Mossman Gorge is a rural locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia.
In the 2016 census, Mossman Gorge had a population of 246 people.The locality takes its name from the valley Mossman Gorge created by the Mossman River through the Daintree National Park to the west of the locality (in Syndicate and Shannonvale). The Mossman Gorge Centre is the gateway to the valley which is a tourist attraction with a suspension bridge providing access to a 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) loop walk through the rainforest of the National Park. It is part of the traditional homeland of the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people (Goo-goo Ya-lan-gee).
Geography
The locality is approximately 77 km from Cairns along the Captain Cook Highway.
History of Mossman Gorge
The Eastern Kuku Yalanji (Goo-goo Ya-lan-gee) people have occupied this area for thousands of years prior to first contact. They are recognised as the Traditional Owners for this area.
Fauna
Fauna commonly observed in the gorge includes the Australian brushturkey, orange-footed scrubfowl, the brilliant metallic-blue Ulysses butterfly and the Boyd's forest dragon. More than 430 species of birds have been spotted in the gorge, along with 18 species of reptiles, 12 species of amphibians and several species of fishes. Seasonally, the buff-breasted paradise kingfisher visits, nests and breeds. Jungle perch or spotted flagtail fish are commonly observed in the river waters from the popular tourist spot at the river's edge.
Flora
More than five hundred different species of Australian native plants grow in the lowland tropical rainforests in the gorge area, including a wide diversity of species of trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and ferns. Some species abundant along the public walking tracks, often noticed and photographed by tourists, are as follows. The bright orange seasonally fruiting, small shrubs of chain fruits Alyxia ruscifolia and hairy red pittosporum Pittosporum rubiginosum occur commonly along the tracks. Many vine species grow up to the canopy, including the well known and conspicuous wait-a-while or rattan palm–vines Calamus australis and more related spp. Many epiphytes grow on the trees’ branches and trunks, including the often noticed ferns, the birds–nest ferns Asplenium australasicum, basket ferns Drynaria rigidula and elkhorn ferns Platycerium hillii; large epiphyte and hemiepiphyte trees and shrubs, including commonly the many strangler figs Ficus spp., umbrella trees Schefflera actinophylla and the cape jitta Fagraea berteroana. Locally abundant and conspicuous large trees include the Daintree penda Lindsayomyrtus racemoides with wet season purple new foliage growth, abundant cauliflorous trees that have flowers and fruits on the trunk, for example, the cluster figs species Ficus spp. and the yellow mahogany trees Dysoxylum parasiticum. Further locally abundant species of trees include the Myristica insipida, the several lady apples or lilly pillies species Syzygium spp. and lining the Mossman River and the creeks’ banks the golden penda trees Xanthostemon chrysanthus.
