Ahead of Earth Day 2025, Rainforest Rescue and Down Under Tours, in conjunction with the TreadRight Foundation, unveiled their inspiring new Daintree mural at the Rainforest Rescue Native Nursery in Cow Bay.
Created in collaboration with local illustrator, Victoria McGrane (The Scenic Route), the stunning hand-drawn design depicts the biodiversity of the Daintree Rainforest and is testament to a deepening partnership that intertwines environmental restoration action and local tourism specialists.
Attendees to the mural unveiling also planted native rainforest trees on the former Cow Bay airstrip site as a mark of commitment to helping the Daintree Rainforest to regenerate. The young trees were grown in the Native Nursery, which produced over 56,000 trees last year and is expected to grow 150,000 trees annually when it reaches full capacity.
Using ‘beneficial bugs’, the Nursery team are creating a care regime for thousands of seedlings within the shadehouse. Native ladybirds which control aphid breakouts were spotted by the tree planters, while brightly-coloured dragonflies and Ulysses butterflies flew amongst the rainforest plants. 🦋
Commenting on the unveiling, Marine Deliens, Rainforest Rescue’s Nursery Manager said: ”We’re so happy to see this beautiful mural in place. It’s a sign of the strength of our partnership as well as the connections between conserving and restoring the natural environment and ways in which visitors to the Daintree can contribute to its thriving future.”
Speaking on behalf of the TreadRight Foundation, Erin Simpson, General Manager at Down Under Tours agreed: “The Daintree is a unique and truly special destination globally. As tourism operators we have a duty to support its stewardship and today was testament to how we are working together with Rainforest Rescue to do so.”
As the mural’s creator, Victoria McGrane of The Scenic Route was thrilled to see her work in situ: “It’s an honour to be collaborating on a positive impact project where you can see the difference it’s making. I get so much inspiration from nature and the Daintree is full of amazing creatures and plants, the mural is a reflection of this.”
The strategic partnership between the organisations is symbolic of an intent to bring domestic and international tourists to the Daintree Rainforest to experience the world’s oldest living rainforest, while also contributing to its ongoing restoration and habitat conservation. ‘Regenerative tourism’ is rapidly growing in popularity as a way for tourists to make a meaningful contribution to the destinations they visit.
Ms Deliens remarked, “Rainforest Rescue and its partners are exploring ways to show tourists how the Daintree, unlike many other rainforests, is growing rather than shrinking. Working with the local community, landholders and traditional owners, we’re determined to help native wildlife and plants to thrive.”
🌏 Earth Day is on the 22nd April – It’s a way for everyone to remember and act upon the importance of environmental protection and sustainably sharing the planet with Nature.
‘Nature is not a place to visit; it is home.’
The mural’s message, from a Gary Snyder poem, is a constant reminder that beautiful natural places are precious because they are home to many different species of plants and animals. It’s a perspective that we need to remember to ensure we don’t disconnect from Nature altogether.
