All aboard!

WORDS by Sara Mulcahy

The connection between Port Douglas and Cairns — and all that lies beyond — is the winding stretch of coastal road known as the Barrier Reef Drive. As famous for its treacherous twists and turns as it is for its spectacular views, the Captain Cook Highway, for that is its official name, was opened on December 17, 1933.

What you might not know is how close this town came to having its own rail terminus. With the gold and tin rushes in full swing in the 1880s, the two ports of Cairns and Port Douglas were competing for the role of dominant settlement. The thunderous rainfall in the wet season made the unsealed roads virtually impassable so three potential rail routes to the tin capital of Herberton were scoped.

The shortest route was from Innisfail. Cairns had the best port. Port Douglas was the easiest build. The Queensland Government in its wisdom selected Cairns as the starting point of the line, and the first section opened in 1887.

Although that changed the course of history for our town, it doesn’t mean Port Douglas missed out on the golden age of rail altogether. Pivoting from minerals to sugar, a smaller rail line was built from Mossman to Port Douglas in 1900.

The steam train service, known as the tramway, ran along a two-foot (60cm) gauge track from Mossman Mill to Sugar Wharf, transporting freight and passengers. It travelled the 13 km in 74 minutes at a cost of two shillings. Branches were later added out to Mowbray Post Office and Cassowary and, in its heyday in the 1920s, the service was carrying more than 23,000 passengers a year.

And then came the road. Cutting the journey time in half, the writing was on the wall for the tramway, and the final passenger rail service ran on Christmas Eve 1935.
If you want to find out more about rail travel in the tropical far north, there are some great experiences around town and beyond — perfect for trainspotters or those simply looking for a nostalgic day out.

1 Speedy and Nelson
The Bally Hooley Steam Railway was a popular tourist attraction that offered a trip through town along the original cane train tracks. In the 1980s you could take a tour from Port Douglas to Mossman, but the trip was soon shortened to the 4km between Crystalbrook Marina and St Crispins Cafe. Its last day of operation was September 24, 2021. Today, the decommissioned steam engines Speedy and Nelson are permanently preserved at the marina, with their carriages repurposed as dining cars at Choo Choos on the Marina.

2 Train in a cage
The England-built Fowler steam locomotive Faugh a Ballagh (named for a Gaelic battle cry) was one of the four engines that hauled bagged sugar from the mill to the wharf. She pulled her last load in 1958 and was stationed in Anzac Park, opposite the Court House Hotel, as a reminder of the historical importance of the tramway. The Douglas Shire Historical Society headed up a project to refurbish the engine and its one remaining original carriage in 1994. It’s now located (in a cage) on Grant Street opposite the Marina.

3 Kuranda Scenic Railway
Enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year, this diesel-electric engine pulls heritage railway carriages from Freshwater station in north Cairns, 328 metres above sea level, on a two-hour trip to the market town of Kuranda. Enjoy rounding the engineering feat that is the 180-degree Jungara bend, and views of the spectacular Din Din (Barron Falls) on the way. You can make a return trip by rail or take the Skyway Rainforest Cableway there or back.

4 The Savannahlander
Looking to immerse yourself in a good old-fashioned rail journey? This 1960s silver-bullet train departs Cairns once a week for the old goldrush town of Forsayth. The round trip takes four days and stops at the Chillagoe-Mungana Caves, Cobbold Gorge and the lava tubes at Undara. It’s an impressive way to tick off some of the biggest attractions of the Port Douglas hinterland, with hotels and meals supplied en route.

5 Herberton Historic Railway
A two-hour drive southwest of Port, the village of Herberton was once a busy stop on the line from Mareeba to Ravenshoe. A 22km stretch across the Tablelands is now run and managed by a group of volunteers who offer rides on a fully restored 1905 Peckett Steam Locomotive. Take a seat in the wooden passenger carriage for a 20-minute round trip from Herberton Station to the Historic Village (selected weekends).