17 Amazing Australian Rainforest Facts That You'll Always Remember!

The Daintree rainforest spans across a massive area of 463 sq mi (1200 sq km) and is home to a large variety of plant life and animal species that are endemic to the area.

For conservation and protection purposes, the majority of the Daintree rainforest is regarded as Daintree National Park. Being among the oldest tropical rainforests in the world, the Daintree rainforest interests scientists as well for studying the evolution of life.

This tropical rainforest is around 180 million years old and has survived various Earth-altering events, including the Ice Age. The Daintree rainforest is located in the northeastern part of the state of Queensland in Australia, on the northern sides of Cairns and Mossman. The Daintree forest is also a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wet Tropics of Queensland Rainforest. It was included in 1988. The Wet Tropics rainforest runs across the northern coastline of the Daintree River and continues to grow till the sea's edge. As a fact, the Daintree forests are named after a renowned Australian photographer and geologist, Richard Daintree. Richard Daintree worked as a government geologist in North Queensland and, throughout his lifetime, discovered several coal seams and goldfields which were then exploited in the future. Additionally, a part of this tropical rainforest meets the Coral Sea, which is home to the famous Great Barrier Reef, earning it noteworthy recognition as the only place where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet.

The History Of The Rainforest

The Daintree region, which is home to the Daintree National Park, has a rich history ranging from the origin of the Daintree forest to the medicinal plants and reptile species that have been discovered in the years that have passed by. Let us take a trip down memory lane and reflect back on the history of this natural wonder.

• Most of us know that European explorers were perhaps the first to reach the Daintree rainforest, but there were tribes who lived in the rainforest before.
• Various sources say that around 18 Aboriginal groups live in the World Heritage Site, the Wet Tropics of Queensland Forest.
• Prior to the European explorers' setting foot in 1873, the people of the Kuku Yalanji group lived in the Daintree rainforest.
• One of the most fascinating Daintree rainforest facts is that the Kuku Yalanji people believed the forest to have a cultural and spiritual meaning.
• These indigenous people are believed to have been entirely dependent on the different species of plants and animals in the Daintree rainforests for their food consumption.
• The Europeans began to explore the Daintree rainforests in the latter half of the 19th century after hearing about the discovery of goldfields in the rainforests.
• In the group of European explorers was a man named George Elphinstone Dalrymple, who explored a river that is now known as the Daintree River.
• It was he who named the river after his friend, Richard Daintree. With the passage of time, all the surrounding areas adopted the name Daintree.
• Before that, the famous Daintree River ferry began its operation in the late '50s, prior to which travel was conducted by other means.
• In 1971, Australia made some significant botanical findings which earned it a lot of attention, and eventually, there was development regarding the Daintree rainforests.
• One such finding was the discovery of Idiospermum australiense, or idiot fruit, one of the rarest and most primitive flowering plants. The discovery of this plant species led people to realize the age of this natural wonder.
• 27% of our rainforest has been lost due to deforestation in Australia since 1750.
• Many fruits, vegetables, and timber come from this forest. Logging, farming, and other human activities are completely changing the Daintree rainforest.

Visit The Daintree Rainforest

It isn't an exaggeration to say that the Daintree rainforest should make it to your bucket list of places to travel to. The Daintree rainforest is pretty easily accessible and can be traveled to from a number of places, including the likes of Cape Tribulation, Cairns, Cooktown, or even Port Douglas. Let us take a closer look at the activities one can do while visiting this dense rainforest.

• People usually visit the Daintree rainforest while on a trip to Australia or New Zealand. During their trip to the Daintree rainforest, they can also conveniently plan on visiting the Great Barrier Reef and the Blue Mountains.
• One of the best ways to explore the Daintree rainforest and its other surrounding areas is by embarking on a road trip and taking a look at the dense rainforest as well as the serene white sand beaches.
• Mossman Gorge is a must-visit place when exploring the Daintree rainforest. Water flows over huge boulders and gives an overall calming feeling.
• You can also go for a guided walk within the Daintree rainforest. While visiting the rainforest, famous for its incredible diversity of plants and animals, one can take a look at Bennett’s tree-kangaroo and white-lipped tree frog.
• You also have the option to undertake river rafting within the Daintree rainforest and further float on a raft under the rainforest canopy.
• In the afternoon, you can also go snorkeling with your friends and family to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience.
• The Daintree rainforest has been inhabited by Aboriginal people for centuries. The lodges now offer spa therapies inspired by the indigenous culture.

Daintree Rainforest Birds

One of the most astonishing Daintree rainforest facts is that it is home to more than 400 bird species, which is around half of the total number of bird species in Australia. A wide variety of birds are found in the Daintree rainforest, as well as the nearby area named as 'Daintree Important Bird Area' which encompasses around 1025.5 sq mi (2656 sq km).

• Most of the bird species that are found in the Daintree rainforest are indigenous to the area and cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
• One of the most fascinating birds in the world, the cassowary, is found in the Daintree rainforest.
• Some of the other birds found in the Daintree rainforest include the likes of red-necked crake, Australian brush turkey, noisy pitta, Orange-footed scrubfowl, and many more.
• The cassowary is one of the largest bird attractions for visitors to this rainforest.
• Did you know that the cassowary is a flightless bird just like the emu and the ostrich?
• Cassowaries rank third in the world in terms of height, falling behind ostriches and emus, respectively. The bird is also one of the heaviest in the world, and the ostrich is the only bird in the world heavier than the cassowary.
• Did you know, cassowary is considered one of the deadliest birds in the world owing to its claws, which are capable of inflicting grave harm on a person?
• As a fun fact about the cassowaries, they play a pivotal role in regulating the biodiversity of the Daintree rainforest as the bird eats around 238 different kinds of plants, helping in maintaining diversity.

Amazing Facts On Daintree Rainforest Animals

The Daintree rainforest perfectly justifies its reputation as being one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Along with a wide variety of plant species, various kinds of animals, such as birds, insects, mammal species, and more, also co-exist in the Daintree rainforest. One of the most interesting Daintree rainforest facts is that it is home to not only a number of endemic species but also various Endangered species which are hardly seen anywhere else in the world.

• The Daintree rainforest is home to various endemic species such as Boyd’s forest dragon, Ulysses butterfly, spotted-tailed quoll, green ringtail possum, Buff-breasted paradise kingfisher, and many more as well.
• Mammals that are commonly found in the Daintree rainforest include the likes of bandicoots, platypus, wallabies, and echidnas.
• Fish such as barramundi, archerfish, and freshwater bream are widely found in the section where the Daintree rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef.
• Did you know that the Daintree rainforest is home to the world's largest tree frog, the white-lipped tree frog?
• Bennett's tree-kangaroo, found in the Daintree rainforest, is a major wildlife attraction in this place. The kangaroo is famous for its ability to jump from a height of 59 ft (18 m)!
• The largest crocodile species in the world, the saltwater crocodile, is located in the Daintree rainforest.
• It is also the world's largest living reptile species at the moment and perhaps the most dangerous one too found in the Daintree rainforest.
• The Daintree River, beaches near the rainforest, and mangrove swamps are some of the common spots where you can come across an estuarine crocodile.

So what's so special about the Daintree?

The Daintree rainforest, in particular, and the wet tropics of Queensland Forest, in general, are renowned for their biological diversity and the wide variety of flora and fauna that live there. Researchers have concluded that the rainforest ecosystem in the Daintree is one of the most complex ones on the planet, and its functioning has helped scientists understand the evolution of Earth over the years. Let us take a closer look at some of the most astonishing features of the Daintree rainforests.

• Along with birds and animals, the Daintree rainforest is also home to around 30% of all reptiles, frogs, and marsupial species found in Australia.
• Did you know, 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species are found exclusively in the Daintree rainforest?
• The rainforest receives an average rainfall of around 79 in (200 cm) throughout the year and experiences a tropical climate.
• You can get an idea about the popularity and craze of this unique natural wonder from the fact that over 400,000 people visit the Daintree forest every year.
• One of the most amazing Daintree rainforest facts is that it has different kinds of terrains such as waterfalls, deep gorges, high mountain ranges, serene streams, the Great Barrier Reef, and also a one of kind rainforest.
• The canopy-like structure formed in the Daintree rainforest is largely owing to the towering trees, which have more than standard height. These trees are also known as emergent trees as they literally emerge over other trees and enjoy maximum sunlight.
• Did you know there are three rivers that flow through the Daintree region, and these are the Bloomfield River, the Daintree River, and the Mossman River?
• Another one of the incredible Daintree rainforest facts is that there are well over 663 kinds of vertebrate animals found within the rainforest.
• At the same time, there are 200 different kinds of land snails found in the Daintree rainforest.

Rare And Unique Plants Found Only In The Daintree

Various plants and animal species are found in the Daintree rainforest. Some of the Daintree rainforest plants have also been proven to have medicinal values and have turned the heads of various research groups. Let us delve deeper into plants that are found exclusively in the Daintree rainforest.

• Blue figs, blue quandongs, blue marble trees are various names of tropical trees found in the Daintree rainforest which bears blue-colored fruit.
• Did you know that these blue quandongs are one of the sources of bush tucker and are an integral part of the Daintree ecosystem?
• Wild ginger is another unique plant species that grows exclusively in the Daintree region and isn't toxic, unlike many of its other plant types.
• As a fact, a wild ginger plant in the Daintree rainforest grows up to 19 ft (6 m) on average.
• Austrobaileya is a unique plant type that can be found in the Daintree rainforest.
• Austrobaileya is a vine that bears flowers, but unlike most plants, its flowers have a stinky smell rather than a sweet, pleasant smell.