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In
addition to the natural beauty of the
wilderness that the Kuranda train ventures
through, the magnificent feat of engineering
ingenuity is an awe-inspiring sight.
The construction of the railway was first
proposed after the wet season of 1882, when
the tin mining town of Herberton was
isolated for several months by floodwaters.
Farmers and workers in the area demanded
better access and communication to the
coast, by road or train. Visiting
politicians, in a search for votes, promised
the people that a solution would be found to
solve all their problems.
Construction began at the Cairns end of the
line, cutting through swamps, mangrove
forests, and sand ridges before proceeding
up the Redlynch valley towards Kuranda. It
was made using cement from England that was
carried up the mountain by mules. After many
years of construction and the deaths of
workers on a regular basis from tropical
diseases, the railway was completed.
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