Mountain tea tree at Sunrise

Mossman Bluff Monolith

This granite monolith has been called the Devils Thumb. In his book "From the Heart - celebrating 20 Years of Wet Tropics of Qld World Heritage Area", Ron Haines calls this monolith 'Devils Thumb' (see page 12 and 13). As previously noted, others refer to The Pinnacle as the Devils Thumb. If anybody can solve this mystery please contact me.

Upper Mossman Gorge

There is controversy over the naming of the Mossman Bluff. It is called the Devils Thumb in the 1983 topographic maps, Wet Tropics Vegetation Maps 2013 and Google Earth app Qld Globe 2013. Conversely, some locals, guide books and Qld Gov Dept. call the Pinnacle (from Whyanbeel Valley) the Devils Thumb. If anybody can resolve this with constructive comments please contact me via the contact page.

Sunset Mossman Bluff

The highest point above and to the right of the bushwalker is an unnamed peak that is marked as 1378m on the 1983 topographical maps. This makes it the 3rd highest peak in Queensland after Mt Bartle Frere (1622m) and Mt Bellenden Ker (1593m), closely followed by Mt Roberts (1375m) and Thornton Peak (1374m). Google earth actually gives it at1379m. I call it Yalanji Peak.

Mossman Bluff Icon

Over eons, the Mossman River has carved this massive cliff out of the Carbine Tablelands granite. The Whypalla Supersuite, the geological name for the type of granite the Bluff is made of, is one of the largest single types of granite intrusions in the region.

Snapper Is from The Bluff

At dawn from Mossman Bluff, Snapper Island looks like a giant crocodile exiting the mouth of the Daintree River.

Mossman Bluff Detail

Wurrumbu is an area of significance within the traditional lands of the Kuku Yalanji people. It is part of the Kuku Yalanji cultural landscape that enables the contemporary exercise of culture and assists in transmission of culture to future generations.

Mossman & Port Douglas From Bluff.

In 1878 Dan Hart, a native of Jamaica, finally secured land in Mossman. His Jamaican experience helped him pioneer sugar cane growing in the district. He also grew vegetables, maize, coffee, persimmons, pomoloes, mangoes, pineapples, citrus, coconuts, and bananas on his property, Coolshade. Mossman was first called Hartsville, and then Thooleer after the property near the port on the river.

Mossman Bluff-Mossman River Lookout

This image is taken opposite the Bluff with the Mossman River seen to the bottom right. One can imagine the torrential floods that occur every wet season as the surrounding country can receive 4-8 metres of rain per year.

Red Lichen Mossman Bluff

The horizontal light at sunset picks up the red in the lichen causing a red glow to the mountain tea tree.

Mossman Bluff from Dixon Inlet

Mossman Bluff looms over Mossman R.

Mossman Bluff - Cloud Forest

The rainforests on top of the Bluff efficiently strip moisture from the clouds – an important source of water for creeks and rivers, particularly in the dry season.

Mossman Gorge Detail.

Mossman Bluff hangs over Mossman River. The rough and difficult nature of the area for bushwalking can be seen.

Red Lichen Mossman Bluff

Lichen is a two way beneficial relationship ( mutualism) between fungi and algae, The fungi gives structure the algae gets energy from the sun through photosynthesis. The combination of algae and fungi is older that plant life on land and is greater then the some of its parts.

Mossman Bluff Detail.

According to an online rock climbing web site, this sheer granite wall was climbed for the first time by two climbers in 2000.

Mossman Bluff From Helicopter

Sunset Mossman Bluff.

Throughout the local area the profile of Mossman Bluff is a very familiar sight. The sheer northern edge with the triangular summit and the gently sloping southern edge are a local landmark.

Mossman Bluff Detail