In the last four years, we've purchased 30 Daintree Rainforest properties for conservation while at the same time working towards providing the highest level of protection. With the signing of a new agreement, the pathway to protection is now clear and we are pleased to share with everyone the process for including the properties we have acquired in the Daintree National Park (CYPAL).
Inclusion in the Daintree National Park (CYPAL) is coming soon
Tens of thousands of our supporters have demonstrated their commitment to the Daintree Rainforest by donating funds to support the purchase of land. It has taken several years to reach this point and we are grateful to our donors and supporters for patiently awaiting this outcome.
The last of four signatures have been added to an agreement that confirms the process for the properties we have acquired to be protected under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA).
This process allows for properties to be proposed for inclusion in the Daintree National Park (CYPAL) and the Queensland Government and other key stakeholders are fully supportive of this outcome.
As these properties are among the first to be considered for direct addition to the Daintree National Park (CYPAL) under the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program it has been a new and lengthy process that required the cooperation of multiple stakeholders.
The four stakeholders are the Queensland Government (through the Department of Environment and Science), the Wet Tropics Management Authority, the Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, and Gondwana Rainforest Trust.
Kelvin Davies, Founder of Gondwana Rainforest Trust
We have been working directly with the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Science, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to transfer properties into the CYPAL (Cape York Aboriginal Land) protected area estate.
This begins with the assessment of the properties we have acquired. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff inspect the properties to identify any boundary incursions or significant issues such as environmental weeds. A recommendation is then made to Queensland Government and when accepted transfer of the properties can occur.
Once the process is established it is expected that properties can be transferred into the Daintree National Park (CYPAL) at regular intervals.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff have now visited the Daintree and inspected eighteen properties. A date for the first transfer will now be identified and we will make an announcement and provide specific information soon.
Recent property acquisitions and properties with encroachments, or other encumbrances will be processed in future rounds.
Daintree National Park (CYPAL)
In September 2021 the Queensland Government delivered deeds of grant to the Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji People. The land included the Daintree National Park and three other national parks on Eastern Kuku Yalanji Bubu (County). In addition, an Indigenous Management Agreement was signed for the designation of the Daintree, Ngalba-bulal, Kalkajaka, and Hope Islands national parks as Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land (CYPAL). These national parks total 160,108 hectares and will be jointly managed by Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation and the Queensland Government. You can read more about this historic agreement here.
It was necessary for this to be achieved before the process of determining how the properties we had acquired could be considered for inclusion in the national park.
Once the properties we have purchased are included in the Daintree National Park (CYPAL) they will be jointly managed by the Jabalbina Rangers and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Prior to September 2021, over 250 properties that have been acquired within the original subdivision in the Daintree lowlands by government agencies and not-for-profit organisations had already been added to the Daintree National Park (CYPAL).
