Daintree Forest is one of the most beautiful examples that Mother Nature could have gifted the world. It plays home to perhaps what can be called one of the world’s most diverse varieties of animal and plant species in the world. All of this happens in just a 1,200,000 square meters radius. This is the largest bite out of the tropical rainforest that lies in Australia.

The region lies between the Daintree River and stretches all the way up till the Great Divide.  The area has been protected as it falls under the list of World Heritage sites. The area protected will come up to the size of about the whole of Sydney.

What sets Daintree apart?

This is supposedly the most complex ecosystem on planet earth. The diversity that it exhibits, with relation to its plant and animal system, would be unrivalled when it comes to the whole of Australia.

Until a few million years back, Australia was unlike its cooler self today. It used to be extremely warm and humid. It was a land of plentiful rainfall. Rainforests used to thrive in areas like Ayers Rock. A visit to these regions today might shock the daylights out of a person reading these statements. The same region today receives negligible amounts of rainfall. This, however, works as a good example of how much this entire continent has changed over time.

As time passed, Australia continued to turn into a rather arid region. Fewer rainforests began to deplete at a rapid rate. In the region of Daintree, the climate and even the topography were almost ideal. This was why this region, without much choice, turned into what could be dubbed as the last refuge of a rainforest.  The species that had found shelter here continued to live here without much to change about their habitat. Their descendants continue living there even today. Some of the flora species have been traced back to show their ancestral roots that went back almost 110 million years.

The Idiot Fruit

This particular specie is perhaps (arguably) the rarest flowering plant in the world. It was discovered back in the 1970s and was dubbed as one of the most interesting botanical discoveries of Australia. It was greatly interesting a find, since it opened up possibilities of tracing back the origins of many a specie; and it gave the scientists an insight into how old the rainforests really were.

The Flora

According to studies conducted all across the world, there are around 19 varieties of primitive plants which fall into the flowering category.  Of these 19, a good 12 have been found in the Daintree forest. Not only do you find them in these forests, they’re found in quite a dense concentration. This makes it easier to conduct studies on them. Studies conducted on these plants could have clues in them regarding early man and his dependence on certain plants and their fruits and flowers.

If you do decide to visit the region, you’ll also be welcomed by the diversity in the natural scenic beauty. From sprawling coastal scenery to the stunning rainforest woods, there’s a lot that this region can offer.