Caring for Country

Tree-planting and weed control work at Mission Beach is protecting endangered coastal rainforest and strengthening Djiru people’s ties with traditional ceremonial land.

Mission Beach’s Clump Point

At Clump Point lookout, Djiru traditional owners have been working with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council and Girringun rangers to plant thousands of trees on the edge of littoral rainforest where the land has been overrun by guinea grass.

Djiru’s Rona Hart said getting back on Country was grounding.

“This is a special place – for thousands of years our ancestors met with other groups here, held ceremonies, fished, hunted and camped,’’ Mrs Hart said.

“It’s always good to come back. We came as kids and growing up, and now I come with my own kids and grandkids. This new project has been an opportunity for other Djiru people to get back on Country too, through short-term employment, to keep the connection and learn new skills.”

A partnership project

The Clump Point area is a council reserve under an indigenous land use agreement and Mrs Hart plans to continue land management work in collaboration with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council and other organisations.

“The young trees are looking beautiful,’’ she said. “But there is always more weed management to do.

“This kind of coordinated effort is really beneficial – it empowers Djiru people to become more involved in environmental issues and it also helps to bring traditional knowledge and cultural practices into shared land management.”

Protecting littoral rainforest

Littoral rainforest is listed as endangered, and Clump Point is the only place in the Wet Tropics where it is growing on volcanic soil.