Daintree National Park
| Daintree National Park | |
|---|---|
A typical rainforest scene in Daintree National Park | |
Daintree National Park | |
| Location | Queensland |
| Nearest city | Daintree |
| Coordinates | 16°18′S 145°12′E / 16.3°S 145.2°E |
| Area | 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi) |
| Established | 1988 |
| Visitors | 753,000 (domestic visitors only) (in 2012) |
| Governing body | Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Website | https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/daintree |
Daintree National Park is located in Far North Queensland, Australia, about 100 km (62 mi) northwest of Cairns. It was founded in 1981 and is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. In 1988, it became a World Heritage Site. The park consists of two sections—Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation, with a settled agricultural area between them which includes the towns of Mossman and Daintree Village.
One entrance to Daintree National Park is located south of the Daintree River at Mossman Gorge where a visitor centre has been built from where tourists take a shuttle bus to the gorge, where they can take a walk or a refreshing swim.
Daintree National Park is valued because of its exceptional biodiversity. It contains significant habitat for rare species and prolific birdlife. The name is derived from the Daintree River, which was named by George Elphinstone Dalrymple, an early explorer of the area, after his friend Richard Daintree.
In 2021, a historic deal made with the Queensland government has led to the eastern Kuku Yalanji people taking formal ownership of Daintree National Park.