CONSERVATION PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Action: Purchase of Lot 232 White Beech Road (RP739771)
Location: Cow Bay, Queensland
Vegetation type: Regional Ecosystem 7.11.5c
Threatened species: Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii), Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii)
Endangered Ecological Community: Lowland tropical rainforest of the Wet Tropics ecological community is listed as endangered under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Target to purchase this property: $50,000
Please, donate now to help purchase Lot 232 White Beech Road in the Daintree Rainforest.
Give today and DOUBLE your impact! All donations to Lot 232 White Beech Road, Lot 70 Forest Creek Road and Lot 204 Cedar Road will be matched dollar for dollar up to $50,000, or until the end of May - whichever comes first!
Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.
Lot 232 White Beech Road at Cow Bay
Lot 232 White Beech Road in Cow Bay was created by a subdivision of land in the Daintree in 1982, which resulted in two-thirds of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest - the land between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation - being excluded from World Heritage listing.
However, the conservation values of this block are just as high as the neighbouring land, which is included in the Daintree National Park. The property has been in the same hands since 1985 and now it’s time for the owners to sell.
That’s where we step in. In purchasing this property, our intended outcome is to have it added to the Daintree National Park (CYPAL) where it will have the highest level of protection and management.
The Daintree Rainforest should never have been carved up for development and we know land buyback for conservation works.
Please, act now and donate to help purchase Lot 232 White Beech Road. Every $5 you donate will purchase 1 sqm. A donation of $25 will purchase 5 sqm and a donation of $250 will purchase 50 sqm of the Daintree Rainforest.
Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.
Daintree Gardenia (Randis audasii)
High conservation value
Lot 232 White Beech Road provides habitat for at-risk and endemic species including the Daintree Gardenia (Randia audasii). This small tree is endemic to Far North Queensland and is restricted to the area between Cooktown, Cairns, and Atherton. It produces white perfumed flowers and fruit that are orange when ripe. It is listed as endangered under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.
The endangered southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) has also been seen in the area recently, which is no surprise as Cow Bay has one of the highest concentrations of cassowaries in Australia. The purchase of Lot 232 will complement our efforts in Cow Bay, where we have acquired 13 properties for conservation including nearby Lot 242 White Beach Road.
The Daintree Lowland Rainforest itself has now been identified as part of an endangered ecological community. In November 2021, the Australian Government listed the lowland tropical rainforest of the Wet Tropics ecological community, in the endangered category under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The listing was effective as of Friday November 26, 2021 and includes the Wet Tropics of North Queensland, from near Ingham (just south of the Cardwell Range) in the south to north around Cape Tribulation.
Please, act now and donate to help purchase Lot 232 White Beech Road. Every $5 you donate will purchase 1 sqm. A donation of $25 will purchase 5 sqm and a donation of $250 will purchase 50 sqm of the Daintree Rainforest.
Prefer to use PayPal? Give here.
Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii)
Background
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.
In 1988, the Daintree National Park was expanded and included in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. However, two-thirds of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest - the land between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation - had been carved up for a rural residential subdivision of 1,136 freehold properties in 1982 and, as such, were excluded from World Heritage listing.
This subdivision created Lot 232 White Beech Road and hundreds of rural residential lots in Cow Bay. Since then, roads and many houses have been built which have fragmented the rainforest. Occupation has also brought a number of other challenges for the rainforest and its inhabitants, including the damaging effects of domestic dogs and exotic plants.
With around 150 undeveloped properties remaining in private ownership, the future of the Daintree is yet to be determined. Will it be increased development and urbanisation, or the winding back of the disastrous subdivision to save the Daintree Rainforest?
Lot 232 is outlined in white, properties purchased thought this program are shown in purple and the Daintree National Park is shown in green.
BUYBACK WORKS
Land buyback for conservation is the only action guaranteed to protect vital rainforest habitat, stem the development of the Daintree Rainforest and reverse the negative impacts of the rural residential subdivision. That's why fulfilling our vision for the Daintree Lowland Rainforest requires the buyback of all undeveloped freehold properties in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest for nature conservation.
Once purchased, properties are proposed for inclusion in the Daintree National Park, as this provides the highest available level of protection.
We are focusing much of our effort on Cow Bay as scientists have identified this area as providing essential habitat for the endangered southern cassowary. Buying land here also helps us to reverse the impacts of the disastrous 1980s rural residential subdivision.
In the last 4 years, we have purchased 13 properties in Cow Bay and 29 in the Daintree Lowlands (between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation).
The acquisition of Lot 232 White Beech Road at Cow Bay will help fulfil our vision for the conservation of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest. We’ve exchanged a contract of sale and paid a deposit. Now we must raise the funds to complete the purchase.
Please, donate now and help buyback Lot 232 White Beech Road. Every $5 you donate will purchase 1 sqm. A donation of $25 will purchase 5 sqm and a donation of $250 will purchase 50 sqm of the Daintree Rainforest.
Prefer to use PayPal? Please donate here.
Stronger together
Save the Daintree is built on a partnership between Gondwana Rainforest Trust and Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation. We recognise that we are Stronger Together and raise funds for the buyback of properties in the Daintree Rainforest and their management for conservation.
FAQs
We’ve provided answers to the most frequently asked questions for the purchase and protection of Lot 232 White Beech Road at Cow Bay in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest here.