With a well-documented roster of snakes, spiders, and sharks claiming residence, Australia is known the world over as a hotspot for frightening (and fascinating) wildlife. But did you know that its most dangerous organism may just be a plant? Introducing the gympie-gympie, or Australian stinging tree.
Our Aboriginal guide leading an Odysseys tour. Photo credit: Odysseys employee Jillian M.
During our visit to Mossman Gorge in Australia on both Australia in Depth and Exploring Australia & New Zealand, guests have the opportunity to walk through this lush jungle environment, guided either by an experienced local driver-guide (on Australia in Depth) or a member of the Ngadiku (pronounced Nar-di-gul) Aborginal tribe (on Exploring Australia & New Zealand, pictured here). Our Aboriginal guide leads our group through the rainforest, sharing insight into how the Aboriginal tribes here tell stories to pass on information from generation to generation, and how they live off the land.
During the walk on Exploring Australia & New Zealand, guests learn how to find sources of water, how to mix paint from natural resources, and how to spot classic Australian flora and fauna. They also take part in a ceremony welcoming them to the rainforest, and cleansing them of any bad energy that may be lingering before the adventure through nature.
On this particular tour, the guide was able to point out the infamous gympie-gympie – and make sure that they gave it a wide berth.
Our Aboriginal guide shows his group the gympie-gympie (from a safe distance). Photo credit: Jillian M.
This highly dangerous plant, nicknamed the “Australian stinging tree," sports large, heart-shaped leaves covered in hollow, microscopic hairs. If touched, each of these fibers becomes a tiny needle which produces a painful sting, a sensation that can sometimes last for several weeks!
Luckily though, our local guides and tour directors are trained professionals … rest assured that if they spot a gympie-gympie during your rainforest walk at Mossman Gorge, they’ll point it out, explain its dangers, and allow you to pass it safely by.
Once you've returned from this enlightening experience on either Australia in Depth or Exploring Australia & New Zealand, there's much more to see and do. City tours of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, and Auckland, otherworldly experiences at Uluru, a semi-submersible ride along the Great Barrier Reef, and majestic nature experiences across both New Zealand islands only scratch the surface of our touring in the Lands Down Under. Click each tour's link to explore both of these adventures for yourself.
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