Almost a qualifier for the eighth wonder of the natural world, the Mossman Gorge is located approximately 20km north of Port Douglas and 3km west of the town of Mossman. The Gorge itself is located on Mossman Gorge Road.

The Gorge is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Daintree National Park which was proclaimed in 1988.  It is part of the traditional homeland of the indigenous tribe of Kuku Yulanji.

It formed about 400 million years ago when Australia was part of the great super-continent Gondwana.  Today many plants and animals found throughout the park have undergone little evolutionary change from the ice-age survivors, which expanded from refuges millions of years ago.  More than 50 animal species are unique to this area.

In 1967, the Mossman Gorge section of the Daintree National Park was declared. Today over half a million people, in 90,000 vehicles, visit the Gorge each year.

You don't need to be superfit to enjoy the walk along the private, easy graded tracks, visiting special places and culturally significant sites, past traditional bark shelters and over cool rainforest streams of the Gorge.  There are plenty of rests along the track. 

If you decide to take a guided tour around the Gorge you'll be fascinated as the experienced interpretive guides demonstrate traditional plant use, identify bush tucker sources, share their dreamtime legends, explain the history of cave paintings and provide an enchanting narrative of the rainforest and their special relationships within this unique tropical environment.  The Dreamtime Walks are conducted four times a day after which guests enjoy a Tea and Damper at the end of each tour.

It should be noted that when the proposed new boardwalk tour which is part of the gateway project is completed the track will be slightly different .  The raised boardwalk will protect the surrounding habitat from the many interested visitors who it is hoped will take full advantage of this amazing journey from a time when dinosaurs roamed this very same rainforest.

Also, make sure you don't  miss the lovely art and artefact displays in the shop and gallery.

At most times of the year, you can also swim at the Mossman Gorge in the icy clear waters as the stream glides down between the massive boulders that act like giants stepping stones creating crystal clear whirl pools along the way. And with no crocs in site the swimming is perfectly safe.

However at certain times of the year when the welcome 'greentime' rains come, the Gorge can rage to spectacular levels and swimming is not recommended but the bankside viewing is quite breathtaking.   Just take a look at the video attached to see the power and majesty of Mother Nature spreading the vital and life giving rains along her course.

Editors comments: As a visitor, you always know when you've hit a winner 'cos the place, just like Mossman Gorge, is a locals favourite!