Nearly two decades ago, Lot 66, now known as Cassowary Connections Nature Refuge, was protected from residential development through the intervention of Midnight Oil frontman and then Environment Minister Peter Garrett.
While C4 does not own the property, we have worked closely with the current owners, Queensland Trust for Nature, over many years to restore the site, rehabilitating areas once overtaken by invasive grasses and gradually reconnecting fragmented habitat into a functioning wildlife corridor.
What was once a heavily degraded area, with dense guinea grass, eroding creek banks and very little structure, has gradually improved through years of revegetation and management. Some of the earlier plantings are now established forest.
This latest stage of work focuses on one of the final untreated sections including a stretch of creekline that had become overgrown and vulnerable to erosion.
Over the weekend, volunteers came together to continue that effort. In the lead-up, the site was cleared of thick pasture grasses, opening up the creek and preparing it for planting. On the day, a dedicated crew got to work putting in native trees and Lomandra along the banks — all grown locally in the C4 nursery.
These species have been carefully selected to do multiple jobs: stabilise the creek edges, improve waterway health, and create a safe, navigable corridor for cassowaries moving through the landscape. Just metres from a busy road, this kind of thoughtful restoration plays a critical role in reducing risk for wildlife.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to support this work.
Looking ahead, the future of Lot 66 is not yet certain. The property is currently owned by the Queensland Trust for Nature and is being offered for sale to a conservation-minded buyer. Given the significance of this site as a wildlife corridor, its next chapter matters.
We’d love to hear from our community:
- What would you like to see happen here?
- How can we ensure this space continues to support our local wildlife and the broader ecosystem into the future?
This project is part of the Green Connections program, supported by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resource Management Expansion Program and Terrain NRM.