Ecolibrium Designs, established in 2006, specialises in the design of environmentally sensitive buildings and sustainable property planning. Owner and Principal Building Designer Brett Grimley has been supporting practical conservation outcomes donating 1% of annual turnover to Rainforest 4 Foundation for two years.

Daintree Lowland Rainforest

Brett Grimley is an endorsed Sustainable Building Designer with qualifications in conservation management as well as permaculture complimenting his formal building design studies. In the early 2000s, Brett also completed a science degree majoring in rainforest science at James Cook University in Cairns where he met then fellow student and now Rainforest 4 Foundation ecologist Kristopher Kupsch.

Donors like Ecolibrium Designs and Brett Grimley have contributed to enormous outcomes with 22 Daintree Rainforest properties being purchased and protected by Rainforest 4 Foundation.

Brett says his childhood growing up in Mossman and regular visits to the Daintree National Park as a child contributed to his love of the region and his passion for conservation.

“During my time living in the area I have gained a deep appreciation, knowledge and love of the incredibly important and stunningly beautiful forests, rivers and wildlife that exist there.”

“The fragmentation that is being caused by ongoing housing development is devastating to those environments.”

“I now live on the Sunshine Coast trying to do my best for the environment by designing sustainable homes. I can’t be on the ground in the Daintree, so through my donations, I’m contributing to righting the wrongs of one bad decision in the 1980s,” Brett said.

“Land containing valuable ecosystems is actually being reunited with the Daintree National Park to be protected into perpetuity.  The bonus is that that now means the traditional custodians of the land (some of whom I went to school with) will also continue their connection to Country.”

Brett and his partner Georgia last visited the Daintree in April 2021 and reflect on that trip

“During our visit to the area we happened to drop into a local café and bumped into Kelvin Davies (Rainforest 4 Foundation founder) and Kristopher Kupsch,” Brett said. “They invited us to join a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony with the Kuku Yalanji people as well as HalfCut taking place that morning on one of the properties being handed back.”

Brett and Georgia in the Daintree in 2021

“Being part of that ceremony and then wandering the property was a truly humbling and special experience.  It was a highlight of our holiday,” Brett said.

“Knowing that property, and any that I contribute to directly, was now permanently protected and back in the hands of the right people very much reinforced the power of what I could do personally just with a couple of clicks and a few dollars.”

Kelvin Davies is the Founder of Rainforest 4 Foundation and has been involved in buyback programs in the Daintree for more than 20 years. Over that time he’s developed campaigns that have resulted in more than 70 blocks purchased and protected.

Kelvin said one of his motivations is giving everyday people the opportunity to contribute to important conservation outcomes.

“The Daintree never should have been subdivided for housing, but we can’t change the past.”

“We can, however, work together to right those wrongs.”

Fan Palm (Licuala ramsayi) in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest

“Tens of thousands of everyday Australians and people all over the world have shown a huge commitment to practical conservation outcomes by donating their money to help buy back the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and place it under permanent conservation management,” he said.

“We can’t do this work without the support of donors like Brett and his company Ecolibrium Designs and these many people who see the value in coming together to take action.”

“It’s mind boggling that we’re still losing blocks in the Daintree to residential development,” Kelvin said. “But thanks to our donors, as well as our Stronger Together partners Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation and HalfCut, we are making a difference.”

“By working in partnership with Traditional Owners, we’re achieving much more than conservation outcomes,” Kelvin said. “We’re collaborating locally to create jobs and boost eco-cultural tourism as well.”

“And by partnering with HalfCut, we’re bringing tens of thousands of everyday Australians on the journey with us.”

"Thank you Ecolibrium Designs for being part of that journey," Kelvin said.