Students visited Lake Barrine for a tour of the rainforest and the giant kauri pines as well as an explanation about the volcanic origins of the lake. Then it was off to a neighbouring property, Barrine Park, where Carolyn and Phil Emms have established a native tree nursery and are busy restoring rainforest areas on their cattle property.
The students all got their hands dirty on a range of activities:
After lunch the students enthusiastically tried on cassowary costumes and passed around cassowary eggs while they learnt all about rainforests and the role of the cassowary, the rainforest gardener.
It was Carolyn and Phil’s first exploration into environmental education and they were pleased everyone had a great day and thanked the Wet Tropics Management Authority for its contribution and participation.
Rainforest Reserves Australia is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to purchase, restore and protect rainforest for native wildlife. At Barrine Park, Carolyn and Phil have built some wildlife pens and fenced off a large area and feral control pigs and dogs so that they can use some of the property as a cassowary rehabilitation centre.
