Land Purchase to Save the Daintree Rainforest

PURCHASE OF LOT 213 TEAK ROAD, COW BAY IN THE DAINTREE LOWLAND RAINFOREST

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Action: Purchase and protection of Lot 213 Teak Road (Lot 110 RP 738992) 

Area: 1.00 hectares 

Location: Cow Bay, Daintree Lowland Rainforest, Queensland

Vegetation type: Regional Ecosystem 7.3.20e listed as “Of Concern” under the Vegetation Management Act 1999.

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

Lot 213 Teak Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest

Lot 213 Teak Road at Cow Bay provides a habitat for the endangered Cassowary and two threatened species of plants. The rainforest on privately owned freehold properties at Cow Bay are at risk of clearing. As this property was zoned for development by the Douglas Shire Council we prioritised its acquisition for conservation. 

Before we made the decision to purchase this Daintree Rainforest property, we thoroughly assessed its value to conservation. A vegetation survey was undertaken of Lot 213 Teak Road, Cow Bay on the 27th of July 2021 by ecologist Kristopher Kupsch. The survey identified the vegetation on Lot 213 Teak Road contained 'of concern' biodiversity. The survey also identified the presence of 128 native plant species. Please see the results of the survey here.

Of particular importance is the Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii). 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. It is listed as Near Threatened under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Flowers of the Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii)

During the survey, we also identified Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura). This tree produces large yellow oblong-shaped fruits that are dispersed by the Southern Cassowary. The 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. It is listed as Near Threatened under the Queensland Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1992.

Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura)

Another feature of the property is the local endemic Daintree Foambark tree (Jagera madida). This species only occurs in the lowland rainforests between Julatten – Bloomfield. It is noticeable by the pinkish ferny new growth and often single straight stem seldom branching. Its trunk is often completely covered in lichen of various shades of grey.

Please, make your tax-deductible donation today to help purchase and protect Lot 213 Teak Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Daintree Foambark (Jagera madida)

We also identified the Daintree Satinash (Syzygium monospermum). This species is only found in lowland rainforests between Cape Tribulation and Julatten. 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 would disperse it. This tree was only botanically named in 2003. This unique tree species has a symbiotic relationship with Ants that inhabit the trunk of the tree. Little is known of the reason why Ants colonise the trunk of this tree however it is known that the internal structure of the tree is a purpose-built network of tunnels that allow Ants to undertake their entire life cycle, what the tree benefits from this is little known and currently remains unstudied.

Daintree Satinash (Syzygium monospermum).

Lot 213 Teak Road has Regional Ecosystem 7.3.20e which is listed as “Of Concern” under the Queensland Vegetation Management Act 1999. The vegetation on Lot 213 also provides habitat for the Endangered Southern Cassowary. Lot 213 Teak Road has many native plants that produce fruits for Cassowaries and other species of rainforest birds. 11 species of native Laurel are found on Lot 213. These trees produce fleshy fruits favoured by Cassowaries.

In 1988 the Daintree National Park was expanded and was included in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. This should have seen the land at Lot Lot 213 Teak Road protected forever. However, two-thirds of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest, the land between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation had been carved up for a rural residential subdivision in 1982 and was excluded from World Heritage listing.

Lot 213 Teak Road is located at Cow Bay in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. Buying land in this location helps us to reverse the impacts of the disastrous 1980’s rural residential subdivision. We are focusing our efforts at Cow Bay as scientists have identified this area as providing an “Essential habitat for the Endangered Southern Cassowary”.

Please make a donation to purchase and protect the next property in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.