Cassowary Connection Nature Refuge
A sanctuary for the endangered southern cassowary, connecting critical habitat from Djiru National Park through the Garret Corridor to the beach
Cassowary Connection Nature Refuge, a 24.26 hectare pocket of pristine rainforest purchased by QTFN in partnership with C4, is part of a major biodiversity corridor which allows the movement of the endangered southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) between the coastline at Mission Beach and Djiru National Park.
The property was declared a nature refuge in 2018 – helping ensure the long-term survival of this spectacular native Australian bird by safeguarding critical habitat.
Make your impact
- QTFN partnered with C4 to purchase the ecologically-rich Wongaling Beach property. The acquisition protected the land from development and provided a critical link in the corridor for cassowary movement between the Djiru National Park and Wongaling Beach. With the involvement of Minister Peter Garrett, the link became known as the Garrett Corridor. C4 and the local community were heavily invested in the fundraising to protect the property.
- Enabled the land to be secured in perpetuity as a nature refuge.
Check out some of our videos from Cassowary Connection here!
- With as few as 4,000 southern cassowary estimated to remain in the wild, the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is a stronghold for their conservation.
- The vegetation on Cassowary Connection Nature Refuge is part of the largest contiguous block of lowland rainforest south of the Daintree River and recognised as vital cassowary habitat.
- The corridor is essential to ensuring access to seasonal feeding sites and gene pool diversity for cassowaries.
- The nature refuge is also home to over 330 flora and fauna species, including vulnerable species of frogs such as the common mistfrog (Litoria rheocola), Australian lacelid (Litoria dayi) and tapping green eyed frog (Litoria serrata).
- C4 Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation
- Terrain NRM
- Mission Beach, Wongaling Beach, Bingil Bay community
- Peter Garrett as previous Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
Our work
- QTFN partnered with C4 to purchase the ecologically-rich Wongaling Beach property. The acquisition protected the land from development and provided a critical link in the corridor for cassowary movement between the Djiru National Park and Wongaling Beach. With the involvement of Minister Peter Garrett, the link became known as the Garrett Corridor. C4 and the local community were heavily invested in the fundraising to protect the property.
- Enabled the land to be secured in perpetuity as a nature refuge.
Check out some of our videos from Cassowary Connection here!
Our impact
- With as few as 4,000 southern cassowary estimated to remain in the wild, the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is a stronghold for their conservation.
- The vegetation on Cassowary Connection Nature Refuge is part of the largest contiguous block of lowland rainforest south of the Daintree River and recognised as vital cassowary habitat.
- The corridor is essential to ensuring access to seasonal feeding sites and gene pool diversity for cassowaries.
- The nature refuge is also home to over 330 flora and fauna species, including vulnerable species of frogs such as the common mistfrog (Litoria rheocola), Australian lacelid (Litoria dayi) and tapping green eyed frog (Litoria serrata).
Who’s involved
- C4 Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation
- Terrain NRM
- Mission Beach, Wongaling Beach, Bingil Bay community
- Peter Garrett as previous Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts