Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest

On the way back from Daintree to Port Douglas the rain got heavier. As we passed through Mossman we noticed a sign to Mossman Gorge; I had never heard of it, so I decided to have a look despite the deluge.

The Mossman Gorge is only about 5km, or 3 miles, from Mossman township – but another world away.

It is part of the Daintree National Park, which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage. This Heritage area stretches from Cooktown up near cape York right down to Townsville. We were almost alone; two other cars in the carpark. While wandering through the boardwalks and tracks I met only a couple of other hardy souls braving the weather – that’s the way I like to wander around when I can. At my own pace in solitude.

The only fauna I saw was flying; a brilliant iridescent blue Ulysses butterfly, a couple of small brown birds turning over foliage looking for insects. The rain was keeping all the others under cover. I must admit, I wasn’t disappointed about not meeting one of the 8-metre pythons.

The strangler fig’s host has long disappeared and the strangler now has to support itself in the fight to reach the light.

I protected the lens and camera as much as I could, but many of my photos were spoiled by drops of rain on the lens; however, those that are left still give some idea of the beauty and peace of this magical place. The only noise was the river, bouncing and leaping through the rocky gorge, running hard and fast because of the runoff from the myriad tiny creeks suddenly running with water in the unseasonal rain. The power of the water is hard to describe; these pools are usually still and full of swimmers, but not this day.

I departed sopping wet after a couple of happy, slow hours, eventually back to the studio in Port Douglas for a hot shower and takeaway Thai for dinner.

Cheers, Alan

next: Atherton Tableland Cheers, Alan