Mossman is a small town in Australia located north of Cairns on the Captain Cook Highway . Mossman is considered the center of sugar production in the region. West of Mossman is the Mossman Gorge on the Mossman River.
history
View of Mossman ca.1910
A farm was first built on what is now Mossman a few months after Port Douglas was founded in 1877. By the mid-1880s there were several properties on the Mossman River growing sugar cane, corn, citrus fruits and bananas. The first sugar mill was not profitable in 1883 and ceased operations after two seasons. In 1893 another sugar mill was planned, which went into operation in 1897. A tram connected the mill with the river, and further rails were laid to the sugar cane fields by 1899. In 1900 the tram connection was extended to Port Douglas so that the sugar could be loaded at the port there.
Mossman grew quickly. In addition to 35 farmers, there was a postman, a blacksmith, butcher, baker, painter, freight forwarder, elementary school and hotel in Mossman in 1899. In 1902 there were already four hotels, an art school and a shop. In 1906 a Catholic church was built. In 1908 there was also a bank, a horse racing club, a drugstore and a textile store. In the 1920s the place gained further economic importance and in 1933 it became the seat of the Shires and Court of Justice. As a result, Mossman's importance was further enhanced by the completion of the Captain Cook Highway . The hospital was also moved to Mossman in 1930. In 1933 the population was 1285, in 1966 1614. Mossman reached the highest population in 2001 with 1941 inhabitants. In 2016 there were 1762 inhabitants.
In 1952 the first agricultural exhibition took place in Mossman.
