Thanks to our incredible donors and our partners, HalfCut and Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, we’ve been able to purchase and protect 12 lots in the Daintree in just 12 months. Home to many threatened species, the 21.1648 hectares we’ve protected in 2021-22 will now be managed for conservation.

Below is a snapshot of each property and some of the special plants and animals found onsite.

Lot 373 Hickory Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1-hectare

Settlement: July 2022

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii), China Camp Laurel (Beilschmiedia castrisinensis), Gray’s Walnut (Endiandra grayi), Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra microneura), Fragrant Boxwood (Xanthophyllum fragrans). 

A vegetation survey identified 210 native plant species including 4 plant species listed on the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992; China Camp Laurel (Beilschmiedia castrisinensis), Gray’s Walnut (Endiandra grayi), Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra microneura), and the Fragrant Boxwood (Xanthophyllum fragrans). There are also 5 endemic plant species that have their distribution largely restricted to the Daintree lowlands. 

The Fragrant Boxwood (Xanthophyllum fragrans) was identified as one mature-sized specimen. This is the first record of this Threatened species on any of the properties surveyed thus far. The specimen is approximately 10m tall and mature. It produces fragrant showy white flowers and large orange fruits.

Lot 373 Hickory Road provides essential habitat for the Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) which is listed as Endangered in the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. This property shares a boundary with the Daintree National Park / World Heritage Area. Evidence of the Southern Cassowary using the property was confirmed by dung. Cassowaries are regularly sighted in the adjoining Daintree National Park and on nearby properties.

Lot 257 Silver Ash Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1.09-hectares

Settlement: May 2022

Threatened Species: Endangered Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii), Macleay's Fig-Parrots (Cyclopsitta diophthalma macleayana), Greys Walnut (Endiandra grayi), Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra microneura), Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii)

258 native plant species were identified on this site including three listed in Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act (1992):  Daintree Gardenia Randia audasii, Noah’s Walnut Endiandra microneura and Greys Walnut Endiandra grayi. The Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii) is common on Lot 257 and represents a significant site for the species occurrence and potential for its continued preservation.

Hope’s Cycad (Lepidozamia hopei) occurs on the site - the largest growing Cycad in the world with evolutionary links dating back some 200 million years.

There are also 4 endemic plant species that have their distribution largely restricted to the Daintree lowlands. Daintree Foambark tree (Jagera madida), Daintree Satinash (Syzygium monospermum), Daintree Cleistanthus (Cleistanthus myrianthus), and the Cooper Creek Haplostichanthus (Polyalthia xanthocarpa). 

Evidence of the Southern Cassowary using the property was confirmed by dung. Cassowaries are regularly sighted in the adjoining Daintree National Park and on nearby properties.

Lot 11 Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1.2-hectares

Settlement: February 2022

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, China Camp Laurel, Gray’s Walnut, Noah’s Walnut

Our survey of this block identified 185 species of native plants and confirmed this property as a stomping ground of the endangered Southern Cassowary.­ 

There are many species of native Laurels which provide fruits for Cassowaries and evidence of them using the property was confirmed by footprints and dung. 

Three plant species found on Lot 11 are listed in the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992: China Camp Laurel, Gray’s Walnut and Noah’s Walnut.

The China Camp Laurel 9 Beilschmiedia castrisinensis) only grows in the Daintree Rainforest between the Daintree River and the Bloomfield River. The species was found on Lot 11 as a single seedling within Cassowary droppings. The seeds are the largest of all native Laurels and rely on dispersal by Cassowaries and potentially very localised dispersal by Musky Rat-kangaroos. 

Gray’s Walnut (Endiandra grayi) was also found on Lot 11 as a single seedling and Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura)was found on Lot 11 as young seedlings germinating within Cassowary dung. 

Lot 8 Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1-hectare

Settlement: February 2022

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Macleay's Fig-parrot, Noah's Walnut, China Camp Laurel, Grey's Walnut

Lot 8 Buchanan Creek Road is essential habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary and many beautiful Fan Palms (Licuala ramsayi) and Zamia Ferns (Bowenia spectabilis) cover the site.

Our survey of Lot 8 also identified the presence of the Cooper Creek Haplostichanthus (Polyalthia xanthocarpa) which grows as an understorey shrub to 3m in height and is endemic to the rainforests of the Daintree lowland. It is a recently described species formally recognised in 2007 as Haplostichanthus ramiflorus and then redescribed as Polyalthia xanthocarpa in 2012.

We also found many specimens of the Black Palm (Normanbya normanbyi) on Lot 8. This single-stemmed palm grows up to 30 m tall and the fruits are eaten by the endangered Southern Cassowary.

All-in-all a total of 176 species of native plants were found on the property including three Threatened species, the Noah's Walnut, China Camp Laurel, and Grey's Walnut. Lot 8 is also home to the Macleay’s Fig-parrot, Australia's smallest parrot, and another threatened species. 

Lot 213 Teak Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1-hectare

Settlement: December 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Daintree Gardenia, Noah's Walnut

128 native plant species were surveyed on the site. Of particular importance is the Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii) which is listed as Near Threatened under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992). This small tree is endemic to Far North Queensland and is restricted to the area between Cooktown, Cairns, and Atherton. It produces white perfumed flowers and fruit that are orange when ripe.

Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura), also listed as Near Threatened, also occurs onsite. This tree produces large yellow oblong-shaped fruits that are dispersed by the Southern Cassowary. The species is only found naturally within the Daintree rainforest predominately north of the Daintree River and south of Cape Tribulation. This tree is noticeable in the forest as it produces a vibrant display of limp red new leaves. 

Another feature of the property is the local endemic Daintree Foambark tree (Jagera madida) which only occurs in the lowland rainforests between Julatten and Bloomfield and the Daintree Satinash (Syzygium monospermum) which only occurs between Julatten and Cape Tribulation. The tree provides food for the Endangered Southern Cassowary and owing to the size of its large white fruit that it produces straight from the trunk (an adaptation called cauliflory), few other animals other than possibly fruit bats disperse it. 

11 species of native Laurel that produce fleshy fruits favoured by Cassowaries are also found on Lot 213.

Lot 242 White Beech Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1.33-hectares

Settlement: December 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary

Lot 242 White Beech Road shares a boundary with the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area and is also essential habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary.

The broad vegetation ecosystems within the lot are Rainforest and Eucalypt woodlands to open forests. The latter is the dominant broad vegetation ecosystem with >90% of the property being within this Eucalypt woodlands to open forest ecosystem. 

The dominant sclerophyll species of trees are all estimated to be 80-100 years old indicating the last fire occurred at that time. The majority of the vegetation is significantly denser being a diverse rainforest understorey. Since fire is now seldom experienced in the Daintree lowlands it is assumed that this forest habitat will omit Sclerophyll species as time lengthens.

Lot 242 White Beech Road is a freehold property created through the subdivision of land in 1982 and the purchase of this property complements the buyback of land in Cow Bay that has occurred over the past three decades.

Lot 18 Daley Close, Kimberley

Size:0.9588-hectares

Settlement: November 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Noah's Walnut

The vegetation on Lot 18 Daley Close is intact with no evidence of past clearing and provides habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary and the rare Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo. An important plant found on the property is Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra micronuera) which is listed as Near Threatened under the Queensland Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

An important plant found on the property is Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra micronuera) which is listed as Near Threatened under the Queensland Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Noah’s Walnut produces large yellow oblong-shaped fruits that are dispersed by the Southern Cassowary. This species is only found naturally within the Daintree rainforests predominately north of the Daintree River and south of Cape Tribulation. This tree is noticeable in the forest as it produces a vibrant display of limp red new leaves. 

Rainforest 4 Founder Kelvin Davies said that finding threatened species like Noah’s Walnut on the properties we buy reminds us of how critical it is to prevent further clearing from occurring in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Lot 21 Camelot Close, Cape Tribulation

Size: 2.306-hectares  

Settlement: October 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo, Noah’s Walnut, Gray’s Walnut

The rainforest on Lot 21 Camelot Close is one of the best examples of undisturbed Lowland Tropical Rainforest remaining in Australia with a total of 215 native plants identified onsite.

This undisturbed rainforest provides excellent habitat for the rare Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo which has been sighted on or near the property. Our survey identified the Boyd’s Forest Dragon (Lophosaurus boydii) – found only in rainforests in the Wet Tropics region of North Queensland, and the property also provides excellent habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary.

Great numbers of species occur within the Lauraceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae and Sapindaceae plant families which provide food for rainforest frugivorous birds The larger fruiting Lauraceae, Endiandra grayi and E. microneura are important food for Cassowaries.

Greys Walnut (Endiandra grayi) and Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra microneura) are found onsite and listed as Threatened species. Four locally endemic plants are also found on the property. Daintree Cleistanthus Cooper Creek Haplostichanthus, Walters False Uvaria, and Daintree Satinash.

Lot 21 also has many examples of Hope’s Cycad - the largest growing cycad in the world and once utilised by Aboriginal people as a food source with evolutionary links dating back some 200 million years.

Lot 110 Palm Road, Diwan                      

Size: 8.09-hectares

Settlement: October 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo, and seven species of plants

Covered in the most stunning Fan Palm (Licuala ramsayi) rainforest you could imagine, this forest type is significant as a Regional Ecosystem in its own right. But Lot 110 also contains 199 other species of native plants including 7 that are Threatened.

China Camp Laurel, Noah’s Walnut, Grey’s Walnut, Climbing Pandanus, Daintree Ryparosa, Ant Plant, and Isachne sharpii (no common name) are all listed under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act (1992) and are all found on Lot 110, which shares a boundary with the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.

Grey’s Walnut (Endiandra grayi) is a large growing Laurel tree only found between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation in lowland rainforest. Its large seeds are dispersed solely by the Southern Cassowary. It has a large leaf with a distinctive glaucous, whitish underside.

Isachne sharpii is a highly localised and Endangered small grass. This plant was first identified in 2001 from specimens found less than 1km from Lot 110 but it was only confirmed as a new species in 2010.

Lot 505 Cedar Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1-hectare

Settlement: November 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary

Contains 117 native plant species as well as vegetation that has never experienced clear felling

Daintree Foambark (Jagera madida) is a special plant found on site. A local, endemic tree, it occurs only in the lowland rainforests between Julatten (southwest of Port Douglas) and Bloomfield. It is identifiable by its pinkish, ferny new grown and often by its single, straight stem which seldom branches. Its trunk is often completely covered in lichen of various shades of grey.

In addition, 12 species of native Laurel are found on the block. These trees produce fleshy fruits which are favoured by Cassowaries and many other bird species.

A feature of the property is the many large trees including, Grey Teak (Gmelina dalrympleana), Red Beech (Dillenia alata), Porcelain Fruit (Fagraea cambagei), Native Gardenias (Atractocarpus fitzalanii and A.sessilis) and Alligatorbark (Calophyllum sil).

 

Lot 176 Quandong Road, Cow Bay

Size: 1.02-hectare

Settlement: August 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Noah's Walnut

Our ecologist surveyed Lot 176 Quandong Road and found remnant vegetation with little human interference. The property has 152 native species as well as an ecosystem with dominant Sclerophyll elements.

The vegetation on Lot 505 is experiencing change in the absence of fire. The canopy consists of Brown Salwood (Acacia celsa), Blue Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis), Acacia polystachya, Red Mahogany (Eucalyptus pellita), Narrow leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra) and Pink Bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia). These trees are all estimated to be 80-100 years old indicating the last fire occurred at this time.

Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura), listed as Near Threatened, occurs at this site. This species is only found within the Daintree Lowland Rainforest predominately north of the Daintree River and south of Cape Tribulation. It produces a vibrant display of limp, red, new leaves as well as large, yellow, oblong-shaped fruits that are dispersed by the Southern Cassowary.

The local endemic tree, Queensland Golden Showers (Cassia queenslandica) is seldomly encountered in this area but was identified from one tree onsite which was fruiting at the time of this assessment.

This property provides important habitat for the Endangered Southern Cassowary with many species of plants like the Cassowary Plum (Cerbera floribunda) producing fleshy fruits.  The Cassowary and the Cassowary plum have a mutually beneficial, symbiotic relationship. The plum provides food for the Cassowary and the Cassowary spreads the seeds of the tree throughout the rainforest.

Lot 2 Thornton Peak Drive, Forest Creek  

Size: 1.17-hectares

Settlement: August 2021

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Noah's Walnut, China Camp Laurel, Thornton Aspen, Ant Plant

A small creek runs through the rainforest where the presence of the Southern Cassowary has been observed. The rare Bennetts Tree-kangaroo has also been sighted nearby.

Fan Palms (Licuala ramsayii) occur on the property along with 230 other species of native plants, four of which are listed as threatened: Noah’s Walnut, China Camp Laurel, Thornton Aspen and the Ant plant.

Ant Plant (Myrmecodia beccarii) is one of the Daintree’s most fascinating plants (there are many to choose from). The Ant Plant is epiphytic, growing harmlessly on Melaleucas and other plants with spongy bark, yet it is not parasitic. It has a special association with the Golden Ant (Iridomyrmex cordatus) which lives in the chambers of its tuber. What’s more, the Apollo Butterfly lays its eggs on this plant. The Golden Ants carry the butterfly eggs into the tuber chambers where they develop as butterflies. The Ant Plant’s flowers are white and tubular, to 10mm, and the fruit is white/translucent containing a single seed. These single seeds are transported to other trees by the Mistletoe bird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum).