Tucked away in the Kuranda hills north of Cairns is a trail with a special place in the hearts of Tropical North Queensland mountain bikers – Kuranda Downhill Trail.
Claimed to be Australia’s first proper downhill mountain-bike trail, Kuranda DH started as a rough-and-ready downhill blast for a small group of Cairns mountain bikers before becoming the region’s first officially recognised recreational DH trail outside of Smithfield Mountain Bike Park.
Today it is recognised as the breeding ground of Australia’s top downhill stars and one of the best-shuttled runs in Cairns, its name known by mountain bikers across the world.
Since Kuranda DH came into being, countless other mountain-biking trails and parks have popped up across the region but this classic old trail retains its legendary status, with local riders working tirelessly to maintain, update and diversify it – you might just see trail-building tools casually placed by the track, waiting for the next good citizen to do their bit.
To get to Kuranda DH head north out of Cairns on the Captain Cook Highway, make the left turn onto the Kennedy Highway in Smithfield and follow it up the Kuranda Range. The lookout is a few kilometres up the road and has a small parking area.
For the advanced downhill rider, it has everything – an elevation drop of nearly 400m in just 2km, insanely steep and fast sections, rocky and rooted technical sections, huge drops, big gaps, roller-coaster berms and other obstacles, all punctuated by stunning views through the rainforest of Cairns, its Northern Beaches and the Coral Sea.
You won’t have time to admire the views while you’re on the bike, so spare a few minutes to drink in the area’s spectacular vistas at the Henry Ross Lookout, which sits right next to the start of the trail.
There’s more things to see & do in Kuranda.
Just as the Na’vi in Avatar have Pandora, Tropical North Queensland has Kuranda, a rainforest village worthy of its own feature film. If you don’t know much about it, discover why you need Kuranda’s leafy greens in your life with this 48 hour guide.
Kuranda, the picturesque village on the Atherton Tablelands, is home to many of our tropical wild friends, so where better to go animal-spotting than at one of Kuranda’s many wildlife gardens and sanctuaries.
Known as the colourful village in the rainforest, Kuranda has a much deeper history that stretches way beyond its famous quirky markets. Learn more about the Indigenous people who have called Kuranda home for at least 10,000 years.
In addition to the bounty of scenery nature has provided, there are plenty of shopping opportunities in the village courtesy of a vibrant arts-and-crafts community and strong Indigenous heritage.
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