Towards the end of 1991 a group of residents between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation formed a conservation group with a focus on Cassowary conservation. After several name changes the Daintree Cassowary Care Group (DCCG) was finally incorporated on 1.12.1994.

The activities of the group were mainly involved with public education about the plight of the Southern Cassowary which included actively campaigning for more signage and traffic calming devices to reduce cassowary road deaths.

Daintree Cassowary Care Group today

The legacy of the work of Daintree Cassowary Care Group lives on. 13 Forest Creek Road is now part of the Rainforest Rescue Nature Refuge, affording ‘forever protection’ under its Nature Refuge status. This area is an important wildlife corridor, connecting areas of the Daintree National Park. Southern cassowaries regularly frequent this habitat, proof that the DCCG’s efforts were not in vain.

Since the bequeathing of the native plant nursery at Diwan, Rainforest Rescue has in turn passed on this essential place for powering rainforest restoration into the capable hands of Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Centre.

The construction of Rainforest Rescue’s new native nursery on the site of the former Cow Bay airstrip was project managed by Allen Sheather, with support from Barbara Maslen and the nursery team.

Timeline and Achievements of Daintree Cassowary Care Group (DCCG)

1995:

• A rainforest species nursery was established by the Daintree Cassowary Care Group at the Alexandra Bay State School with financial assistance from Greening Australia. The nursery supported the group’s program of reforestation to enhance Cassowary habitat.  DCCG members, guided by Gaylene and Allen Sheather, attended to most of the nursery production and maintenance on Wednesday afternoons while school staff, on a roster, carried out the vital job of daily watering.  About 5,000 plants, in 1 litre bags, were grown annually for approximately $1 per tree. 

1999–2004:

• Work commenced on restoring a large area of cleared lowland which adjoined rainforest at Jindalba, not far from Cow Bay. The area was purchased by Douglas Shire Council and Queensland State Government through a ‘buy-back’ program, extending the area within the Daintree National Park.

2003:

• The native plant nursery was moved from the school to Lot 98 opposite Daintree Wilderness Lodge in Diwan. This property was also part of the buy-back program and managed by Queensland National Parks. Previously cleared and used to quarry road material this property was filled with vegetation debris after Cyclone Rona passed through in 1999.  DCCG was able to negotiate an agreement to build the nursery there. 

2004 – 2010:

• From 2004 until 2010 when the nursery was gifted to Rainforest Rescue it was run by Allen Sheather and Barbara Maslen. There was a core group of experienced volunteers including Phil Smith and Neville St John Wood who had been involved since the nursery’s early days. In a few hours during Wednesday afternoons this small group managed to keep up the production of plants and keep the nursery well maintained. With no automatic watering system there was a roster of waterers who came every afternoon to turn on the sprinklers and hand water those plants that needed some extra love and attention. 

2013:

• When DCCG finally unincorporated in early 2013 the members were pleased to be able to donate $18,522.36 to Rainforest Rescue towards the purchase of properties in the Forest Creek area. The rescue of 13 Forest Creek Road, the 25th property to be protected by Rainforest Rescue, was made possible through this generous donation.