Barrier Reef and Kuranda Skyrail

On our first day in Port Douglas we did an Outer Reef Cruise. It was a very touristy operation, with lots of expensive add ones you could do. We got taken to their pontoon where all the snorkeling gear was and tables etc to enjoy lunch. They had a great set up for kids and non swimmers, with an underwater observatory and a semi submarine. The semi sub in particular was great for Rosie to be able to see the coral and fish, and we even saw a couple of sea turtles. We all took it in turns to go snorkeling. I was a bit nervous as it was windy and choppy, but they made it very safe with a platform to get in from and a roped area with rest floats. Matt swam with a sea turtle when he went out which he loved. And as you got in there were huge red bass swimming by the boat.
The next day we went by coach to Smithfield to do the Kuranda Skyrail Cableway. Picked up other passengers en route, so got to see some different beaches like Palm Cove on the way. The cable car on the way up covered over 7km. It was interesting to see the kinds of trees in the forest below changing as you went up. The rainforest tour guide pointed out a snake below the walkway, Rosie kept asking to look at it again. The basket ferns in the trees were cool, apparently snakes like living in those too.
Near the top we had an amazing view of Barron Falls.
At Kuranda Village we visited the Butterfly Sanctuary. They had some really big brightly coloured butterflies. Quite a few landed on Matt, and Rosie's landing pad they gave her.
We rode the Scenic Railway back and had some fantastic views of the forest and waterfalls, although it was a little drizzly! Rosie made friends with a teenage girl on the train and gave her a picture she'd drawn when we got to our stop.Read more