Latest news with #KukuYalanji
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
‘It has an ancient, Jurassic Park feel': a local's guide to Port Douglas
I was born and raised in Mossman, 20 minutes from Port Douglas, and have worked in tourism on Kuku Yalanji country since 1999. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. When I was young, Port Douglas was a bunch of local fishers, a handful of shops and the pubs. When the Sheraton resort opened in 1987, development really kicked off. Now it's one of those scenic resort towns you find all over the world. There are no box jellyfish from May to October (dry season). That's peak season so it can go from about 3,500 people to 10,000. Wet season is from December or January until mid-April. You'll get rained on a bit but the creeks are full, the rainforest is lush and the energy is different with so few tourists around. Four Mile beach is on the eastern side of town, then there's a bustling marina with dive shops, boat centres, cafes and restaurants. The shopping area is mostly on Macrossan Street. People are drawn to eat outside in the tropical climate so most of the restaurants have outdoor seating. Salsa Bar and Grill is popular; it can be hard to get in. I order a steak but lots of people enjoy seafood like the saltwater barramundi. The Surfy (Port Douglas Surf Life Saving Club) is high on the levee on Four Mile beach with an open-air veranda overlooking the Coral Sea. I do the trout tacos to start and then I'll get a steak. It does wine matching too. Zinc is a restaurant and cocktail bar that's a bit fancier. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning The Tin Shed on the marina does good bistro-style meals: chicken parmigiana, steaks, pastas and kids' meals. It does crocodile spring rolls and tacos, and gets fresh fish right off the boats, like nannygai (red snapper), red emperor, Spanish mackerel and tuna. For coffee, Sparrow Port Douglas opens at 6am so it's good for early starts. Origin Espresso roasts its own beans and has baked goods and French pastries. It serves cold brew, green tea lattes and chai too. Mossman Gorge is in the south of the world's oldest rainforest, the Daintree. It has an ancient, Jurassic Park feel and is thought to be 180m years old, predating the Amazon by about 100m years. The Kuku Yalanji dreamtime walks at Mossman Gorge are called ngadiku (stories from a long time ago). There's a soap and paint-making demonstration as well as bush tea and damper. The rainforest is so diverse. There's red mahogany trees, red tulip oaks and old strangler figs. Most of the bigger animals like pademelons and wallabies are nocturnal but you might see forest dragons, tree snakes or pythons and there are plenty of birds, butterflies and insects. Port Douglas is about 30 minutes closer to the Great Barrier Reef than Cairns. The smaller boats are the best option. Sailaway operates a solar-powered glass bottom boat and goes to the outer reefs. You'll likely see turtles and reef sharks as well as fish. Wavelength Reef Cruises is a good small snorkelling boat and Calypso Reef Cruises and ABC Snorkel Charters do scuba diving too. Four Mile beach in Port Douglas is pretty touristy. It's the only beach with a designated swimming area year-round with a box jellyfish enclosure and lifeguards watching for saltwater crocodiles. The crocs move around the coast all year here; not only during the wet season. At other beaches, you might not see another person all day. Wonga beach is a 30-minute drive north. It's a long stretch of white sand fringed with rainforest trees, coconut palms and beach lettuce. It's fun to go beachcombing with kids to see different shells and driftwood. We recommend taking a photo and leaving things in place. Cape Kimberley beach is across the Mossman River and is similar to Wonga. Further north in Cape Tribulation is Coconut beach, where the rainforest and the reef meet. At low tide, you can see the reef's northern fringe. I live at Cooya beach, five minutes from Mossman. The water recedes more than a kilometre at low tide and you can walk to some smaller sections of the fringing reef. If you've been out on a boat all day, Hemingway's Brewery is an easy stop on the marina. It brews ales, lagers, pilsners and hefeweizen (wheat beer) and serves them on a big open deck overlooking the yachts. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Chillys Pizza has open-air dining and a nice little bar. You can have a punt on the cane toads too. You pick a toad and they race from the centre of a circle. If yours is the first toad to jump out, you win. It gets pretty rowdy. Jimmy Rum's is a cocktail bar that does fancy drinks. It's a city-style small bar that does cocktails with smoke and flames and the lot. Rattle n Hum is great for younger folk. Its kids' meals are all $12, including pizza made in its large stone oven. Paddy's Irish pub is very popular. It has live music on weekends, an open mic on Wednesday night and a Sunday roast lunch. My company, Walkabout Cultural Adventures, does spearing and mud-crabbing walks on Cooya beach. You can see a beautiful place anytime, but people on our tours come to understand how differently Kuku Yalanji and Aboriginal people see things. We notice everything – the changes, the animals and the ecosystems. Nature is still so important for human survival. Janbal Gallery is an Aboriginal art gallery in Mossman run by Brian 'Binna' Swindley. He does contemporary dot art with designs of fruits, medicines, seeds and wildlife from cassowaries to sea turtles, crocodiles and goannas. Binna's depictions are all about how we find them. He runs art classes too. Mossman markets are on Saturdays unless it's bucketing down with rain. There's tropical fruits and local chocolate tastings. The vendors are culturally diverse and everyone's keen for a yarn. Port Douglas market on a Sunday is bigger and has everything from fresh sugarcane juice to coconuts, chocolate-coated bananas, tandoori, massage and local buskers. Taste Port Douglas (6-9 August 2026) is a tropical food and drink festival based at Sheraton resort. They get Australian and global chefs up to do classes on their signature dishes, like laksa or prawn shell bisque. Sheraton Grand Mirage (from $395 for an entry-level room) is the only resort right on Four Mile beach. It has palm trees and lagoon-style pools and is high end. Silky Oaks Lodge (from $1,200 a night including food, wine, minibar and yoga) is on the Mossman River. It's very flash treehouse-style accommodation and the restaurant uses lots of native ingredients. Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa (from $295 for a studio room) is away from the crowds. You can walk out of your room right into a central pool. My kids love waking up and having a swim or a Jacuzzi. Mandalay (from $425 a night for a two-bedroom standard apartment) is great for families too and right opposite Four Mile beach. Tropic Breeze Caravan Park (from $38 a night for a campsite) is quieter than the other caravan parks. If you want party-style camping, Dougies Backpackers Resort (from $38 a night for a supplied tent and linen) is the one. Juan Walker is a Kuku Yalanji man and the owner of Walkabout Cultural Adventures
The Advertiser
25-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Ancient legacy continues as tourism mixes with culture
Kuku Yalanji people have safeguarded the Daintree Rainforest for thousands of years. And as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to experience the natural beauty of the far-north Queensland region, they are continuing that legacy while also creating opportunities for Indigenous communities. Started by Roy Gibson, a local man with a dream to share culture and help Kuku Yalanji youth, the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre allows for Indigenous heritage and knowledge to be at the forefront of the tourist experience. It also helps to protect the UNESCO world heritage-listed landscapes of the Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The centre's general manager Rachael Hodges, a Goreng Goreng, Girramay, Gunggandji and Kuareg woman, said 500,000 people visited Mossman Gorge each year, creating an opportunity for local self-determination. Giving young people, who face higher unemployment rates in the region, the chance to get qualified and find employment on Country helps create a path for self-determination for the community. "The whole vision about this business and the opportunities that it could provide for our local Yalanji people - and people from right throughout the region - is that they are closer to home," Ms Hodges told AAP. More than 60 per cent of the centre's staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yalangda, or Uncle Skip as he's widely known, is one of the centre's tour guides, all of whom are Kuku Yalanji people. "It does give us a bit of a unique thing to give people the history of the area and we talk to a lot of people about it," he said. "It promotes our Indigenous youth as well and promotes the culture and spreads it out, because if we don't spread that culture, we may lose it." As Uncle Skip guides visitors through the rainforest, he points out plants used for medicine and bush foods, as well as some to avoid. He explains the spiritual and cultural significance of the rainforest, shares stories, ancient knowledge and survival skills, and sprinkles in a few jokes as he leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Uncle Skip said he's been involved in the tourism industry for almost 30 years and led some of the first Dreamtime walks when they were started by Roy Gibson in the late 80s. The thing that he loves most - and the reason he's still in the job - is the opportunity to share his culture with visitors. "I believe a lot of people when they come up north here, especially up to the Mossman Gorge, they really want to know about our people," Uncle Skip said. "Sometimes they walk in with an idea but then when they walk out of here they walk out with a new idea ... they show a bit more appreciation to having an understanding." The centre is operated by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, whose chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith said operating the facility responsibly kept culture strong and protected the environment. "There's nothing more 'made in Australia' than First Nations culture," he said. "It's building an economy. It's not about the social side, it's about the economic side, and actually providing a sustainable contribution to the community." While it was also an award-winning ecotourism facility, the cultural centre was a grassroots business with its heart in community, Ms Hodges said. The deep connection to culture and Country also underpins the centre's sustainability efforts, with the recent addition of two electric buses to shuttle visitors from the centre to the walking trails among its latest initiatives. The shuttle buses, named Kurranji (cassowary) and Kurriyala (carpet snake), reflect the community's desire to protect the environment, Ms Hodges said. "Indigenous people for 65,000 years have been maintaining a sustainable environment and we're continuing to do that through the introduction of the two new electric buses," she said. "This is something that the community wanted in regards to making sure this world heritage-listed Daintree National Park was kept safe for future generations." AAP travelled with the assistance of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. Kuku Yalanji people have safeguarded the Daintree Rainforest for thousands of years. And as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to experience the natural beauty of the far-north Queensland region, they are continuing that legacy while also creating opportunities for Indigenous communities. Started by Roy Gibson, a local man with a dream to share culture and help Kuku Yalanji youth, the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre allows for Indigenous heritage and knowledge to be at the forefront of the tourist experience. It also helps to protect the UNESCO world heritage-listed landscapes of the Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The centre's general manager Rachael Hodges, a Goreng Goreng, Girramay, Gunggandji and Kuareg woman, said 500,000 people visited Mossman Gorge each year, creating an opportunity for local self-determination. Giving young people, who face higher unemployment rates in the region, the chance to get qualified and find employment on Country helps create a path for self-determination for the community. "The whole vision about this business and the opportunities that it could provide for our local Yalanji people - and people from right throughout the region - is that they are closer to home," Ms Hodges told AAP. More than 60 per cent of the centre's staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yalangda, or Uncle Skip as he's widely known, is one of the centre's tour guides, all of whom are Kuku Yalanji people. "It does give us a bit of a unique thing to give people the history of the area and we talk to a lot of people about it," he said. "It promotes our Indigenous youth as well and promotes the culture and spreads it out, because if we don't spread that culture, we may lose it." As Uncle Skip guides visitors through the rainforest, he points out plants used for medicine and bush foods, as well as some to avoid. He explains the spiritual and cultural significance of the rainforest, shares stories, ancient knowledge and survival skills, and sprinkles in a few jokes as he leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Uncle Skip said he's been involved in the tourism industry for almost 30 years and led some of the first Dreamtime walks when they were started by Roy Gibson in the late 80s. The thing that he loves most - and the reason he's still in the job - is the opportunity to share his culture with visitors. "I believe a lot of people when they come up north here, especially up to the Mossman Gorge, they really want to know about our people," Uncle Skip said. "Sometimes they walk in with an idea but then when they walk out of here they walk out with a new idea ... they show a bit more appreciation to having an understanding." The centre is operated by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, whose chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith said operating the facility responsibly kept culture strong and protected the environment. "There's nothing more 'made in Australia' than First Nations culture," he said. "It's building an economy. It's not about the social side, it's about the economic side, and actually providing a sustainable contribution to the community." While it was also an award-winning ecotourism facility, the cultural centre was a grassroots business with its heart in community, Ms Hodges said. The deep connection to culture and Country also underpins the centre's sustainability efforts, with the recent addition of two electric buses to shuttle visitors from the centre to the walking trails among its latest initiatives. The shuttle buses, named Kurranji (cassowary) and Kurriyala (carpet snake), reflect the community's desire to protect the environment, Ms Hodges said. "Indigenous people for 65,000 years have been maintaining a sustainable environment and we're continuing to do that through the introduction of the two new electric buses," she said. "This is something that the community wanted in regards to making sure this world heritage-listed Daintree National Park was kept safe for future generations." AAP travelled with the assistance of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. Kuku Yalanji people have safeguarded the Daintree Rainforest for thousands of years. And as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to experience the natural beauty of the far-north Queensland region, they are continuing that legacy while also creating opportunities for Indigenous communities. Started by Roy Gibson, a local man with a dream to share culture and help Kuku Yalanji youth, the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre allows for Indigenous heritage and knowledge to be at the forefront of the tourist experience. It also helps to protect the UNESCO world heritage-listed landscapes of the Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The centre's general manager Rachael Hodges, a Goreng Goreng, Girramay, Gunggandji and Kuareg woman, said 500,000 people visited Mossman Gorge each year, creating an opportunity for local self-determination. Giving young people, who face higher unemployment rates in the region, the chance to get qualified and find employment on Country helps create a path for self-determination for the community. "The whole vision about this business and the opportunities that it could provide for our local Yalanji people - and people from right throughout the region - is that they are closer to home," Ms Hodges told AAP. More than 60 per cent of the centre's staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yalangda, or Uncle Skip as he's widely known, is one of the centre's tour guides, all of whom are Kuku Yalanji people. "It does give us a bit of a unique thing to give people the history of the area and we talk to a lot of people about it," he said. "It promotes our Indigenous youth as well and promotes the culture and spreads it out, because if we don't spread that culture, we may lose it." As Uncle Skip guides visitors through the rainforest, he points out plants used for medicine and bush foods, as well as some to avoid. He explains the spiritual and cultural significance of the rainforest, shares stories, ancient knowledge and survival skills, and sprinkles in a few jokes as he leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Uncle Skip said he's been involved in the tourism industry for almost 30 years and led some of the first Dreamtime walks when they were started by Roy Gibson in the late 80s. The thing that he loves most - and the reason he's still in the job - is the opportunity to share his culture with visitors. "I believe a lot of people when they come up north here, especially up to the Mossman Gorge, they really want to know about our people," Uncle Skip said. "Sometimes they walk in with an idea but then when they walk out of here they walk out with a new idea ... they show a bit more appreciation to having an understanding." The centre is operated by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, whose chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith said operating the facility responsibly kept culture strong and protected the environment. "There's nothing more 'made in Australia' than First Nations culture," he said. "It's building an economy. It's not about the social side, it's about the economic side, and actually providing a sustainable contribution to the community." While it was also an award-winning ecotourism facility, the cultural centre was a grassroots business with its heart in community, Ms Hodges said. The deep connection to culture and Country also underpins the centre's sustainability efforts, with the recent addition of two electric buses to shuttle visitors from the centre to the walking trails among its latest initiatives. The shuttle buses, named Kurranji (cassowary) and Kurriyala (carpet snake), reflect the community's desire to protect the environment, Ms Hodges said. "Indigenous people for 65,000 years have been maintaining a sustainable environment and we're continuing to do that through the introduction of the two new electric buses," she said. "This is something that the community wanted in regards to making sure this world heritage-listed Daintree National Park was kept safe for future generations." AAP travelled with the assistance of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. Kuku Yalanji people have safeguarded the Daintree Rainforest for thousands of years. And as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to experience the natural beauty of the far-north Queensland region, they are continuing that legacy while also creating opportunities for Indigenous communities. Started by Roy Gibson, a local man with a dream to share culture and help Kuku Yalanji youth, the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre allows for Indigenous heritage and knowledge to be at the forefront of the tourist experience. It also helps to protect the UNESCO world heritage-listed landscapes of the Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The centre's general manager Rachael Hodges, a Goreng Goreng, Girramay, Gunggandji and Kuareg woman, said 500,000 people visited Mossman Gorge each year, creating an opportunity for local self-determination. Giving young people, who face higher unemployment rates in the region, the chance to get qualified and find employment on Country helps create a path for self-determination for the community. "The whole vision about this business and the opportunities that it could provide for our local Yalanji people - and people from right throughout the region - is that they are closer to home," Ms Hodges told AAP. More than 60 per cent of the centre's staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yalangda, or Uncle Skip as he's widely known, is one of the centre's tour guides, all of whom are Kuku Yalanji people. "It does give us a bit of a unique thing to give people the history of the area and we talk to a lot of people about it," he said. "It promotes our Indigenous youth as well and promotes the culture and spreads it out, because if we don't spread that culture, we may lose it." As Uncle Skip guides visitors through the rainforest, he points out plants used for medicine and bush foods, as well as some to avoid. He explains the spiritual and cultural significance of the rainforest, shares stories, ancient knowledge and survival skills, and sprinkles in a few jokes as he leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Uncle Skip said he's been involved in the tourism industry for almost 30 years and led some of the first Dreamtime walks when they were started by Roy Gibson in the late 80s. The thing that he loves most - and the reason he's still in the job - is the opportunity to share his culture with visitors. "I believe a lot of people when they come up north here, especially up to the Mossman Gorge, they really want to know about our people," Uncle Skip said. "Sometimes they walk in with an idea but then when they walk out of here they walk out with a new idea ... they show a bit more appreciation to having an understanding." The centre is operated by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, whose chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith said operating the facility responsibly kept culture strong and protected the environment. "There's nothing more 'made in Australia' than First Nations culture," he said. "It's building an economy. It's not about the social side, it's about the economic side, and actually providing a sustainable contribution to the community." While it was also an award-winning ecotourism facility, the cultural centre was a grassroots business with its heart in community, Ms Hodges said. The deep connection to culture and Country also underpins the centre's sustainability efforts, with the recent addition of two electric buses to shuttle visitors from the centre to the walking trails among its latest initiatives. The shuttle buses, named Kurranji (cassowary) and Kurriyala (carpet snake), reflect the community's desire to protect the environment, Ms Hodges said. "Indigenous people for 65,000 years have been maintaining a sustainable environment and we're continuing to do that through the introduction of the two new electric buses," she said. "This is something that the community wanted in regards to making sure this world heritage-listed Daintree National Park was kept safe for future generations." AAP travelled with the assistance of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
Perth Now
24-05-2025
- Perth Now
Ancient legacy continues as tourism mixes with culture
Kuku Yalanji people have safeguarded the Daintree Rainforest for thousands of years. And as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to experience the natural beauty of the far-north Queensland region, they are continuing that legacy while also creating opportunities for Indigenous communities. Started by Roy Gibson, a local man with a dream to share culture and help Kuku Yalanji youth, the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre allows for Indigenous heritage and knowledge to be at the forefront of the tourist experience. It also helps to protect the UNESCO world heritage-listed landscapes of the Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The centre's general manager Rachael Hodges, a Goreng Goreng, Girramay, Gunggandji and Kuareg woman, said 500,000 people visited Mossman Gorge each year, creating an opportunity for local self-determination. Giving young people, who face higher unemployment rates in the region, the chance to get qualified and find employment on Country helps create a path for self-determination for the community. "The whole vision about this business and the opportunities that it could provide for our local Yalanji people - and people from right throughout the region - is that they are closer to home," Ms Hodges told AAP. More than 60 per cent of the centre's staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yalangda, or Uncle Skip as he's widely known, is one of the centre's tour guides, all of whom are Kuku Yalanji people. "It does give us a bit of a unique thing to give people the history of the area and we talk to a lot of people about it," he said. "It promotes our Indigenous youth as well and promotes the culture and spreads it out, because if we don't spread that culture, we may lose it." As Uncle Skip guides visitors through the rainforest, he points out plants used for medicine and bush foods, as well as some to avoid. He explains the spiritual and cultural significance of the rainforest, shares stories, ancient knowledge and survival skills, and sprinkles in a few jokes as he leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Uncle Skip said he's been involved in the tourism industry for almost 30 years and led some of the first Dreamtime walks when they were started by Roy Gibson in the late 80s. The thing that he loves most - and the reason he's still in the job - is the opportunity to share his culture with visitors. "I believe a lot of people when they come up north here, especially up to the Mossman Gorge, they really want to know about our people," Uncle Skip said. "Sometimes they walk in with an idea but then when they walk out of here they walk out with a new idea ... they show a bit more appreciation to having an understanding." The centre is operated by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, whose chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith said operating the facility responsibly kept culture strong and protected the environment. "There's nothing more 'made in Australia' than First Nations culture," he said. "It's building an economy. It's not about the social side, it's about the economic side, and actually providing a sustainable contribution to the community." While it was also an award-winning ecotourism facility, the cultural centre was a grassroots business with its heart in community, Ms Hodges said. The deep connection to culture and Country also underpins the centre's sustainability efforts, with the recent addition of two electric buses to shuttle visitors from the centre to the walking trails among its latest initiatives. The shuttle buses, named Kurranji (cassowary) and Kurriyala (carpet snake), reflect the community's desire to protect the environment, Ms Hodges said. "Indigenous people for 65,000 years have been maintaining a sustainable environment and we're continuing to do that through the introduction of the two new electric buses," she said. "This is something that the community wanted in regards to making sure this world heritage-listed Daintree National Park was kept safe for future generations." AAP travelled with the assistance of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
West Australian
24-05-2025
- West Australian
Ancient legacy continues as tourism mixes with culture
Kuku Yalanji people have safeguarded the Daintree Rainforest for thousands of years. And as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to experience the natural beauty of the far-north Queensland region, they are continuing that legacy while also creating opportunities for Indigenous communities. Started by Roy Gibson, a local man with a dream to share culture and help Kuku Yalanji youth, the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre allows for Indigenous heritage and knowledge to be at the forefront of the tourist experience. It also helps to protect the UNESCO world heritage-listed landscapes of the Daintree, which is the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The centre's general manager Rachael Hodges, a Goreng Goreng, Girramay, Gunggandji and Kuareg woman, said 500,000 people visited Mossman Gorge each year, creating an opportunity for local self-determination. Giving young people, who face higher unemployment rates in the region, the chance to get qualified and find employment on Country helps create a path for self-determination for the community. "The whole vision about this business and the opportunities that it could provide for our local Yalanji people - and people from right throughout the region - is that they are closer to home," Ms Hodges told AAP. More than 60 per cent of the centre's staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yalangda, or Uncle Skip as he's widely known, is one of the centre's tour guides, all of whom are Kuku Yalanji people. "It does give us a bit of a unique thing to give people the history of the area and we talk to a lot of people about it," he said. "It promotes our Indigenous youth as well and promotes the culture and spreads it out, because if we don't spread that culture, we may lose it." As Uncle Skip guides visitors through the rainforest, he points out plants used for medicine and bush foods, as well as some to avoid. He explains the spiritual and cultural significance of the rainforest, shares stories, ancient knowledge and survival skills, and sprinkles in a few jokes as he leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. Uncle Skip said he's been involved in the tourism industry for almost 30 years and led some of the first Dreamtime walks when they were started by Roy Gibson in the late 80s. The thing that he loves most - and the reason he's still in the job - is the opportunity to share his culture with visitors. "I believe a lot of people when they come up north here, especially up to the Mossman Gorge, they really want to know about our people," Uncle Skip said. "Sometimes they walk in with an idea but then when they walk out of here they walk out with a new idea ... they show a bit more appreciation to having an understanding." The centre is operated by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, whose chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith said operating the facility responsibly kept culture strong and protected the environment. "There's nothing more 'made in Australia' than First Nations culture," he said. "It's building an economy. It's not about the social side, it's about the economic side, and actually providing a sustainable contribution to the community." While it was also an award-winning ecotourism facility, the cultural centre was a grassroots business with its heart in community, Ms Hodges said. The deep connection to culture and Country also underpins the centre's sustainability efforts, with the recent addition of two electric buses to shuttle visitors from the centre to the walking trails among its latest initiatives. The shuttle buses, named Kurranji (cassowary) and Kurriyala (carpet snake), reflect the community's desire to protect the environment, Ms Hodges said. "Indigenous people for 65,000 years have been maintaining a sustainable environment and we're continuing to do that through the introduction of the two new electric buses," she said. "This is something that the community wanted in regards to making sure this world heritage-listed Daintree National Park was kept safe for future generations." AAP travelled with the assistance of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
