If we could buy just one property in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest for conservation Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road at Diwan would be the one. The endangered Cassowary, rare Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo, and the Musky Rat-kangaroo are all found here, however, on this 8.0937-hectare property, it is the rainforest itself that is exceptionally important.

Rare, endangered, and endemic, the plants found on Lot 157 Cape Tribulation Road justify its immediate purchase and protection. 

On my most recent visit to the Daintree Rainforest, I went to see a property I was planning to purchase for conservation only to find someone else has beaten us to it. The outcome is devastating. 

Thanks to the generous contributions of thousands of donors last weekend we reached our goal of raising the $220,875 to purchase and protect Lot 155 in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. This ensures this important property won't be developed for housing and essential habitat for the endangered Cassowary will be protected forever. The settlement on the property has been scheduled for October. All further funds received this week will be used to pay the deposit on the purchase of another property which we will announce soon. Thank you once again to all of the wonderful donors!

Planting trees provides hope of a positive future for Wildlife, Climate, People, and the Planet. Over the last month, we've been busy planting trees at four locations in Far North Queensland and Northern New South Wales.  

If we act now, we can save an extremely important Daintree Rainforest property that provides habitat for the endangered Cassowary and an amazing 240 species of plants. We’ll also reverse the impact of the disastrous rural residential subdivision that carved up two-thirds of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest into freehold properties.

We’ve provided answers to the most frequently asked questions on the purchase and protection of Lot 155 Cape Tribulation Road, Diwan in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.  

Ecologist and botanist Kristopher Kupsch surveyed Lot 155 Cape Tribulation Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest in February 2020 finding 240 species of plants on the 8.835 hectares, which included seven of conservation importance. This confirmed the property as our number one priority for acquisition and inclusion in the Daintree National Park. 

The Daintree Lowland Rainforest is the oldest rainforests on Earth and contains exceptionally high biodiversity. This was confirmed once again by ecologist Kristopher Kupsch as he surveyed Lot 330 Cape Tribulation Road to ensure it was a priority for purchase and inclusion in the Daintree National Park. 

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Location: Daintree Lowland Rainforest, Queensland, Australia
Action: Road Closure and Revegetation between November 2018 and April 2019. 

Threatened Species: Southern Cassowary, Bennetts Tree-kangaroo
Habitat: Lowland Tropical Rainforest
Threats: Development, domestic dogs, weeds, illegal camping and dumping
Our Partner: Daintree Life
Total Cost of Project: $60,000

In the mid-1980’s the Queensland government approved an 1,100 lot rural residential subdivision in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest in Far North Queensland. This resulted in two-thirds of the rainforest being excluded from protection in the Daintree National Park and Wet Tropics World Heritage Area that was declared in 1988. The development that followed resulted in the construction of over 50 km of roads and the building of hundreds of houses. Through successful land buyback programs that began in 1992, some of these roads can now be closed as all of the surrounding lands have been purchased and added to the Daintree National Park.

Between November 2018 and April 2019, five service roads in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest were permanently closed and revegetated with the planting of 4,692 trees, This was supported by the Douglas Shire Council. The planting also helped heal gaps or ‘scars’ in the rainforest canopy and as the rainforest trees grow they'll provide habitat for wildlife including the Southern Cassowaries, Bennett’s Tree-kangaroos, between November 2018 and May 2019.  and Boyd’s Forest Dragons. 

Service Road 1 (DL043B south). Before: Site prepared and ready for planting in November 2018.

During. Volunteers planting out this service road.

After: 1,146 trees successfully established. 

 Service Road 2 (DL042A). Planted in January 2019 with 1,060 trees.

 Service Road 3 (DL042B) Planted in January 2019 with 760 trees.

 Service Road 4 (DL042D South). Planted in January 2019 with 181 trees. 

Service Road 4 (DLO43A North) Planted in January 2019 with 560 trees. 

Service Road 5 (DL042C). Planted in April 2019 with 985 trees. 

Threat to Wildlife, Climate People and Planet

The creation of a network of roads in the 1980’s to support development in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest was an ecological disaster. Settlement of some of these properties have fragmented the rainforest, introduced exotic plants that have become weeds and domestic dogs and traffic that are a threat to wildlife. Land purchase in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest for conservation has been occurring since 1993 and hundreds of properties have been acquired by nonprofit organisations and governments. The purchase of a significant number of strategically located properties has made some roads obsolete and we can now begin closing and revegetate roads that are no longer required and wind back these negative impacts of development. It will also restore rainforest habitat for wildlife including the Southern Cassowaries, Spectacled Flying-fox, Striped Possums, Bennetts Tree-kangaroos and Musky Rat-kangaroos. Other benefits from the road closure and revegetation include improved tourism amenity, cessation illegal dumping and camping and removal of the burden on Douglas Shire Council of costly maintenance.

The Solution

We are closing and revegetating unused service roads. This will help create a buffer for the Daintree National Park and increase habitat for wildlife. 

Project partners

Our partners, Daintree Life managed the planting of the trees and will also undertake maintenance for three years to ensure they survive and thrive. All of the trees are propagated from seeds sourced from nearby trees and the planting is designed to achieve canopy closure to exclude weeds. Daintree Life also had the support of Reforest Now inc and the Foundation for Australia's Most Endangered Species Ltd. The Rainforest 4 Foundation is supporting Daintree Life to maintain the planted trees for the next three years to ensure they survive. 

The Douglas Shire Council has approved the closure of these service roads.