A small but enchanting town in the mountain foothills just beside the World Heritage site of Daintree National Park, Mossman has its own charms. Located just 75 kms from Cairns and 20 kms from Port Douglas, it has its own history. It was named by explorer George Dalrymple after the mineral’s explorer Hugh Mosman. When the latter’s 11-years old Aboriginal servant Jupiter found gold at Charters Towers in 1872, this place shot into fame. What followed was the short-lasting gold rush that was critical to the development of Queensland. To avoid confusion with the suburb in Sydney, it was named Mossman, and a village was setup in 1876. In 1896, the year of the first modern Olympics, the first sugar plantation was established in the area. Today there is no gold in the area but sugar supports one of the largest industries in the area, with the famed Mossman Central Mill standing as a historic testimony to it.

The mill throbs with a gusto of its own during the crushing season (June – October), and if you happen to visit Mossman during this time, you might feel the local people crowding around the mill like buzzing bees during a frantic blossom. You might find quaint cane trains trundling through the country lanes, picking from yellowed cane fields the crop of the season. If you are fortunate you might see blazing golden cane fires in the fields. You can also get a guided tour of the mill where you get to see everything up close.

The Karnak Playhouse located in the Whyanbeel Valley in Mossman is a famous tourist spot. An incredible open-air theatre inspired by and named after the Temple of Light in Ancient Thebes (by the Nile – the temple of Sun god Ra), it seats 500 people in tropical setting under a starlit sky. A laser system is in constant use to give constant efficient service, and the Kubirri Bar and Restaurant will feed you with lovely gourmet food made from local produce. The popular Lasers in the Jungle show has live performance creating an unforgettable visual spectacle. It enacts a journey to the beginning of time letting us meet with times gone past, the ageless flora and fauna and the mountains, and the changing and dissolving shapes and sounds. The nearby Mossman Gorge, situated within the Daintree National Park, is the place where the Mossman river tumbles and cascades over granite boulders, creating beautiful spectacles and swimming holes. Home to the Indigenous Kuku Yalanji people, one may see the absolute symbiosis these people have built with the threatening nature around.

Mossman is home to many other attractions, each of which deserves a lot of your attention. A little to the north is the local golf course where you can try your hand at golf, or you can go a little further and see the pristine Newell Beach. There is also the Wonga Beach, which is the southern watershed of Daintree, and is a fabulous spot for walking, bathing or bird watching.

Mossman is situated just a few minutes drive from Port Douglas. Mandalay Shalimar (www.mandalay.com.au) offers you a range of accommodations facilities, whether you want to stay in the resort town of Port Douglas, or within walking distance of Mossman.