Key facts
- Over $19 million raised to purchase Wooroora station, a 20,000-hectare property in far north Queensland.
- The land connects vital rainforest ecosystems and is a refuge for numerous threatened species.
- Bush Heritage aims to raise a final $5.3 million by December 24 to complete the acquisition.
- The purchase is part of a larger effort to establish a 429,000-hectare nature corridor.
- Traditional owners, the Jirrbal people, are expected to be involved in the land's management.
A conservation group, Bush Heritage, has raised over $19 million towards its $24.7 million goal to purchase Wooroora station, a significant 20,000-hectare property in far north Queensland. The land, located about 100km south-west of Cairns, is crucial for biodiversity, linking the wet tropics world heritage rainforest and serving as a refuge for threatened species. Fundraising efforts, ongoing for over 18 months, have secured substantial donations from a Patagonia-associated foundation and an anonymous philanthropist. Bush Heritage is now appealing to the public to raise the remaining $5.3 million by December 24. The acquisition aims to protect the land's ecological value and allow traditional owners, the Jirrbal people, to regain access and participate in its management.