A passionate community history

Today I had the great pleasure to meet Iain McCalman, acclaimed historian and author of recently published 'The Reef, a Passionate History'.

Friends of Ninney Rise (FoNR) members, Tony O'Malley (Terrain), Peter Rowles (C4) and myself representing (CCA) were invited to meet Iain who was in town as a guest of Mission Beach Tourism (also a member of FoNR) to discuss the Turning of the Tide project.

Queensland heritage listed Ninney Rise, John Busst's home, was bequeathed to the Qld government on the understanding it would be  conserved as National Park, but it was never gazetted.

The success of the efforts of artist John Busst, poet Judith Wright and scientist Len Webb back in the 60's, to understand the importance of the Queensland tropical rainforests and to save the Great Barrier Reef from destructive mining, was achieved by meetings on the verandas of this historical site.

Today we saw Iain just as passionate to help secure Ninney Rise to be a community asset to tell the amazing local story, as the history he writes about.  For a copy of The Reef, a Passionate History, visit Iain's website here.

We look forward to further meetings with Iain with hope that Ninney Rise can be placed under the protection it deserves to celebrate past achievements and and for it to be a hub to present the continued and current efforts to look after  the exceptional natural environment of the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef, as was intended by Mrs Tody.
                                                                                                                                                       Liz Gallie
More information on Friends of Ninney Rise website.