Land Purchase to Save the Daintree Rainforest

PURCHASE OF LOT 242 WHITE BEECH ROAD IN THE DAINTREE LOWLAND RAINFOREST

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Action: Purchase and protection of Lot 242 White Beech Road (Lot 242 RP 740658)

Area: 1.33 hectares

Location: Cow Bay, Daintree Lowland Rainforest, Queensland

Vegetation type: Predominantly, regional ecosystem 7.11.44, described as Eucalyptus tereticornis (Forest Red Gum) open forest to woodland on coastal metamorphic foothills. This regional ecosystem is listed as a remnant regional ecosystem “of concern” under the Vegetation Management Act 1999. 

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary

Lot 242 White Beech Road in the Daintree Rainforest

Purchase of Daintree's LOT 242 for conservation.

Lot 242 White Beech Road is a 1.33-hectare property at Cow Bay in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. It shares a boundary with the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area and provides habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary. The purchase of Lot 242 White Beech Road complements our efforts in Cow Bay where we have acquired multiple properties. This supports an efficient management regime for the conservation of the Daintree Rainforest Cow Bay. 

The vegetation on Lot 242 White Beech Road is intact with no evidence of past clearing. The regional ecosystem on the property is 7.11.44, described as Eucalyptus tereticornis (Forest Red Gum) open forest to woodland on coastal metamorphic foothills. This regional ecosystem is listed as a remnant regional ecosystem “of concern” under the Vegetation Management Act 1999. 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. 

Tropical Rainforest on Lot 242 White Beech Road in the Daintree Rainforest

To fulfill our vision for the Daintree Lowland Rainforest requires the buyback of all undeveloped freehold properties in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and their management for nature conservation. Not only do we want to see no further development, but we also want the negative impacts of the rural residential subdivision to be reversed. We aim to purchase as many properties as we can and see them protected in the Daintree National Park estate, as this will provide the highest available level of protection. 

Lot 242 White Beech Road in the Daintree Rainforest / Steven Nowakowski

A subdivision was carved into the Daintree Lowland Rainforest in 1982. This created Lot 242 White Beech Road and hundreds of other rural residential lots in Cow Bay. The houses that have been built here fragment the rainforest and occupation brings domestic dogs and exotic plants. This has damaged one of the most significant areas of tropical rainforests in Australia.

The purchased properties will be managed by the Traditional Owners, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji as part of the Daintree National Park Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land (CYPAL) estate. This includes the Daintree National Park. The Queensland Government provides funding to the Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation to co-manage the Daintree National Park. See more information and answers to frequently asked questions here.  

The rainforest on Lot 242 White Beech Road is of equal value to the adjoining Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area. 

Lot 242 White Beech Road in the Daintree Rainforest

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