New Project: Purchase of Lot 197 in the Daintree Rainforest

Will it be a case of third time lucky for Lot 197 Quandong Road? We've tried to save this property from development twice in the past few years only to see it sold to someone else. Now we have the opportunity to protect it forever!

Now's our chance to save Lot 197 from development. 

I first became interested in purchasing Lot 197 Quandong Road at Cow Bay in 2019Sadly at that time, we didn't have the necessary funds, and Lot 197 sold in 2020. Then it sold again in 2021! 

Lot 197 has some exceptional conservation values so I crossed my fingers and hoped it would come up for sale for the third time.

Fortunately, the people who purchased Lot 197 in 2020 and 2021 changed their minds about clearing and building on the property and when it came back on the market I was able to secure an option to purchase it for conservation.

Now to ensure this important habitat for wildlife can be protected forever I must raise $150,000. 

Please, make your tax-deductible donation now to help purchase and protect Lot 197 Quandong Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. 

Every dollar you donate now will be matched as we strive to purchase and protect land in the Daintree Rainforest by the 30th of June.

This is a fantastic opportunity to double the impact of your gift so please donate now

 Forest Red Gum canopy over a diverse rainforest ecosystem

The most important habitat feature on Lot 197 Quondong Road is the presence of very tall (35m high) Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) as they possess large hollow-bearing limbs which are important habitat for Gliders, Possums, Snakes, Birds, and other tree-dwelling animals.

One likely inhabitant of these hollows is the Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata). This shy, solitary animal, ventures out at night to munch on flowers, fruits, beetle larvae, and pollen. During the day, it rests on a bed of leaves inside a tree hollow or sometimes in a clump of ferns. 

The Striped Possum lives only in the lowland and upland forests of the Wet Tropics region of north Queensland. The striped possum is hard to mistake, with its bold, skunk-like appearance of striking black and white stripes along its body and a white tip to its tail. They have elongated slightly furred toes.

To ensure this important habitat for Striped Possum and other wildlife can be protected forever I must raise $150,000. 

Please, make your tax-deductible donation now to help purchase and protect Lot 197 Quandong Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. 

Every dollar you donate now will be matched as we strive to purchase and protect land in the Daintree Rainforest by the 30th of June.

This is a fantastic opportunity to double the impact of your gift so please donate now

Striped Possum in the Daintree Rainforest - Photo by David White

The survey of Lot 197 Quandong Road by ecologist and botanist Kristopher Kupsch he identified 170 plant species of native plants on the 1-hectare property. Three of these plants are listed as Threatened species on the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Lot 197 has vegetation that's the preferred habitat for the endangered Cassowary. It has a high diversity of native Laurel species (Lauraceae) with 13 species identified, also the Mahogany family (Meliaceae) is well represented with 7 species of Dysoxylum, plus 8 species of Palms (Arecaceae) and 11 species of Myrtles (Myrtaceae).

To ensure this important habitat for Cassowaries can be protected forever I must raise $150,000. 

Please, make your tax-deductible donation now to help purchase and protect Lot 197 Quandong Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Every dollar you donate now will be matched as we strive to purchase and protect land in the Daintree Rainforest by the 30th of June.

This is a fantastic opportunity to double the impact of your gift so please donate now

A Southern Cassowary in Cow Bay

The most significant plant species identified on Lot 197 Quandong Road was Gray’s Walnut (Endiandra grayi). It is a large growing Laurel tree and is listed as a “Vulnerable” species and only found between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation in lowland rainforest. Its large seeds are solely dispersed by the Southern Cassowary. 

Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura) is also found on lot 197 and is listed as “Near Threatened”. There is an abundance of seedlings, presumably from dispersal by the Southern Cassowary as mature specimens are absent from the site. This species is only found naturally within the Daintree rainforests predominately north of the Daintree River and south of Cape Tribulation. 

Another unique species identified by one sole specimen on lot 197 is the Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii) and is listed as “Near Threatened”. This small understorey tree species produces white tubular flowers which are very fragrant. It is only found north of Cairns and south of Cooktown often in transitional forests.

To ensure this important habitat for three Threatened species of plants can be protected forever I must raise $150,000. 

Please, make your tax-deductible donation now to help purchase and protect Lot 197 Quandong Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. 

Every dollar you donate now will be matched as we strive to purchase and protect land in the Daintree Rainforest by the 30th of June.

This is a fantastic opportunity to double the impact of your gift so please donate now

Daintree Gardenia was found on Lot 197 Quandong Road

We’ve taken many photographs of Lot 197 Quandong Road which you can see here.

While we crossed our fingers and waited for Lot 197 Quandong Road at Cow Bay to come back on the market we were active in purchasing 20 other properties in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. This includes Lot 125 Quandong Road which is located opposite Lot 197 and which adjoins the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area. 

You can see them here along with the two other properties we are aiming to purchase for conservation by the 30th of June - Lot 6 Thornton Peak Drive at Forest Creek and Lot 93 Cape Tribulation Road at Diwan. These properties are shown on the map we've created which can also be seen here

Lot 197 Quandong Road at Cow Bay is entirely vegetated. There is no need for tree planting or the removal of weeds. This property was created through the subdivision of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest which occurred in 1982. 

To ensure this important habitat for Cassowaries can be protected forever I must raise $150,000. 

Please, make your tax-deductible donation now to help purchase and protect Lot 197 Quandong Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. 

Recognising the urgent need to protect the Daintree a leadership team of donors has stepped up to establish this Matching Gift Challenge. Their aim is to inspire others to support the purchase of four very special properties and protect them forever. This is a fantastic opportunity to double the impact of your gift so please donate now

Thanks for everything you do to help Save the Daintree Rainforest.

Kelvin Davies

Founder, Rainforest 4 Foundation

P.S. If you have any questions about the purchase and protection of land in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest please see our answers to frequently asked questions or email me at [email protected]. You can also call me during business hours at 0437 423 119.

BACKGROUND 

In 1982 the Queensland government approved a 1,136-lot rural residential subdivision in the Daintree. This resulted in two-thirds of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest being excluded from protection in the Daintree National Park and Wet Tropics World Heritage Area that was declared in 1988. Lot 197 Quandong Road is one of these properties.

The Daintree Lowland Rainforest is one of the oldest rainforests on Earth and provides a refuge for wildlife and ancient flowering plants. It holds exceptionally high biodiversity and conservation value and is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest remaining in Australia. With almost 200 undeveloped properties remaining in private ownership, the future of the Daintree is yet to be determined. Will it be increased development and urbanisation, or will it be the winding back of the disastrous subdivision to save the Daintree. 

Fan Palms (Licuala ramsayi) on Lot 197 Quandong Road

 

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  • Tess Turner
    commented 2022-06-24 02:58:11 +1000
    I was under the impression that there was a government buy back and then award winning restrictive town planning scheme to ensure that the Daintree is not developed and remains viable. Amazing how many “not for profits” are making a tax deductible living from saving something that has already been saved.
  • Kelvin Davies
    published this page in Latest News 2022-06-10 12:01:06 +1000