Mesmerising Mossman Gorge

Lisa Perkovic spends an afternoon wandering the lush Mossman Gorge rainforest and departs with the sounds of the Wet Tropics as the most prominent memory.

IT'S the Mossman Gorge soundtrack that stays with me long after I leave.

Not a CD from the Mossman Gorge Centre – though there were plenty of souvenirs there I wanted to take home – or a playlist to download. It’s simply full-body immersion.

The Gorge is a world-famous whistle-stop location for experiencing the Wet Tropics of Queensland. But it should be so much more than another item on a packed itinerary.

During the quick shuttle bus ride from the visitor centre we’re cast into twilight as the rainforest canopy filters out the bright Queensland sun. Bird calls bounce and echo through the trees, insects buzz a low and languid hum, and the whisper of running water builds to a cacophony as the Mossman Gorge lookout comes into view.

We watch the eddying pools, hypnotised by the swirling water, before carrying on to cross the Rex Creek suspension bridge and delve deeper into the trees on the 2.4km Rainforest Circuit Track.

The trail climbs gently for a glimpse of Manjal Dimbi before winding back down to the banks of Wurrumbu Creek.

Locals claim this as the rainforest’s “beach”, and the sandy pool tempts us on this tropical day, but we continue and soon loop back to the boardwalk that merges with the shorter River Circuit Track.

With both circuits under our belts, we board the bus dreaming of ice-cold drinks and damper awaiting us at the visitor centre and share the ride with one of the local Indigenous guides.

Our quick chat gives us a glimpse into the Kuku Yalanji people and their connection to this special place, sampling what those joining the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walks will experience.

MAMU TROPICAL SKYWALK

Wander through the clouds that hover over the Misty Mountains as you stroll elevated walkways above the Wooroonooran National Park canopy.

A 90-minute drive from the hotel via the Bruce and Palmerston highways

Rainforest Rendezvous

TROPICAL North Queensland’s vast carpet of green is, according to Sir David Attenborough, “quite unlike any other rainforest in the world”.

But you don’t need to be a world-famous naturalist to explore a jungle that’s survived millions of years, with three easy options for discovering the World Heritage-listed landscape that’s home to more fascinating flora and fauna than can be counted.

SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY

Glide above the rainforest – while savouring views across the Northern Beaches to the Coral Sea – aboard one of the green gondolas that climb to Kuranda.

A 20-minute drive from the hotel via the Cook Highway

MOSSMAN GORGE

There are several routes for self-guided strolling, from an easy 300m riparian loop following paved footpaths to the longer 2.4km rainforest hike along dirt tracks. Those looking to learn from one of the rainforest's traditional custodians can join an Indigenous guide on the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walks and follow private trails to "special places and culturally significant sites".

An 80-minute drive from the hotel via the Cook Highway

Getting into the Green

THE Daintree is one of Australia’s most famous places, a pristine patch celebrated as the world’s oldest rainforest.

But did you know the Daintree is only one corner of the continent’s largest continuous rainforest? With this protected parcel of tropical green stretching 250km along the Far North Queensland coast from the Paluma Range National Park near Townsville to Cooktown 100km north of Cape Tribulation.

Here are a few more things you might not know about the rainforest that crowns this corner of the country.

The Wet Tropics of Queensland was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1988 and earned a place because “this biotope offers a particularly extensive array of plants, as well as marsupials and songbirds, along with other rare and endangered animals and plant species”.

The jungle supports 700 plant species not found anywhere else in the world and 60 per cent of Australia’s butterfly species.

The Far North’s rainforests were once home to 20 different Aboriginal tribal groups, and native title now accounts for 90 per cent of the landscape inside the World Heritage zone.

Bellenden Ker – a majestic summit between Cairns and Innisfail that’s carpeted in hues of khaki – is not only Queensland’s second-highest mountain, but Australia’s wettest place receiving an average 814cm of rain annually.

LAKE EACHAM

Follow the circuit track around Lake Eacham, with the Wet Tropics rainforest on one side of the path and the crater lake’s emerald water on the other, with steps beside the car park marking the best place to swim.

CURTAIN FIG TREE

Curtain Fig National Park is home to the majestic Curtain Fig Tree, a towering 500-year-old strangler fig supported by a tangle of branches dangling towards the ground.

WATERFALL CIRCUIT

It’s a cinch to soak up the sights at the Tablelands’ many scenic waterfalls – and perhaps enjoy a refreshing float, waterside picnic and a few mist-filled rainbows – on an easy day-trip excursion around the region.

AFGHANISTAN AVENUE OF HONOUR

Lake Tinaroo is home to Australia’s memorial to the Australian Defence Force members that fought and died during our country’s operations in Afghanistan.