Text and photos by Michael Snedic

The tropical rainforests of north-eastern Australia are a haven for a wide variety of wildlife species. The Daintree region, in particular, is brimming with wildlife and many species are unique to the area. The Cassowary, Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo, Musky Rat Kangaroo, Spectacled Flying Fox and Spotted-tailed Quoll are just a few of the diverse variety of wildlife species found in this area that rely heavily on the Daintree for their survival.

Most people believe that due to its National Park’s status and World Heritage Listing, the Daintree is fully-protected. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case. In the 1980’s, with the assistance of the Joh Bjelke-Petersen Government, a rural residential development comprising more than 1,100 private blocks was established over much of the Daintree lowland rainforest. For this reason the majority of the priceless ancient lowland rainforest area was never listed as World Heritage.

Not-for-profit organisation Rainforest Rescue purchases blocks of land that are up for sale. Even though parts of the Coastal Lowland Tropical Rainforest from the Daintree River to Cape Tribulation are surrounded by the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, they still remain unprotected and endangered. Thanks to donations from members of the public, businesses and organisations, some of these tracts of tropical rainforest have been saved from human settlement. Due to the limited ability of the government schemes to adequately protect the Daintree, Rainforest Rescue has set its aim on buying those blocks of freehold Daintree rainforest having the highest conservation values, but where development is still permitted. The land is bought and placed in purposely created and gazetted Nature Refuges. With development continuing every year, the race is on to save the Daintree. With the support of everyday Australians, Rainforest Rescue has now contributed to the purchase of nine properties in the Daintree and Rainforest Rescuers are now looking forward to purchasing a tenth property.

The vast majority of rainforest blocks have been already privately purchased for either investment or residential/retirement purposes. Whilst some have been cleared, partly cleared or selectively logged, the majority are covered by rainforest, providing essential habitat to the endangered Cassowary. There are only around 1000 of this species left in the wild. Population growth and the popularity of Far North Queensland as a tourism destination are pushing the endangered Cassowary to extinction. Tragically, it’s now estimated that only 1,000 of these large, flightless birds remain. Compared to Giant Panda, of which approximately 3,000 remain in the wild, the plight of the Cassowary is alarming. The Cassowary and the Daintree are mutually dependant. So important is the Cassowary to the Daintree, its extinction would also threaten the regeneration of more than seventy species of plants. Their fruits and seeds are eaten by the Cassowary and eventually their seeds are dispersed.

Another wildlife species that relies on the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland for its survival is the unique Musky Rat Kangaroo. It is the smallest and most morphologically primitive macropod in the world, bounds on all fours (unlike other macropods) and one of only two mammals that is diurnal. The Orange-thighed Green Tree Frog is also an inhabitant of the Daintree rainforest and spends its life in the canopy, only descending to breed. It lives at altitudes of 20 – 130metres and depends on the rainforest for its survival.

I recently visited the Daintree region and spent time in the stunningly beautiful rainforest, including a couple of the properties that Rainforest Rescue had saved from development. It saddened me to see some nearby properties where parts of the rainforest had been stripped down to the bare earth, in readiness to build properties on.

Donations from the public are essential in helping to buy back more rainforest blocks and protecting them forever. Our native wildlife species deserve this chance. To contribute to the ‘Daintree Buy Back and Protect Forever Project’ with your tax-deductible donation, please contact Rainforest Rescue on 1300 763 611 or visit the Rainforest Rescue website at www.rainforestrescue.org.au. Alternatively, you can send a cheque or money order made out to Rainforest Rescue, PO Box 1511 Toowong, Queensland 4066.