The antiquity of the Chameleon Gecko Carphodactylus laevis has been used as evidence for a Gondwanan origin. It is the only member of its genus and is found exclusively in the Wet Tropical Rainforests of North Queensland.

Its largely fleshy, white-tipped tail is held aloft and even waggled from side to side, in the face of ominous danger. Under extreme threat, it will jettison its tail, which flip-flops from side to side. An opening on the broken surface opens and closes with each flexion, producing a sound which is remarkably similar to the distress call of a juvenile rodent.

The predator has its attention strategically drawn to the bouncing, squeaking, flip-flopping, white-tipped morsel, whilst the more important part of the gecko conceals itself into hiding. Regeneration of the tail is complete in about six months. The original tail (shown in the inset) is even more distinctive than all successive tails.

Such is the effectiveness of this decoy and regeneration strategy, that the Chameleon Gecko has endured remarkably.

As a newcomer to the rainforest you will see trees, a great many of incredible diversity, but you will be hard pressed to see the intricate and secretive wildlife. You really need to go with a local expert, someone who lives in the rainforest, to help you to see.

Look closely at the picure above. See the lichen spider? These are common in the rainforest, but rarely seen. We locate them at night, from their “eye-shine.” If you come on a night walk, you will learn how to use your torch (flashlight) to pick up a multitude of the secret critters of the forest. Finding them again in daylight is the tricky part because it requires detailed knowledge of every tree to find the one with the invisible spider.

Exploring the intracies and interrelatedness of the rainforest has become a challenge for Cooper Creek Wilderness. We have moved to another dimension in rainforest interpretation that constantly amazes our guests.

We enjoy sharing these intimate glimpses with visitors to the Daintree who want a more meaningful experience than can be achieved on a boardwalk.

Over the next few entries we will give you a glimpse of the secretive life of Cooper Creek Wilderness and hope that you will comment on our blog.

QUESTION:

What do George Clooney, Shaun Penn, Jim Caviezel and Cooper Creek Wilderness have in common?

ANSWER:

They all featured in the movie “The Thin Red Line”.

QUESTION:

What do the documentaries “Extreme Australia” - Discovery Channel, Wet Tropics Of Australia - Australian Geographic and National Parks of Australia have in common?

ANSWER:

They all feature the magnificent old growth fan palm rainforests of Cooper Creek Wilderness.

QUESTION:

Where is Cooper Creek Wilderness and why isn’t it well known?

Cooper Creek Wilderness is in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest directly below the centre of protection, Thornton Peak. The rainforest is in the heart of the world’s oldest rainforest and contains a wealth of biodiversity and incredible antiquity.

It is a world heritage nature refuge and, because it is privately owned, any documentary that is given financial support by the government, is not permitted to name the private enterprise that it features.

More often than not, Cooper Creek Wilderness will be referred to as Daintree National Park. Cooper Creek Wilderness is not national park and it is not funded by government.

Cooper Creek Wilderness conserves and protects its outstanding rainforest through eco-tourism. It has Advanced Ecotorism Accreditation and relies on responsible and ethical travellers to sustain its economy.

The rewards of participation on a Cooper Creek Wilderness tour, beyond the awe-inspriring yet humbling experience of the Daintree’s most magnificent rainforest, include the knowledge that payments contribute to the conservation of this natural treasure.

QUESTION:

Have you booked onto a Cooper Creek Wilderness Package?

See our Tours page on www.ccwild.com

I readily admit that I have not the slightest understanding of the technology that allows ‘rainforest revelations’ to traverse the expanse of distance and time with the rest of the world.

There are those amongst the multitudes that overcome whatever obstacles stand in their way and accompany us through the antiquity of an awesome landscape. Many bring the great gift of knowledge and with lessons learnt through observation and interrelationship, Cooper Creek Wilderness has become a repository of intellectual property, that with time and perseverance, will approach the complementarity that such a venerated rainforest deserves.

In the indigenous vernacular of the Kuku Yalanji, ‘Madja-ji’ classifies people associated with rainforest estate.   Cooper Creek Wilderness has ventured into a new frontier; developing a relationship based on respect and perseverance at the centre of the Gondwanan rainforests of the Daintree.

An ever-increasing distance has meanwhile come between the majority of Australians and the ecological processes of the national landscape upon which we all depend for housing, medicines and nourishment.   The steady decline in ecological integrity, largely as a result of human activity and the need to reconcile our great nation with that which we must rely upon to sustain us into the future, is becoming ever-increasingly important.

Principle 22 of the RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, states:

Indigenous people and their communities and other local communities have a vital role in environmental management and development because of their knowledge and traditional practices. States should recognise and duly support their identity, culture and interests and enable their effective participation in the achievement of sustainable development.

Australia is defined by its people and their relationship with their environment. Its triumph is bound to its interdependence of unique communities, which are in turn bound in territorial respect for the aspirations, life and memory of their constituents. Through ‘rainforest revelations’, our national interdependency now has a convenient conduit for confederacy.

Cooper Creek Wilderness occupies a unique immersion at the very centre of significance and perseverance of the oldest surviving rainforest in the world. Its secrets are released slowly, but they are also limitless in their depth and disclosure. Share with us the insights and enlightenment that our inhabitancy reveals and together we might discover a pathway to a more sustainable future.