Kuranda National Park, Nature reserve near Cairns, Australia.
Kuranda National Park is a nature reserve north of Cairns that spans 27,100 hectares of rainforest and eucalypt forest. The park forms part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and features multiple walking tracks through varied forest types.
The park was established in 2010 by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science to protect wildlife corridors in Far North Queensland. Its creation was part of broader efforts to safeguard threatened habitats across the tropical region.
The park lies within the Wooroonooran Important Bird Area, which holds numerous endemic bird species. Its rainforest and open eucalypt forest form a wildlife corridor between the Daintree and Carbine Tablelands to the north and the Atherton Tablelands parks to the south. Visitors may see the Victoria's riflebird, a bird of paradise, and the southern cassowary, a flightless bird reaching up to 2 m.
Access to the park is via Black Mountain Road from Kennedy Highway, though wet season closures may occur. Visitors should prepare for humid conditions and wear sturdy footwear, as trails can become slippery.
The park's only long-distance walking track, Twin Bridges, runs 18 km one way. Black Mountain Road, the sole vehicle access, leaves the Kennedy Highway near Kuranda and crosses the park for 43 km to near Julatten; only the middle section needs four-wheel drive. The road closes in the wet season.
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