- Wet Tropics Management
- Legislative framework
- Management partnerships
- Sustainable Tourism Plan
- Threats to the Area
- Research and a Learning Landscape
- How can I help?
Individuals and organisations who have contributed to conserving, protecting and raising awareness of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (the Area) were recognised on Friday 6 September at the 20th Cassowary Awards.
More than 170 people enjoyed the prestigious event at Tjapukai NOW on Djabugay Country in Smithfield, where awards were presented across eight categories to leaders in conservation,rehabilitation, tourism, innovation, education and climate change response in the Wet Tropics. Hosted by the Wet Tropics Management Authority (the Authority), the Cassowary Awards are the only awards program in Australia to recognise excellence in community contributions to World Heritage management.
The Authority’s Chair Chrissy Grant said the Cassowary Awards were a night to gather and pay tribute to champions of the Wet Tropics, some of whom have dedicated years or even decades to helping protect and raise awareness of the Area.
“The Authority is proud to organise the Cassowary Awards every two years, not only to celebrate the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, but also celebrate the whole community,” Ms Grant said. “The Authority has long recognised that caring for the Area is no easy or short-term task, and can’t be done without the community.”
“It was community that led to the Wet Tropics’ World Heritage listing and it is community that continues to work tirelessly to ensure its Outstanding Universal Value is maintained for future generations.”
Ms Grant said it is also community that nominate these Wet Tropics champions and community that sponsor the event, making the awards possible.
“For us to be celebrating the 20th Cassowary Awards is a real milestone and testament to the enduring commitment of the Wet Tropics community to continue to be custodians of the Area.”
“Awards presented to Annette Ryan, Cathy Retter and Ingrid Marker—who have each dedicated decades to their work—were recognised for the legacy they have made, while the Young Cassowary Award that went to Tyler Smith represents the future,” Ms Grant said.
Tyler, at the age of 12, has already volunteered eight years at community tree planting events. Ms Grant also said contributions by Traditional Custodians of the Wet Tropics were strongly represented among the nominations.
“We had Indigenous ranger groups nominated as well as Rainforest Aboriginal individuals for their personal contributions to the Area.”
The Chair’s Award, the ninth for the night, and discretionary, was given by Ms Grant to BirdLife Northern Queensland, which is BirdLife Australia's northernmost and geographically largest branch. Birdlife Australia has been at the forefront of bird conservation in Australia for over 120 years, and the work of the Northern Queensland branch’s decades of research has added to the mounting evidence that Wet Tropics rainforest-dependent bird populations are declining in the upland areas
because of climate change.
The 20th Cassowary Award recipients for each category are:
1. Climate Change Leadership Award—Cairns and Far North Environment Centre
2. Education Research Innovation Award—Annette Ryan
3. Industry Excellence Award—Cassowary Conservation Management Plan, Department of Transport and Main Roads
4. People Country Culture Award—Madjaybana Rangers
5. Peter Hitchcock Community Champion Award—Ingrid Marker
6. Thorsborne Award for Community Conservation and Rehabilitation—Cathy Retter
7. World Heritage Presentation Award—Martin Stringer
8. Young Cassowary Award—Tyler Smith
9. Chair’s Award—BirdLife Northern Queensland
The event was proudly sponsored by Protect Beautiful Queensland (gold sponsor), Cairns Regional Council (silver sponsor), and award category sponsors: CleanCo Queensland, Daintree Discovery Centre, Powerlink Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships—Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland Water and Land Carers, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Terrain NRM, and YETI (Youth Empowered Towards Independence).
