RainForeStation Nature Park

RainForeStation Nature Park is located 5 minutes from Kuranda and offers different Australian experiences within this 100 acres of rainforest. The three main components are:

Parking and Transportation

There are two small parking lots located on the grounds, and shuttle transportation is offered by different companies. We arrived in Kuranda via the Scenic Railway and took a roundtrip shuttle from the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. We do not recommend walking from Kuranda Village to RainForeStation.

rainforestation sign — Entrance to RainForeStation from parking lot.

About RainForeStation

Located in far North Queensland, RainForeStation is an all-weather attraction in the Kuranda rainforest. Showcasing iconic Australian wildlife, rainforest flora and fauna, and authentic indigenous cultural traditions, we experienced a lot of what Australia has to offer in just a half-day.

rainforestation wildlife boardwalks — Easily accessible boardwalks are located throughout Rainforestation Park.

Boardwalks located within RainForeStation and directional signs posted throughout made our visit easy to navigate. Because our family is motivated to learn the history and culture of where we travel, the educational environment helped us get the most out of our time.

rainforestation wildlife sign — Fun signs are posted around Rainforestation.

Koala and Wildlife Park

What would an Australian vacation be without holding a koala or hand feeding and interacting with kangaroos? The Koala and Wildlife Park is one of the few places where you can experience this. See many different classic Aussie wildlife, including dingos, Tasmanian devils, cassowaries, crocodiles, and more.

holding a koala wildlife park — One of the only places in the world where you can hold a koala. (Additional fees)

We loved casually spending time in the wildlife center. It was beautifully relaxing and provided surreal moments for our entire family. Read more on our Koala and Wildlife Park post.

koala wildlife park hand feeding kangaroos — Everyone loved hand feeding the kangaroos.

Duck Boat Tour

Ride on a vintage World War II amphibious vehicle through the Australian rainforest. We saw spectacular views of nature’s flora and fauna. Our guide took us on an adventure along muddy roads, then splashed us into Streets Creek for a cruise around the lake.

Learning more about Australia’s plant and wildlife during this unique rainforest trip was very memorable. Our family enjoyed being adventurous together, making plenty of fun memories. Read more on our Army Duck Boat Tour post.

Pamagirri Cultural Center

This interactive aboriginal experience gave a brief lesson in what indigenous life in Australia is like. We learned how boomerangs were designed and how to throw them. We also learned how didgeridoos are made and techniques for playing them. A spear demonstration was held and a traditional Pamagirri dance was performed.

RainForeStation boomerang — Our Pamagirri guide teaching the proper boomerang throw.

Learning history passed down generationally, and getting a glimpse of the aborigines’ stories was appreciated by our entire family. Seeing their culture through art and dance was a great way to start our trip.

rainforestation pamagirri spear throw — Aboriginal technique for spear throwing demonstration.

Read our Pamagirri Cultural Experience Review.

Lunch

There are three restaurants located at RainForeStation. The Colonial restaurant overlooks the lake. The Treehouse restaurant provides dining under fig-trees, and tree-houses to play in. The Outback restaurant is surrounded by lush tropical gardens. We were limited on time, so it was recommended we order sandwiches from the Colonial restaurant, and eat in the Outback dining area. As we walked through the Outback restaurant, the Australian buffet looked and smelled great.

rainforestation fresh fruit smoothy — Fresh fruit smoothies are served at the cafe. We chose mango and berry.

The smoked meats in our sandwiches were delicious, and the fresh mango and berry smoothies were refreshing. On our next visit to RainForeStation, we will plan on partaking in the BBQ buffet.

rainforestation lunch — Barbecue chicken sandwich served at the Rainforestation Cafe.

rainforestation tuna sandwich — Tuna sandwich served at the Rainforestation Cafe.

During our vacation to Cairns, visiting RainForeStation near Kuranda Village was a definite highlight. Having many unique opportunities to encounter classic Australian heritage within one park was perfect for our busy itinerary. We loved holding the cuddly koalas and feeding the kangaroos. Riding on the duck boat was really cool. Learning about aboriginal life and the rainforest gave us perspective for the rest of our trip.

Tips:

Purchase tickets online and look for discount offers.
Plan for a transfer shuttle from Kuranda Village.
At the box office, request visiting the wildlife park first to steer clear of the crowds.
Wear good walking shoes and bring a high quality camera.
If you have time, eat a meal at the buffet. It looked and smelled delicious.
Check out official the RainForeStation website for updated information.