In 1988 the Wet Tropics of Queensland was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The Douglas Shire Council moved into new offices in Mossman in 1996 just before
the biggest floods since 1952. The Daintree River was 2 kms wide.

In 2006, the award-winning Douglas Shire Planning Scheme came into effect with development controls for the Daintree lowlands.  The following year, the Eastern Yalanji Land Use Agreement was signed acknowledging traditional ownership of 230,000 hectares of land including Daintree and Cape Tribulation National parks.

The Mossman Sugar Mill has diversified into low GI sugar and chocolate and tourism continues to thrive, with visitors treasuring their visits to the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest.