Big day for the cassowary

	Left to right: Clive Cook (Director Northern Region EPA), Lindy Nelson-Carr (Queensland Environment Minister) and Roger Phillips (ARF CEO) cut a very special cake to commemorate the hand-over of the Garners Beach cassowary rehabilitation facility.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has officially handed over management of the Garners Beach cassowary rehabilitation facility to the Australian Rainforest Foundation (ARF).

Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said the ARF will now assume the daily running of the world-class QPWS facility for sick, injured and orphaned cassowaries.

Speaking after the on-site signing at Garners Beach near Mission Beach Ms Nelson-Carr said the agreement was the result of first-rate teamwork between the two organisations.

“This agreement with the Australian Rainforest Foundation will enable better delivery of wildlife services in the Mission Beach area, including a range of cassowary support programs such as public education to raise the birds’ local profile,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

Ms Nelson-Carr praised the ongoing efforts of QPWS and ARF staff and many residents for their commitment and dedication in rehabilitating cassowaries affected by urbanisation and natural disasters.

After Cyclone Larry a supplementary feeding program involving 61 feeding stations was established for at-risk cassowaries while the native habitat recovered.  At the program’s peak around 140 cassowaries were visiting the feeding stations in cyclone-ravaged areas.