Lot 66 Buy Back

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. 

An enthusiastic crowd attended the event to acknowledge the partnership between Queensland Trust For Nature (QTFN) and community conservation group C4 that culminated in the buyback of Lot 66.

A big thanks to QTFN who hosted the day and were the heroes by financing the balance needed to secure the buyback of Lot 66.

Djiru representative Leonard Andy said it was a great outcome. That with this corridor protected, it is a place where cassowaries will now always have access to the beach environment.

Recent patron for the Lot 66 cause, Senator Ian McDonald addressed the crowd as did Cr Pike, both acknowledging the importance of the cassowary and protection of the natural environment to the tourism economy.

Senator Ian McDonald

Cr Pike

The celebrity of the day was Peter Garrett. While he was the federal environment minister, Peter used the EPBC Act to find a development 'Clearly Unacceptable'. Without that decision, Lot 66 would have been cleared of the high value natural habitat and landscaped for a 40 lot housing subdivision, destroying a crucial cassowary corridor in the heart of Mission Beach.

Senator Jan Mc Lucas, who has been a great supporter of the cassowary cause and  protection of Lot 66, also attended. Jan said, "while Peter was the environment minister, he used the EPBC Act the way it was intended by   Robert Hill to protect the biodiversity of our natural environment.

A great achievement was made possible by many people over a long period of time. Congratulations and thanks from Mission Beach Cassowaries to everyone involved.

We look forward to a close relationship with QTFN to help identify and secure other key blocks of land for buyback to protect the necessary habitat corridors that will allow cassowaries to survive and thrive at Mission Beach.

It was wonderful to see C4 life member Margaret Thorsborne OA was able to attend.

There are other key lots of land within habitat corridors at Mission Beach that are within reach for buyback with the help or QTFN. Even a target as low as $70,000  may be enough to secure another block of land in an important   cassowary corridor so please consider making a donation. Every little bit helps.

A lot of people are committed to help protect the cassowary so it can survive and thrive in the wild at Mission Beach.

• Volunteer community group C4 have managed a Land Gift fund specifically for buy back of cassowary habitat since 1995 and have had valuable input into research and future planning.
  

• QTFN has a revolving fund for buyback and have been the saviours of Lot 66 and achieved the first buyback at Mission Beach

• Rainforest Rescue have partnered with the State Government to manage the Cassowary Rehabilitation Centre at Garners Beach and provide funds to help local NRM and community groups to rehabilitate degraded habitat at Mission Beach.
  

• Rainforest Connections are supporting C4 to raise funds for Buy Back at Mission Beach

• Terrain NRM have worked closely with the community over the last seven years to have input into strategic planning to help protect the high biodiversity of the Cassowary Coast

• Mission Beach Cassowaries monitors community observations of cassowaries on a daily basis through  the Mission Beach Cassowaries facebook page and strives to have input into any planning that may impact on the outstanding universal values of Mission Beach.