When you ride a Skyrail gondola near Kuranda, the rainforest canopy unfolds beneath you like a vast green carpet. At first glance, it might seem like a single, unbroken surface, but with a closer look, you can start to distinguish individual tree tops, climbing plants, and ferns perched high on branches. It's fascinating to realize that not everything you see in the canopy is part of the tree that supports it.

Different Layers of the Forest

The canopy represents the top layer of leaves and branches in the rainforest. Beneath it, other plants thrive in the shade. In some parts of Queensland, rainforests boast multiple layers, not just a single row of trees. From above, you can trace the outline of one tree crown and compare it with the next. You'll notice variations in leaf size and color from tree to tree. Occasionally, gaps between trees offer glimpses of the lower layers.

If your itinerary includes a stop in the rainforest, the boardwalk provides a different perspective. Here, you can look up at the trunks and branches instead of across the tops, allowing you to compare what you saw from the gondola with what you see from the ground.

Plants That Grow on Other Plants

Some plants, known as epiphytes, use tree trunks and branches as their home. Orchids and various types of ferns grow this way. This is why you might notice different leaf shapes on a single trunk. A fern halfway up a tree is an independent plant, not part of the tree itself. These plants often sit at branch junctions or along thicker limbs.

Basket ferns are a notable example that Skyrail rangers often discuss. They can collect fallen leaves and other materials, creating a small pocket of mulch above the ground. Other plants may start growing in that material. You don't need to identify each fern; simply observing where a plant is growing can make the canopy easier to understand.

Climbing Vines

Lianas are vines that start on the ground and climb towards the light, using nearby trees for support. You might see a stem running up a trunk or weaving between branches. This is a helpful distinction to remember: an epiphyte grows on another plant, while a liana climbs from the ground. Both can appear high in the canopy, but they reach that height in different ways.

Some hanging strands are not vines at all; they may be roots growing down from plants above. From a moving gondola, it can be challenging to tell the difference.

Strangler Figs

A strangler fig often begins its life high in another tree, typically in a pocket of organic material collected by plants like basket ferns. The young fig sends roots downward until they reach the ground. Over time, these roots thicken and join, forming a structure around the host tree. This is why a mature strangler fig can look like several connected columns rather than a single round trunk. Skyrail highlights a large strangler fig at Red Peak, but you'll only see it if Red Peak is part of your operating itinerary.