What is Dreamtime? Dreamtime by dictionary.com definition, is the ancient time of the creation of all things by sacred ancestors, whose spirits continue into the present, as conceived in the mythology of the Australian Aborigines. The dreamtime is used to describe important features of Aboriginal existence and beliefs. Dreamtime dates back over 65,000 years. It shares the story of how events happened, how the universe came to be, how human beings were created and what their functions within this world were to be. During the Dreamtime the creators made men, women, and animals, declared the laws of the land and how people were to behave to one another, the customs of food supply and distribution, the rituals and ceremonies of death and marriage. Dreamtime is part of the very essence and reason for being here and will always be the center of existence for Australia’s Aboriginal Culture.
A Dreamtime walk in Mossman Gorge gives us a look into these beliefs, customs, stories, and ways of the indigenous people originating from the far north Queensland rainforest. It is a “must do” for any visit to this region of northern Queensland. Mossman gorge lies within the Daintree National Park, a world heritage listed site. The walks are led by locals from the Kuku Yalanji. These people have been present in the rain forest are for over 50,000 years.
The walks take visitors on a gentle journey on easy tracks meandering along rainforest streams and stopping at significant sites, shelters, and other culturally significant spots. The walk begins with a traditional “smoking” ceremony that cleanse and wards off the bad spirits. Your guide will introduce you to bush food sources, demonstrate how they were used and share stories along the way of their people. Discover soap bush, the difference between boomerangs, the traditional art of face painting, and more before your tour concludes with a bush tea and damper. It is a very soul lifting experience. The gorge is situated conveniently near Port Douglas and easily works into a nice 2-3 night stay in this north part of Queensland.
Lisa Rossmeissl is the owner of Boomerang Escapes, a home-based agency located in Old Bridge, New Jersey with agents in TN, MS, and WI.
She has been a professional travel consultant since 2008 and specializes in Australia and the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, and Cook Islands are among the specialist certificates she holds. Her agency’s focus is on creating custom itineraries with their client’s wants, desires, and budgets in mind. She and her planners believe in getting to know the traveler to ensure they have a vacation to remember. With each planner specializing in a different market area, Boomerang Escapes can offer a wide variety of leisure vacation planning.
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