Daintree National Park, National park in northern Queensland, Australia.
The Daintree is a protected area in northern Queensland covering two separate sections of tropical rainforest between Mossman and Cooktown. Trees grow close together here, ferns cover the ground, and the canopy forms an almost continuous green umbrella over some areas.
Protection of this rainforest became official in the late 1980s after years of debate over logging and land use. Shortly after, the area received its World Heritage status as part of the Wet Tropics.
The local Kuku Yalanji people still live in close connection with this land and share their knowledge of plants and wildlife with visitors. Many walking tracks carry names in their language and explain how they have used the resources of the rainforest for centuries.
Most trails run over boardwalks or packed paths that can become slippery when wet. It is best to start early in the morning when temperatures are more comfortable and wildlife is more active.
Some trees still carry traces of growth patterns that existed before Australia separated from Antarctica. In some places you can find plants whose closest relatives live only on other continents.
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