The rate of land sales in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest has rapidly escalated due to Covid-19. In response, we urgently need to increase our buyback of land and directly compete with those that would develop the world's oldest rainforest. As we are witnessing an increase in clearing for housing development we must act now.

Kelvin Davies in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest

Help stop the VESPA’s.

The impact of Covid-19 has seen a significant increase in the number of people seeking to move from the major cities to smaller cities, towns, and rural areas in Australia. They have become known as Virus Escapees Seeking Provincial Australia, or VESPA’s. This phenomenon has now reached the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and I have not observed a higher level of sales and competition in the twenty years that I have been monitoring the Daintree property market.

We are now seeing another wave of development occurring with more rainforests being cleared over recent weeks and months.  

We must now and help buy back land in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest before its developed for housing. 

We have an ambitious goal to purchase and protect 12 Daintree Rainforest properties in 2021. However, we do need to complete the fundraising for Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road before we make many more commitments. I need to reach the fundraising goal of $404,685 for this property by the end of February as that will set us up for a successful 2021. Please, donate now and we’ll complete the purchase of Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road.

As soon as we've finalised the purchase of Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road we will immediately take action to purchase another Daintree Rainforest property and protect it forever. 

We've now raised $295,650 to purchase and protect Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road. That leaves a remaining target of $109,035. 

The rainforest vegetation found on Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road is the grandest and most archaic of all rainforests in Australia. The endangered Cassowary, rare Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo, and the Musky Rat-kangaroo are all found here, however, on this 8.0937-hectare property, is also zoned by the Douglas Shire Council as suitable for development. 

We cannot let this property be developed for housing. 

Please, donate now and we’ll purchase more Daintree Rainforest Properties. 

Please, will you help purchase and protect Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road in the Daintree Rainforest. Every $2.50 you donate will help save one square metre of the Daintree. If you donate $25 you will help save ten square meters of essential Cassowary habitat! A donation of $50 will help save 20 square meters and $100 will help save forty square meters of the World Heritage value Daintree Rainforest.

Cash is King

Now that there is increased interest in purchasing Daintree Rainforest properties vendors have more options.

We’ve been outcompeted on the purchase of multiple properties in the last few months due to the longer timelines needed to run our established and successful process for acquiring properties for conservation. This has involved negotiating a contract with a longer settlement date providing us with the opportunity to secure an option on a property and then raise the funds. This has worked very well and in 2020 we acquired six properties, however, in 2021 to secure these properties for conservation we need to have cash. In December I attempted to purchase a property in Bloodwood Road in Cow Bay and was out-competed on price. In January and February, I was again outcompeted. Some of these properties come on the market with existing plans for housing development. If we want to stop them from being developed we must buy them, we must outcompete those that would knock down the Daintree Rainforest to build houses. 

A property in Bloodwood Road was sold in December with plans for housing development  

Development proceeds

Two weeks ago, I visited the Daintree and was again confronted by rainforest clearing for development. This property in Forest Creek has had a driveway of approximately 1km in length cut into the rainforest leading to a house site adjacent to the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.  The clearing caused an unbelievable amount of erosion, turning the freshly-cleared driveway into a river of silt, which has flowed all the way down to the road causing a traffic hazard.

I was astounded to stumble across yet another instance of inappropriate clearing. There have been so many in recent months. This time, the property shares a boundary with the Daintree National Park, so the impacts are significant.

The property, located in the Forest Creek area of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest has had a driveway estimated at 1km in length cut into this rainforest. This clearing for which we can find no Development Application filed with Douglas Shire Council has destroyed a large number of trees. 

This property’s northern boundary abuts Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area and vegetation in this location is habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary. The clearing has caused an unbelievable amount of erosion, turning the freshly-cleared driveway into a river of silt, which has flowed all the way down to the road causing a traffic hazard.

Please, donate now and we’ll complete the purchase of Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road. As soon as we've finalised the purchase of Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road we will immediately take action to purchase another Daintree Rainforest property and protect it forever. 

Matching gifts

The gift you make today will be matched. Recognising the extraordinary natural values of Lot 157 a leadership group of donors has stepped up to establish a special Matching Gift Fund to challenge and inspire others to support the purchase and protection of Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road.

This special matching fund offers you the rare opportunity to have your personal generosity doubled in its impact. When you donate to save Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road your gift will be matched dollar for dollar. This is a unique opportunity to double your impact on the conservation of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. With the matching gift, each $2.50 you donate will save one square meter of the Daintree Rainforest and protect it forever. 

Please, will you help purchase and protect Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road in the Daintree Rainforest. Every $2.50 you donate will help save one square metre of the Daintree. If you donate $25 you will help save ten square meters of essential Cassowary habitat! A donation of $50 will help save 20 square meters and $100 will help save forty square meters of the World Heritage value Daintree Rainforest.

Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road is located in Diwan in the heart of 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 Diwan as scientists have identified this area as being the highest priority for conservation. It has some of the highest levels of biodiversity and one of the highest densities of Cassowaries in Australia.

Please, make a tax-deductible donation to help save habitat for the endangered Cassowary, rare Bennett’s Tree kangaroo, and the Musky Rat-kangaroo. 

A property located in the Forest Creek area of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest has had recent clearing for which we can find no Development Application filed with Douglas Shire Council. A large number of trees have been destroyed.

Please donate now and help us buy back land in the Daintree Rainforest and prevent more clearing.