Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/122153
drivetime 10 minutes out of Port Douglas. A bus meets a small group of us at the Mossman Gorge Centre, where there is a building for staff training, the idea being to train local Indigenous people, who know the area well, to impart their stories and culture to visitors. The entire complex is an architectural delight; the main entrance features a sculpted wall that imitates the shape of a Daintree nut. The building also houses a gallery for local and leading Far North Queensland Indigenous artists, a cafe and an information desk. Cameron, a tall man in his 30s, is from the Kuku Yalanji tribe. The tract of rainforest I'm visiting was his backyard when he was growing up. "You always look after your land and it will look after you," he says, wisely, before we all take part in a traditional smoking ceremony where we stand in the smoke of a fire that he has lit. It's his way of welcoming us to his land – we are cleansed and bad spirits are warded off. "You'll be safe walking through the rainforests, as my ancestors now know you are here and will walk with you," he says. After Cameron asks each of us to choose a walking stick made from a local tree that feels like a good fit, we head off into some of the most lush, dense, emerald-green rainforest I've ever seen. Along with the giant ferns, the tree canopy and vines overhead make me feel very small, like an insect completely covered from sight, as I move along the well-worn, rich soil pathways that snake through the undergrowth. We stop at humpies (Aboriginal huts) and other fascinating spots, where Cameron explains traditional plant use and sources of bush tucker. He tells stories of his people and reminisces about exploring and learning Previous page, above and right: The gorgeous coastal scenery surrounding Port Douglas; Indigenous guide Cameron Buchanan demonstrates the local Aboriginal body art style; a sample of local bush tucker. 31