Mossman Gorge Centre

Mossman Gorge, Queensland

Nestled in the World Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest, Mossman Gorge contains the oldest, continuously surviving rainforest on earth. Just one hectare of the 120,000 hectare forest can contain over 30,000 species of plants and animals. Considered by many to be the evolutionary cradle for much of Australia’s plant and wildlife species, the forest has managed to survive for over 135 million years and, with the right protection, is expected to thrive for generations to come.

The Mossman Gorge is in the heart of Kuku Yalanji country. This country extends from the Mowbray River at Port Douglas to just south of Cooktown. It extends west to Laura, the Palmer River and to Mount Carbine. The Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of this area.

You will hear your guide call out into the rainforest. This is a call out to our ancestors to advise we will be coming in their direction and to look after you, our guests, as we enter into the rainforest. Like many indigenous peoples, the Kuku Yalanji people believe our ancestors are always present.

Our culture is built around a deep respect for nature and an intimate knowledge of the rainforests cycles that dates back over 40,000 years. Our knowledge has been passed down through the generations; members of the community have learned all we know about the rainforest from our elders, parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties.

“Yalada. Yuda yali kardin nganjinunga bubu na” – Welcome to our country.