CONSERVATION PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Action: Purchase and protect Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road (RP738993)

Location: Cow Bay, Queensland, Australia

Size: 8.9ha/89,000sqm

Vegetation type: Regional Ecosystem 7.3.4 Mesophyll vine forest with Licuala ramsayi

Threatened species: Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii), simple pauper orchid (Aphyllorchis anomala), china camp laurel (Beilschmiedia castrisinensis), Gray’s walnut (Endiandra grayi), Noah's walnut (Endiandra microneura), climbing pandanus (Freycinetia percostata), iron malletwood (Rhodamnia sessiliflora), Daintree myrtle (Rhodomyrtus effusa). 

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, protect and restore this property: $445,000 or $5 per sqm. 

The purchase, protection and restoration of this unique Daintree property will be achieved at a cost of just $5 per sqm. 

Please, donate now to help purchase Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road in the Daintree Rainforest.  

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road

Urgent response needed 

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road is at risk as it is zoned for rural residential development by the Douglas Shire Council, so when it was listed for sale on the open market we acted quickly.

We had our ecologist undertake a comprehensive survey and prepare a report confirming its high conservation value and priority for acquisition. We negotiated a price, and in early September our generous supporters donated enough funds for the deposit. We've negotiated settlement on the purchase to occur four months time, which gives us just 120 days to reach the fundraising target and ensure settlement can occur on the 28th of January 2025. 

The purchase, protection and restoration of this unique Daintree property will be achieved at a cost of just $5 per sqm. 

Please, make a tax-deductible donation now and help save this Daintree property from the threat of development. 

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road

Special values of this Daintree property

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road is an 8.9 hectare freehold property located at Cow Bay in the Daintree Rainforest. It's situated within the Hutchinson Creek catchment that drains north to the nearby Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef.

Its purchase will consolidate past land acquisition for conservation in Cow Bay and benefit many threatened species. Lot 92 offers significant habitat linkage across the landscape between the coast and the mountains.

The property forms a vital link of vegetated connectivity as it shares a boundary with Lot 93 Cape Tribulation Road, another 8.9 hectare property that we purchased for conservation in 2022. On two other boundaries it adjoins the Daintree National Park and World Heritage Area. Securing this property will provide a significant benefit to the endangered southern cassowary which has been observed at this location on many occasions. 

In August 2024, our ecologist undertook a vegetation survey and he identified 188 species of native plants on the property. Of these, 7 are listed as threatened species on the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. 

Please, make a tax-deductible donation now and help save this Daintree property from the threat of development. 

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road

Threatened species of plants

The 7 plants listed as threatened species are:

Simple pauper orchid (Aphyllorchis anomala)

This leafless ground orchid was identified by 1 plant in the middle of Lot 92. It is only known from between Rossville–Atherton and Conway and Finch Hatton in Far North Queensland.   

China camp laurel (Beilschmiedia castrisinensis)

This tree has large fruits dispersed by the southern cassowary. The species has a very restricted distribution, being the area between the Bloomfield and Daintree River in lowland rainforest below 660m.

Gray’s walnut (Endiandra grayi)

This tree is has large fruits dispersed by the southern cassowary. The species is restricted to the area between Cape Tribulation and the Daintree River at altitudes up to 40m. This tree was identified as a handful of seedlings.

Noah's walnut (Endiandra microneura)

This tree is has large yellow fruit that are dispersed by the southern cassowary. The species is restricted to the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation areas below 250m. A small number of juvenile specimens were noted across Lot 92.  

Climbing pandanus (Freycinetia percostata)

This climbing monocot was observed climbing a high tree on Lot 92. The climbing pandanus restricted mainly to the Daintree Rainforest and again on Cape York at Iron Range and overseas in Papua New Guinea. This climbing grass-like plant possesses unique leaves that trap water and thus provide habitat for invertebrates and frogs.

Iron malletwood (Rhodamnia sessiliflora)

This small understorey shrub is listed as endangered under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. It is otherwise a common species within regrowth however is now susceptible to damage by the exotic fungus myrtle rust. Previous damage was noted on the species in the field.

Daintree myrtle (Rhodomyrtus effusa)

This small understorey shrub to 3m is listed as endangered under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. It is common in central parts of Lot 92. The exotic fungus myrtle rust threatens the species survival with active rust and previous damage noted on many specimens however some fruit was observed.

The purchase of this property will help save these threatened species, and will be achieved at a cost of just $5 per sqm. 

Please, make a tax-deductible donation now and help save this Daintree property from the threat of development. 

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Noah's Walnut (Endiandra microneura) is a threatened species. 

Daintree Rainforest at risk from development

Development for housing in the Daintree results in fragmentation and degradation of the world's oldest rainforest. Settlement brings domestic dogs that attack wildlife and exotic plants that become environmental weeds. 

Fragmentation occurs when forests are reduced in the area through deforestation, road building or other developments, dividing the forest into smaller blocks and creating what is known as the edge effect. The impacts of the edge effect have been thoroughly documented over several decades and show the significant detrimental effects on biodiversity.

With the purchase of this property, we will prevent further fragmentation of the Daintree Rainforest. We will also restore the part of the property damaged in the past. 

The purchase, protection and restoration of this unique Daintree property will be achieved at a cost of just $5 per sqm. 

Please, make a tax-deductible donation now and help save this Daintree property from the threat of development. 

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Clearing in the Daintree Rainforest at Lot 26 Ronald Road

Clearing in the Daintree Rainforest at Lot 26 Ronald Road

Restoration work

Significant disturbance occurred in the past through clearing for agriculture, however, over the past 40 or more years, through the process of natural regeneration, all of the property is now covered by rainforests. There are 18 species of exotic plants on Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road. 

Lantana (Lantana camara) is present within regrowth and is listed as a Class 3 weed under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and a Weed of National Significance (WONS). Pond apple (Annona glabra) is quite common in the regrowth and is listed as a Class 3 weed under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and a Weed of National Significance (WONS). Singapore daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata) is present along the roadway and is listed as a Class 3 weed under the Biosecurity Act 2014.African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is present on the site, as are a small number of garden weeds including rose apple (Syzygium jambos), shoebutton ardisia (Ardisia elliptica) and Heliconia psittacorum

These plants will be removed once we have purchased the property. 

Please, make a tax-deductible donation now and help save this Daintree property from the threat of development. 

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road

Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road

Endangered ecological community

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. While now listed as endangered, the Daintree Lowland Rainforest is still not fully protected. The freehold properties in the Daintree lowland remain at risk from rural residential development.

Repairing the negative impacts of the historic subdivision 

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 92 Cape Tribulation Road and many others 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?

The world's oldest rainforest is still for sale. 

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.

In the last 4 years, we have purchased 32 properties in the Daintree Lowlands (between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation).

The acquisition of Lot 92 Cape Tribulation Road 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.

 The endangered southern cassowary in Cow Bay 

The purchase, protection and restoration of this unique Daintree property will be achieved at a cost of just $5 per sqm. 

Please, make a tax-deductible donation now and help save this Daintree property from the threat of development. 

Prefer to use Paypal? Donate here.

Stronger together

Save the Daintree is built on a partnership between Gondwana Rainforest Trust and Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal CorporationWe 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 92 Cape Tribulation Road in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest here

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Towards our $445,000 fundraising target
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