500,000 sqm of the Daintree Rainforest has been purchased for conservation! 

Jimmy, Zia, and Kelvin celebrating Daintree buyback success

Just before the New Year we announced our 20^th land purchase for conservation in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest at Lot 8 Buchanan Creek Road. This acquisition brings the total area of the Daintree rainforest saved to over 500,000 square metres.

Rainforest 4 Foundation Founder Kelvin Davies celebrated the significant milestone.

"In just 2.5 years we've secured 20 blocks," Kelvin said. "And that's due to the passion and commitment of everyday Australians and people from around the world that love the Daintree and want to see it protected forever."

"I was hearing from our supporters that they wanted us to do more," Kelvin said, "so when the opportunity to purchase and protect three blocks appeared, just before the festive season, I knew our donors would jump on board."

"The response really has been overwhelming.

"Thanks to the generosity of thousands of donors in two months we raised the funds to buy three blocks and in 2021 we were able to purchase 12 Daintree Rainforest properties."

The average cost to purchase one square meter of the Daintree has been $2.50 and we've now purchased over 50ha or 500,000 square metres. 

The three acquisitions in November and December 2021

"Working with the Kuku Yalanji people through the Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation and with fellow nonprofit HalfCut has been a key to our success". 

"Having a partner like HalfCut has allowed us to reach this milestone much quicker than if we'd gone it alone as they reached out to even more donors. We truly are Stronger Together," Kelvin said.

20 properties purchased to Save the Daintree Rainforest

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Lot 8 Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay

Protected: December 2021
Area: 1ha

• Covered in spectacular tropical rainforest, an important refuge for biodiversity including the endangered Southern Cassowary
• Shares a boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• Lot 8 is an at-risk freehold property that can be developed for housing just as nearby properties have been in the past.
• Threatened species: Southern Cassowary, Macleay's Fig-parrot, Noah's Walnut, China Camp Laurel, Grey's Walnut

Lot 11 Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay

Protected: December 2021
Area: 1.02ha

• Essential habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary
• Our ecologist identified a total of 143 species of rainforest plants including three threatened species listed in the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992), Noah’s Walnut, China Camp Laurel, and Gray’s Walnut.
• Property shares a boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 242 White Beach Road, Cow Bay

Protected: November 2021
Area: 1.33ha

• Essential habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary.
• Regional Ecosystem listed “of concern” under the Queensland Vegetation Management Act (1999)
• Property shares a boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area
• See more details here. 

Lot 18 Daley Close, Kimberley

Protected: November 2021
Area: 0.9588ha

• Habitat for Southern Cassowary and rare Bennett's Tree-kangaroo. Noah's Walnut (Endiandra micronuera), listed as Near Threatened in Queensland also found on property.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• Vegetation on Lot 18 is intact with no evidence of past clearing. Mapped as Regional Ecosystem 7.11.1 described as Mesophyll vine forest. This regional ecosystem is a habitat for over 50 threatened plant species.
• See the photos of the rainforest on Lot 18 Daley Close here.
• See more details here. 

Lot 21 Camelot Close, Cape Tribulation

Protected: September 2021
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest
Area: 2.306ha

• One of the best examples of undisturbed lowland tropical rainforest in Australia.
• Many enormous tree specimens include Papuan Rosewoods, Cassowary Satinash, Cairns Hickory, Cairns Pencil Cedar, Tulip Oak, Spur Mahogany, Damson Plum and Northern Silky Oak.
• Many Hope’s Cycad found onsite. Largest growing cycad species in the world, once utilised by Aboriginal people as a food source, with evolutionary links dating back 200 million years.
• Habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary and rare Bennett's Tree-kangaroo.
• Threatened plant species: Noah's Walnut, and Grey's Walnut.
• See more details here. 

Lot 213 Teak Road, Cow Bay

Protected: September 2021
Habitat: Sclerophyll Forest transitioning to a rainforest ecosystem in the absence of fire.
Area: 1ha

• The Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii) is listed as Near Threatened in Queensland and was identified on the block.
• 11 species of native Laurels - also favoured by Cassowaries for their fleshy fruits - located on Lot 213. 
• A total of 128 native plant species.
• Habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary.
• See more details here. 

Lot 2 Thornton Peak Drive, Forest Creek

Protected: August 2021
Habitat: Two distinct ecosystems - sclerophyll and rainforest
Area: 1.17ha

• Threatened Species: 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 Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo has also been sighted nearby.
• Adjoins Lot 3, a property that we purchased for conservation in January 2020, consolidating the area protected for conservation. Both properties share a boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 505 Cedar Road, Cow Bay

Protected: August 2021
Habitat: Canopy of sclerophyll trees and diverse rainforest mid and understory.
Area: 1ha

• Vegetation on this block has never experienced cleared.
• 117 native plant species onsite.
• Daintree Foambark (Jagera madida) is a local, endemic tree, that 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.
• Habitat for the endangered Southern Cassowary.
• See more details here. 

Lot 176 Quandong Road, Cow Bay

Protected: August 2021
Habitat: Canopy of sclerophyll trees and diverse rainforest mid and understory.
Area: 1.016ha

• 152 species found on the site, which is dominated by huge trees over 100 years old.
• 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.
• The Threatened plant Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra microneura) is found on this site.
• Important habitat for the Endangered Southern Cassowary with many species of plants producing fleshy fruits.  
• See more details here. 

Lot 110 Palm Road, Diwan

Protected: August 2021
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest
Area: 8ha

• Magnificent Fan Palms (Licuala ramsayi) cover this block.
• The Endangered plant Isachne sharpii (no common name) is on this site - highly localised– a very significant find. This small grass grows to 15cm tall. First identified in 2001 from specimens found less than 1km from Lot 110 and only confirmed as a new species in 2010.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• Seven species of plants listed in the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992).
• See more details here. 

Lot 85 Cape Tribulation Road, Cow Bay

Protected: May 2021
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest
Area: 7.99ha

• 237 native plant species identified on this lot.
• Five plant species listed as Threatened in the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992).
• A significant Fan Palm (Licuala ramsayi) forest occurs here - a characteristic species of the Wet Tropics bioregion providing habitat for flying mammals, frogs, and insects whilst producing copious red fruit for birds.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 167 Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay

Protected: May 2021
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest
Area: 1ha

• 143 species of native plants have been identified on this lot.
• The Threatened plant, Noah’s Walnut (Endiandra microneura) is found here. With its large, yellow, oblong-shaped fruits it is a favourite of the Southern Cassowary.
• See more details here. 

Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road, Diwan

Protected: December 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest with remnant vegetation of special value
Area: 8.27ha

• This area contains remnant forest with intact assemblage of approximately 270 native species including numerous endangered, rare and vulnerable. This forest type is listed as “of concern” with special values such as being extremely restricted with uncommon plant species.
• This vegetation type is the grandest and most archaic of all rainforests in Australia, possessing many primitive flowering plants that is
• one of the reasons the Wet Tropics was World Heritage listed and it is this forest type that characterises the Daintree lowlands.
• Threatened species: Southern Cassowary.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 155 Cape Tribulation Road, Diwan

Protected: November 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest, mesophyll vine forest
Area: 8.9ha

• Presence of primitive families of flowering plants such as Idiospermacae.
• Threatened and vulnerable species: China Camp Laurel, Daintree Cleisanthus, Gray’s Walnut, Noah’s Walnut, Climbing Pandanus, near threatened ferns, and the near threatened Daintree Ryparosa.
• Much of the vegetation on this lot is Mesophyll vine forest, classified as of concern under the Vegetation Management Act 1999. This vegetation type has special values including harbouring plant species that are extremely restricted and uncommon.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 330 Cape Tribulation Road, Cow Bay

Protected: June 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest, simple–complex mesophyll to mesophyll vine forest
Area: 1ha Highlights:

• 178 native plant species, ten listed as having “importance to conservation”.
• Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo.
• The Black Palm (Normanbya normanbyi) known as Duwar by the Kuku Yalanji, is a food source for the endangered Southern Cassowary and found onsite. This single-stemmed palm grows up to 30m tall and Cassowaries are drawn to its brightly coloured fruits which litter the rainforest floor.
• See more details here. 

Lot 305 Cypress Road, Cow Bay

Protected: April 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest and endangered Fan Palm ecosystem
Area: 1ha

• Threatened Species include Southern Cassowary, Ant Plant, Noah’s Walnut, Climbing Pandanus Thornton Aspen.
• 145 native plant species.
• Tropical rainforest dominated by Fan Palms. This vegetation type solely occurs between Cardwell and Cape Tribulation and less than half is within reserves.
• Closed forest ecosystem listed as endangered. Very little of this habitat remains with an estimated 9000ha prior to clearing and 1000ha remaining in 2017.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 124 Quandong Road, Cow Bay

Protected: March 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest, mesophyll vine forest
Area: 1ha

• Threatened species: Southern Cassowary, Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 390 Maple Road, Cow Bay

Protected: February 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest, mesophyll vine forest
Area: 1ha

• Habitat for threatened species: Southern Cassowary, Noah’s Walnut and Climbing Pandanus.
• 207 native plant species.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 3 Thornton Peak Drive, Forest Creek

Protected: January 2020
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest, sclerophyll forest ecosystems
Area: 1.43ha

• 230 species of plants, 6 threatened.
• The rare Thornton Aspen and rare and vulnerable Ant Plant (Myrmecodia beccarii).
• Habitat for Southern Cassowary and Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo.
• Shares boundary with Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area.
• See more details here. 

Lot 107 Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay

Protected: August 2019
Habitat: Lowland tropical rainforest
Area: 1ha

• Beautiful Fan Palms
• Connects to Daintree National park in multiple directions.
• Vital habitat for endangered Southern Cassowary and Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo.
• Complex mesophyll vine forest on deep fertile soils, classified as endangered ecosystem.
• See more details here. 

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