Over 60 members of the community were present at the  unveiling of a sign to celebrate the protection of a crucial lot in an important habitat corridor that connects two World Heritage Areas in the heart Mission Beach.

A buy back of Lot 66 was made possible by decades of community commitment and partnerships focused on saving the cassowary and their special environment at the popular seaside tourist destination. 

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.

'Joov' and 'Cyril'(ina) have got together as a cassowary couple this season. It is a big story because 'Cyril' is a four year old female who, it seems, has replaced a very aged bird, 'Barbara', well known to the  Bingil Bay/Garners Beach  community.
'Barbara' is one of Mrs Freda Jorrisen's birds. That means she is almost 50 years old. 

'Barbara' has been the mate of 'Joov' for the last three years and Joov, this year, as an 8 year old, has for the first time successfully raised a chick. (Larry)

WILDWATCH by ANNE (WILKINSON) & LAWRIE MARTIN

At last green-winged pigeons are back in the Wildwatch garden.

Possibly we have simply not noticed them or were not there at the right time, but these beautiful birds, also known as emerald doves, enjoyed a fairly high profile here until Cyclone Yasi when they disappeared.

We had not seen them since.