We only stopped at Barron Falls. j loved the interactive centre then we walked around the boardwalk to see the Barron falls from the lookouts. Red Peak station you do need to disembark the carriage and hop on another that takes you down into Cairns.

The Sky Rail as you set off from Kuranda

The Sky Rail Mid Journey

The view of Barron river from the Sky Rail

J in the Sky Rail as we approach Barron River

Barron Falls

Back down in Cairns as you arrive at the terminal your photo is taken. Sadly the 3 boys all had thier eyes closed so we opted out of the $15 souvenir photo. Then it was back to the park for some a very late afternoon rest time.

Thursday the boys played down on the esplanade at Muddys a playground for children of all ages ( was good to see the toddler playground fully fenced) with a cafe and a little water play area

 Before walking the boardwalk to the esplanade pool as Cairns doesn't have beach frontage (unless you head to the northern beaches). J wasn't too impressed and felt the pool water park and playground where far better back at the caravan park so we headed back to the caravan park

The esplanade pool

Friday was a home day, the boys spent it playing at water park and the playground and jumping pillow.

Saturday was the big suprise day. While in Townsville I had heard on the radio that Nitro Circus ( extreme sports with riders on freestyle motor cross, bmx bikes scooter and even a guy in a wheelchair all doing tricks some from a 5 story high ramp) was to be in Cairns while we were there. We had missed the Victorian shows so we decided that J would have an early birthday present so at 1pm Rob dropped J and myself off at the gate to watch the the show. We sat through several rain showers hoping the show would go ahead and it did. Crazy Crazy Crazy is all I can say but J had a ball.

J sporting his nitric circus hat

Sunday once again was water park jumping pillow and playground. The boys really did have an absolute ball here and if we ever come back to cairns again I would stay here again even if its just a week in a cabin to escape the cold Victorian weather over winter.

A and J racing each other down one of the water slides at the caravan park.

Next stop.......Mossman to explore the daintree and Mossman Gorge