Home / Environment / Rainforest Jewel Wooroora: Last Chance for Protection
Rainforest Jewel Wooroora: Last Chance for Protection
29 Oct
Summary
- Wooroora station links rainforest and savanna, vital for 12 endangered species.
- Conservationists need $5.3m by Dec 24 to secure the property.
- Traditional owners seek joint management for cultural and environmental care.
A significant conservation effort is underway to purchase Wooroora station in far north Queensland, a property connecting World Heritage rainforest with the Great Barrier Reef's headwaters. This 20,000-hectare estate, home to the Jirrbal people, is crucial for at least 12 threatened species and potentially undiscovered life.
Bush Heritage has raised more than $19 million in private donations towards the $24.7 million acquisition. Significant contributions came from a Patagonia-associated foundation and an anonymous Australian philanthropist. A final $5.3 million is urgently needed by December 24th to secure the land.
Traditional owners, the Jirrbal people, express a strong desire to return to their ancestral lands and participate in joint management. They emphasize the importance of restoring cultural values and educating younger generations about their heritage, language, and significant sites.
Wooroora's unique topography creates a mosaic of habitats, making it a refuge for species like the spectacled flying-fox and northern greater glider. Its protection is seen as a global conservation win, preserving a critical biodiversity hotspot for future generations.
