The Daintree Gateway Planting Project

The Daintree Gateway Planting Project is an environmental planting project located near the Daintree River ferry crossing, approximately 20km north of Mossman in Far North Queensland. Registered in March 2025, the project covers nearly 24 hectares of land situated at 110 Cape Tribulation Road. This location is strategically important as it sits at the entrance to the Daintree National Park, a region historically fragmented by agriculture but renowned for its exceptional biodiversity.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology, which involves establishing permanent native vegetation on land that was previously cleared, in this case, a disused sugarcane farm. The planting design utilizes a diverse mix of native rainforest species propagated from local seeds to replicate the complex structure of the surrounding Lowland Tropical Rainforest. This restoration effort aims to close canopy gaps and sequester carbon while providing critical habitat for endangered species such as the Southern Cassowary.

The Daintree Lowlands are characterized by a Wet Tropics climate with very high annual rainfall and humid conditions year-round. The soils in this specific area are typically deep alluvial clays and loams, originally cleared for their fertility but now being rehabilitated to support dense forest growth. A notable aspect of this project is its proponent, Rainforest Rescue; the "Gateway" property represents one of their most significant buy-back and restoration initiatives, serving not only as a carbon sink but as a high-profile ecological corridor visible to tourists entering the World Heritage area.