Mossman Gorge, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mossman GorgeQueensland |
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Mossman River in the Mossman Gorge
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 Mossman Gorge
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 246 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 36.7/km2 (95/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4873 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Douglas | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Cook | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Leichhardt | ||||||||||||||
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Mossman Gorge is a small area in Queensland, Australia. It's located in the Shire of Douglas. In 2016, about 246 people lived here.
The name "Mossman Gorge" comes from a beautiful valley. This valley was carved out by the Mossman River. It flows through the amazing Daintree National Park.
The Mossman Gorge Centre is where visitors start their adventure. From here, you can cross a cool suspension bridge. This bridge leads to a 2.4-kilometer loop walk. The walk takes you through the rainforest of the National Park.
This area is also the traditional home of the Kuku Yalanji people. They are an indigenous group from Australia.
Amazing Animals of Mossman Gorge
Mossman Gorge is home to many interesting animals. You might see the Australian brushturkey walking around. The orange-footed scrubfowl is another common bird.
Keep an eye out for the bright blue Ulysses butterfly. It's truly stunning! You might also spot the Boyd's forest dragon. This is a type of lizard.
More than 430 different kinds of birds live here. There are also 18 types of reptiles and 12 types of amphibians. Many fish species swim in the river.
During certain seasons, the buff-breasted paradise kingfisher visits. It builds nests and raises its young here. You can often see jungle perch fish in the river. They are usually near the popular tourist spots.
Wonderful Plants of Mossman Gorge
The lowland rainforests of Mossman Gorge are full of plants. There are over 500 different kinds of Australian native plants. This includes many trees, shrubs, vines, and ferns.
When you walk the public tracks, you'll see some special plants. The chain fruits (Alyxia ruscifolia) are small shrubs. They have bright orange fruits in season. The hairy red pittosporum (Pittosporum rubiginosum) is also common.
Many vines grow up into the tree canopy. One well-known vine is the wait-a-while or rattan palm (Calamus australis).
Lots of plants grow on tree branches and trunks. These are called epiphytes. You might see birds-nest ferns (Asplenium australasicum). There are also basket ferns (Drynaria rigidula) and elkhorn ferns (Platycerium hillii).
Large trees like strangler figs (Ficus species) are common. The umbrella trees (Schefflera actinophylla) and cape jitta (Fagraea berteroana) also grow here.
Some big trees are very noticeable. The Daintree penda (Lindsayomyrtus racemoides) has purple new leaves in the wet season. You'll also see trees that grow flowers and fruits right on their trunks. These include cluster figs (Ficus species) and yellow mahogany trees (Dysoxylum parasiticum).
Other common trees include the Australian native nutmeg trees (Myristica globosa). There are also several types of lady apples or lilly pillies (Syzygium species). Along the Mossman River banks, you'll find golden penda trees (Xanthostemon chrysanthus).
Images for kids
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Australian brushturkey at Mossman Gorge
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Spurwood, Dysoxylum pettigrewianum at Mossman Gorge
