When you visit the Daintree - Cape Tribulation region, it is well worth taking a guided tour into the rainforest, so that you can appreciate what you are seeing.

The 135-million year old rainforest of the Cape Tribulation section of the Daintree is the most ancient and primitive in the world. Many species originated when Australia was part of Gondwana, more than 120 million years ago.

WORLD HERITAGE LISTING

Although Australia contains less than one thousandth of the world's tropical rainforests, these forests are some of the most significant ecosystems on the planet. These rainforests have been inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988 in recognition of their universal natural values as :

• an outstanding example of the major stages in the earth's evolutionary history;
• an outstanding example of significant ongoing ecological and biological processes;
• an example of superlative natural phenomena; and
• containing important and significant habitats for conservation of biological diversity.

BIODIVERSITY

The Wet Tropics region is a recognised major world centre of plant and animal diversity. It has the highest level of biodiversity and regional endemism (species found only within the local region) within Australia and, per unit area, possibly one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Coupled with the presence of the Great Barrier Reef, it makes it one of the primary hotspots for biodiversity significance.

Although the Wet Tropics region only represents just one-tenth of one percent of the land surface of the Australian continent it contains:

• over 3,500 vascular plant species;
• Australia's largest range of ferns and the world's largest concentration of ancient flowering plants;
• the highest number of endemic mammals of any region in Australia;
• almost half of Australia's bird species;
• nearly a quarter of Australia's frog species, more than 20 of which are endemic;
• a greater diversity of freshwater fish than any other region in Australia;
• outstanding invertebrate diversity, including well over 60% of Australia's butterflies

(Source: Wet Tropics Region NRM Plan, Statement of Planning Intent - Rainforest CRC 2002)

RAINFOREST TOURS AND ACTIVITIES

Masons Tours - offer day walks and croc-spotting nightwalks on a 170ha private rainforest reserve
Cooper Creek Wilderness Walks - World Heritage Nature Refuge with ancient flowering plants.
The Bat House - an accredited Wet Tropics Visitor Centre at Cape Tribulation
Daintree Discovery Centre - Aerial Walkway, Canopy Tower, Cassowary Circuit, Bush Tucker Trail
Jungle Adventures - offers night walks and 'canopy surfing' at Cape Tribulation

RAINFOREST BLOGS OR DIARIES

Mason's Tours Forest Stories and Wildlife Sightings - regular reports of sightings and other news
July 2002 at Cooper Creek - a distinctive aroma; hibernating lizards; young cassowaries strike out.

RAINFOREST STORIES

Nocturnal Animals of the Daintree Rainforest
The rediscovery of the Idiospermum australiense, a tree thought to be extinct.

RAINFOREST LINKS

United Nations World Heritage Committee - World Heritage List for all sites in the world
Australia's World Heritage to find out more about Australian World Heritage sites
Wet Tropics World Heritage Area provides information about all aspects of the wet tropics.