Friday 15 October 2010

Skyrail launches new worldwide advert

"I never dreamed, just how beautiful it would be," so claims the new emotive advertisement from Cairns Skyrail. "Mystery and magic reaches far as I can see."

Skyrail, that travels on top of the rainforest canopy from Smithfield to Kuranda, have done a fine job with their new TV and online advert. It's just a shame that they still charge over $40 for the 20 minute journey.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As I recall, when Skyrail was seeking to get approval to put their infrastructure in a NATIONAL PARK they said locals would be offered discounted fares that would enable them to commute between Kuranda and Cairns for work, thus relieving pressure on the Kuranda range road. Of course, once the project was approved and built, this promise was conveniently forgotten.

Matt CYP said...

Skyrail as a commuter service between Cairns and Kuranda? You've got to be joking, that was never going to happen.

With queing to board and changing gondolas en route, the time taken is more like an hour - and it doesn't crank up till 9am.

But it is a great tourism experience. I grew up running around in the rainforest around Cairns, and know it well - at ground level. The activity, the birds and animals, the diversity of epiphytes, are all up in the canopy, so a gondola that lifts you up through the forest and then allows you to study the canopy's biodiversity up close, was a real revelation for me.

And there are 2 way-stations that provide an opportunity to walk around through the forest at your leisure, with excellent interpretive material.

I've done the trip 4 times, my kids love it, and we'll do it again.

As a tourism experience, $42 for the one-way trip is very reasonable - one of the best days out in Cairns is: Skyrail up to Kuranda, taking your time, Birdworld etc and lunch in Kuranda, the train back to Cairns.

Skyrail is one of the key attractions for our tourism industry, and deserves support.
And no, I'm not an investor in Skyrail, or an employee, or a mate.