General News
14 July, 2026
Silence over overgrown Kuranda-Mareeba rail line
QUEENSLAND Rail remains tight-lipped over the fate of the rail line between Kuranda and Mareeba, as images sent to The Express show an overgrown and dishevelled track.
The photos, taken by a train enthusiast two weeks ago, were forwarded to the department together with questions on who maintained the line and whether its current state sounded the death knell for any future repair plans.
In a disappointing response, a department spokesperson said Queensland Rail recognised the “ongoing severe weather” had affected sections of the line.
There was no mention of the Kuranda to Mareeba line, or any response to the images taken of the track, nor of future plans for the rail line.
Instead, the spokesperson said QR “worked closely with the privately-operated Savannahlander train to support its operations, ensuring it could continue the 2026 season between Mareeba and Einasleigh, given no other freight and passenger services use this line.”
The section between Kuranda and Mareeba has been closed since the beginning of 2025, following a TMR inspection in November 2024.
This had led to the historic rail journey, recently voted best tourist attraction in Queensland, using buses to transfer passengers from the Cairns Railway Station to Mareeba Station to begin the trip, omitting the ride through the World Heritage-Listed rainforest on the Kuranda Range.
The local photographer who preferred not to be named, took the Kuranda rail line images because he was a “huge fan of the Savannahlander” and wanted to see for himself the state of the line.
He created The Australian Trainspotter Facebook page where he uploaded the photos, after first developing a You Tube channel to feature his train videos and photos.
“I have been fighting for it ever since the issues began at the start of last year. I even made a short film about it and managed to get it into a film festival in Cairns,” he said.
“I have always felt the Savannahlander is something worth fighting for as it brings awareness to these regional areas and I have become mates with most of the train crew and I want them to be able to keep doing what they love.”
Other sections of the journey to Forsayth have remained damaged, with a bridge into Einasleigh repaired before the 2026 season, but going underwater again in January rendering it impassable.
Member for Cook David Kempton was also sent the photographs and a request for an update on the line but did not respond.
However, in comments on a Facebook post he circulated last week on whether to divert the rail bridge over the road bridge into Einasleigh, the Kuranda line was a focus of several replies.
“While you’re at it, get the line between Kuranda and Mareeba open again so the Savannahlander can operate fully from Cairns. Opens it up to more travellers,” one wrote.
Another questioned the line’s future.
“What is the long-term plan to repair the bridge/s and line between Mareeba and Kuranda? It would be sinful that that is not considered and approved.”
Another added that the line from Cairns to Mareeba should also be used for transporting rubbish.
“The range would not be in the state it is if it weren’t for those trucks, and those pointless variable speed signs that destroyed the foundation and pavement.”
