The Mossman Gorge Centre, the Indigenous eco-tourism development which acts as a gateway to the Mossman Gorge World Heritage site in Far North Queensland, has appointed Rachael Hodges to the role of general manager.
Rachael commenced at Mossman Gorge Centre in April 2012 as operations manager, just prior to the official opening of the facility. Of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, Rachael’s people come from the Goreng Goreng/Girramay/Gunggandji groups of Queensland and the Kuareg people of the Torres Strait.
Before joining the Centre, Rachael was acting CEO for Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku (BBN) Aboriginal Corporation, located at the Mossman Gorge Aboriginal community, where she had also managed the Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime Walks.
In her new role, Rachael will be responsible for overseeing all operational and business aspects of the Centre which provides visitor information, showcases the local Kuku Yalanji art gallery and retail store, houses the Mayi café and facilitates shuttle bus transport to the Gorge.
She will also continue to work closely with Uncle Roy Gibson, the visionary behind the founding of the Centre, the training school and the Dreamtime Gorge Walk which gives visitors a deeper understanding of the Daintree Forest and provides employment opportunities for the local community.
Rachael said “It is a privilege to be appointed as general manager for the Mossman Gorge Centre and I am extremely excited about the journey ahead. We have a resilient team who have been able to adapt to the new COVID environment. I am a strong believer in empowering our people through employment and training opportunities and this has been, and will continue to be, at the heart of my journey.”
Commenting on the appointment, Matthew Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia said “This appointment is a great step forward in increasing our indigenous workforce at a senior management level. We are delighted that Rachael was interested in taking on this new challenge and look forward to her bringing her expertise and her vision to the Centre.”
IMAGE: Rachael Hodges and Roy Gibson – Mossman Gorge Centre, Far North Queensland
