Mossman Gorge
Daintree National Park
Directions - From the centre of Mossman, located north of Cairns and Port Douglas, take Johnston Road west for 4.5 kilometres until you reach the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre. Access to the walk trails is via regularly scheduled buses (booking required), that run between 8am and 5pm every day of the year, except Christmas Day.
The Hike - With one more day in Far North Queensland, I had saved one of the best experiences for last, a visit to Mossman Gorge to check out the walk trails on offer there. With an unseasonably wet week, today was looking much better, although still a little cool and cloudy for the morning at least. Due to fly out that evening, I had a few hours in the morning to check out this popular location, before meeting the family back in Port Douglas for a late breakfast.
I had really enjoyed driving north from Port Douglas over the last few days, with the cane fields and inland mountains providing a nice backdrop as you tootle along the highway. Mossman is a short drive from Port Douglas, and has a more genuine feel to it, as it's less holiday town and more everyday working town. Following the signs from Mossman, I was soon at the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre, ready to take one of the shuttle buses (ticket required) up to the gorge. This is the only way to access the gorge and the walk trails, and if the money is being used to maintain the area, and provide local jobs, then I'm happy to pay. Being well before tourist o'clock, I had a shuttle to myself and got chatting with the driver, who was a friendly guy that was more than happy to answer my questions. Arriving at the top of the hill, I jumped out and set about starting my walk.
There are a few trails in the area, catering to casual tourists and those that are looking for something more than a bit of boardwalk to a lookout. Today I would be combining the River Circuit Track with the Rainforest Circuit Track to form a 4.4 kilometre loop, that I was confident I could finish in time to make breakfast with the family. That meant arriving back at the start within 1.5 hours, no easy task given how slow I walk these days when the scenery is good. As you can see from the photos, this was a challenge as everything was looking amazing, all throughout the walk. The first part of the walk is along boardwalk, taking you over a small creek, before more boardwalk raised above the rainforest floor. This provides a different perspective, and an opportunity to see parts of the rainforest you might not notice from ground level.
Interrupting one of the guided walks that you can partake in, I dodged through a corridor of umbrellas and made my way towards the Mossman River Lookout right on the edge of the water. This really showcases the power of the river that has carved steep valleys into the hills, along with being a pretty tranquil spot in the dry season. Heading up a set of stairs, I was soon at the suspension bridge over Rex Creek. Always good fun to cross, the suspension bridge also provided a vantage point to see the rapids along Rex Creek. Climbing more stairs along the edge of the creek, you soon reach the Manjal Dimbi Lookout. With the misty weather hanging around, I couldn't see Manjal Dimbi from here but was hoping it would clear on my return. It didn't take long to reach the start of the Rainforest Circuit Walk and this would be the start of a gradual climb up to the highest point along the trail. Immediately the scenery was high quality thanks to luscious rainforest and some hefty boulders glistening in the morning dew.
Reaching an intersection in the trail, there is a little side quest to the left leading down to the edge of Rex Creek. Scrambling down the rocks, this is worth the effort as you get some epic views looking up and down the rocky rapids. With the canopy stretching over the creek, along with some large boulders in the water, this was one of many highlights on the Rainforest Circuit Trail. It was hard to pry myself away from this spot but there would be much more to discover later on. Back on the main path, the slow ascent is not really noticeable, with plenty of thick boi trees to keep you distracted. There are some large boulders all throughout this next section to discover, with one providing a small overhang that looks like a little cave. With the trail being mostly flat on both sides, it was fun to come across a section on a bit of a slope, as it allows you to look down into a sea of greenery. While I was loving the gloomy overhead conditions, as it makes the lighting much more even, it took a steady hand to make sure the images weren't super blurry (a trade-off I'm quite happy to accept).
Along the sloped section there is a cool little stream that crosses the trail, with a little trickle at the time of my visit. The combination of stepping stones and mossy rocks makes for a nice scene, and I spent a bit of time trying to capture it properly. Making my way through the rainforest, there is a little side track to what I believe used to be a really old fig. A sign is still there telling you to stick to the track to save the fig but something seems to have happened recently that has caused it to no longer be upright. Heading back to the main trail, I spotted something moving in the undergrowth and it was revealed to be a baby pig. Being cautious not to get between the piglet and its mother, I walked along carefully until I saw the mother in the distance. Back in WA, you never quite know how they'll react but it turns out these two had zero worries that I was there. I got a few blurry shots before they scampered off into the distance. While not the Cassowary I had been hoping to see, at least the mother didn't decide I was a threat.
Arriving at the Wurrmbu Creek side trail, this short out and back mission was yet another must see of this hike. After seeing an Australian Brush Turkey in the undergrowth, I soon reached the idyllic little scene where Wurrmbu Creek cascades down into a small swimming hole, complete with sandy beach. The little trickle of a waterfall flowing between the two rocks was stunning, so much so that it's the cover photo for this hike. I could have stayed here for a lot longer but after having a little sit down to soak in the sights and sounds of this magical spot, I moved on. Completing the loop section of the Rainforest Circuit Track, the end has some large trees as a parting gift, before you reach the trail you came in on. With the sun now shining a little brighter, I was near the Manjal Dimbi Lookout when I spotted my second Boyd's Forest Dragon of the morning. Rather than returning via the main trail in, I completed the River Circuit Track that as the name suggests, takes you closer to the Mossman River. There are several lookouts along the way, and it was a great way to finish. I was a tad late for breakfast, as I had a bit of a wait for the next shuttle but I was only going to be here once.
Final Thoughts – As one of the main tourist attractions near Mossman and Port Douglas, no visit to the area would be complete without a visit to Mossman Gorge.
Even if you only come out and do the River Circuit Track, it's great to be out and about in the rainforest.
The real fun for me was having the Rainforest Circuit Track all to myself, and experiencing the majesty of a misty forest in the morning. There are so many cool spots along this hike that it definitely lived up to the hype.
While this was only a fleeting visit for me, there are guided tours and experiences if you're looking for a richer experience that connects you with the land and people. Otherwise, it's fun to just wander around and soak in all that this wonderful place has to offer.
Get out there and experience it!!!
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