Can we save a 30th Daintree Rainforest property?

Can we save a 30th property in the Daintree Rainforest? This is the question we now have to ask, and we're in a race against time. 

Last week, I was in the Daintree and visited a property we recently saved from development. It was a great feeling to walk on that land and know the rainforest there would be protected forever. At the same time I heard the sounds of chainsaws and an enormous machine turning trees into woodchips on the adjoining block.

Taking a short drive down the road, I saw three more houses under construction. If this keeps going, the remaining undeveloped Daintree Rainforest blocks will all have houses on them. 

The world's oldest rainforest is still for sale. 

There is a simple solution: land buyback.

There are multiple at-risk Daintree properties that could be purchased for conservation right now. However, I don't have enough for a deposit.

Unless I can raise the funds needed for a deposit on the next property, I have to pause the program. I don't want that to happen. There are at-risk Daintree properties that need to be saved now. 

To commit to buying another Daintree Rainforest property, l need a 25% deposit. The last property cost $200,000, so I'm raising $50,000 for a deposit. This will enable us to obtain a contract of sale and the confidence we can raise the remaining funds. 

Please, make a donation now to purchase and protect a 30th property in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.

Clearing in preparation for housing development. 

Over the past four years, we have purchased a Daintree Rainforest property for conservation every 50 days.  

That's a total of 29 Daintree Rainforest properties in four years, thanks to thousands of generous donors.  

It's an amazing achievement and a significant outcome for the conservation of the world's oldest rainforest. 

To buy so many properties, we've used all our available resources. We've worked hard to line up the properties back-to-back, and sometimes had two or three under contract at any one time. As soon as we raise the funds for one property, we bite off the next challenge. We haven't left any fuel in the tank. 

Now we have to ask - can we do it again? 

It's not illegal for Daintree property owners to develop their blocks for housing. All they need is development approval from the Douglas Shire Council.

That's because 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. 

Now, when freehold properties come on the market, some are purchased for development. Some are purchased for conservation. 

Before we can commit to buying another Daintree Rainforest property, l need to raise $50,000 for a deposit. 

Please, make a donation now to purchase and protect a 30th property in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.

The rare Bennett's Tree-kangaroo 

Can we save the world's oldest rainforest from further development? 

Development in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest causes the fragmentation and degradation of this precious ecosystem, home to cassowaries, the Bennett's tree-kangaroo, musky rat-kangaroo and other endangered wildlife.

I know you don't want that to happen - you've proven that though your support of our successful land buyback program. 

However, we are in a race against time and don't have cash upfront to buy the properties.

For four years, every 50 days, we have purchased a Daintree Rainforest property for conservation. That's been funded by people like you and me making decisions about the future of the Daintree.

Please, make a donation now to purchase and protect a 30th property in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.

Last week while I was in Cow Bay, I was lucky enough to see two cassowaries emerge and walk about 100m along the path before returning to the rainforest. It was a wonderful sight. With just 4,400 cassowaries believed to remain in Australia's wet tropical rainforests, we must do everything we can to save them.

The number one threat to southern cassowaries in the Wet Tropics is the loss and degradation of habitat through clearing for housing and the introduction of exotic plants. Fortunately the solution is simple - land buyback for conservation. Please help me raise the money for a deposit on another Daintree block.

I need to raise $50,000 as soon as possible. I’ve set a target for the end of August. Can you help?

Please, make a donation now to purchase and protect a 30th property in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.

Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.

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.

For the Daintree Rainforest,