A submission has recently been made to buy back land supporting an important cassowary corridor at Mission Beach which is under pressure for residential development.

Numerous signatories have written to the Queensland Government's Ecofund requesting them to buyback 'Lot 66' which is part of the continuous rainforest corridor from Mission Beach to the Southern Atherton Tablelands. The corridor is the widest and longest east-west section of rainforest in the Wet Tropics region and is said to be particularly important for rainforest species' seasonal movement and responses to climate change.

Mission Beach has the highest density of endangered cassowaries in Australia and the current owner of 'Lot 66' has expressed a willingness to sell the property for conservation.

Terrain NRM coordinated the collaborative submission with 16 signatories representing stakeholders of varying interests. These included Bob Irwin, federal Senator Jan McLucas, local and regional community and conservation groups, Traditional Owners, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, business, agriculture and tourism representatives.

Bob Irwin said "I 100% support this as it's a great thing and the best news for a long while.

He said, "It's nice to see so many people get together for the same cause."

Terrain's Tony O'Malley said, "Terrain has been working with these groups and the community over a number of years to roll out the Mission Beach Habitat Network Action Plan in which voluntary buyback is identified as a key action to achieve protection of Mission Beach cassowaries and their habitat.

"It has been a great outcome that all of these stakeholders have willingly collaborated in signing this letter, and it will be an even better outcome if Ecofund buys and protects Lot 66 as National Park."

Terrain is a not-for-profit community based organisation supporting natural resource management in the Wet Tropics region.

For information, contact Tony on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or p (07) 4043 8000.

Lot 66 - a connecting corridor for cassowary and other wildlife habitat which is currently under development pressure.