The Daintree Oxbow: Nearly 42% Within Reach
Two more of the Daintree Oxbow’s 17 properties are now under contract (Oxbow 2 & 3), adding to 110 Cape Tribulation Road (Oxbow 1). Together, they will add approximately 129 hectares, bringing Rainforest Rescue’s holdings to around 249 hectares—almost 42% of the landscape—once settlement is complete.
Securing the land is essential. So is creating a future for it.
More than two years after the Mossman Mill closed in March 2024, this region needs practical opportunities for economic recovery. We believe restoration can contribute: through local jobs, nursery production, land management, investment, and potential income from carbon and biodiversity credits. Caring for Nature can also help care for the community. Mill closure background
Our proposal received 40 submissions of support, including from the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people through Jabalbina, scientists, conservation organisations, tourism operators, local businesses and residents. That breadth of support speaks to the opportunity people see in restoring this landscape. Community support
Council’s decision to refuse most of our restoration proposal remains the subject of legal proceedings. We cannot say more about those discussions at present, but our commitment is clear: we are pursuing every available pathway to move forward. We will not give up on caring for this Country or on the opportunities its recovery can bring.
Thank you to everyone helping us reach almost 42% through land owned and under contract—and to everyone sticking with us as we work to secure every remaining block. Each purchase brings the whole Oxbow’s recovery closer.
Huge thanks to those who joined us through their support of our application.
Australian Tropical Herbarium; Bats and Trees Society of Cairns; Biodiversity Legacy; BioPak; BirdLife Northern Queensland; Bush Heritage Australia; Cairns and Far North Environment Centre; Discovery Centre; Daintree Life; Daintree Rainforest Observatory; Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife; Freemans of Restoration Ecology; Great Barrier Reef Legacy; Greening Australia; Holloways Beach Coastcare; Integrity Ag; Jabalbina; Mossman Botanic Garden; Mossman Resort Holiday Villas; Queensland Conservation Council; Queensland Threatened Plant Network; Rainforest Conservation Foundation; Reef & Rainforest Research Centre; Rendere Environmental Trust; Restore Blue; Solar Whisper; Terrain NRM; TESS; Thala Beach Nature Reserve; The Nature Conservancy Australia; TropOz; Tourism Tropical North Queensland; Walkabout Cultural Adventures; Wet Tropics Management Authority; WildCountry Environmental Fund; and Wildlife Tourism Australia. James Cook University is also explicitly named in the release.
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