The Canopy Rainforest Tree Houses and Wildlife Sanctuary on the Atherton Tablelands will celebrate the return of its resident male cassowary, Tui.

According to The Canopy’s owners and wildlife carers, David and Sharon Gibson, Tui has been an annual visitor since 1991 (when he was just 18 months old) – returning in the first week of December – most often with a couple of chicks in tow.
“It is believed that when Tui goes walkabout during the mating season from May to December – he heads coast wards to Wooroonooran National Park to find his mate.    Male cassowaries raise the young with the female leaving as soon as the eggs are laid.  The male will sit on the eggs for 50 days and after hatching, will proceed to care for the chicks for around 10 months.

“We are lucky to have 100 acres of rare, upland mesophyll vine forest which in itself is one of the largest untouched tracts of rainforest on the Cairns highlands.  As such, we enjoy a phenomenally high density of unique wildlife that not only includes cassowaries, but Lumholtz tree kangaroos, green possums, platypus, pademelon wallabies, coppery brushtail possums and northern bandicoots as well.  We feel very privileged to be the custodians of this very precious, special place,” Sharon said.

Purpose built for comfort in the wilderness, The Canopy Rainforest Tree Houses and Wildlife Sanctuary has five, luxury timber and glass tree houses perched high in the rainforest canopy on the banks of the flowing Ithaca River.  Guests will wake to a serenade of birdsong every morning as an ever-changing parade of rainforest birds make themselves at home on the balcony.

To book, email: stay@canopytreehouses.com.au or 07 4096 5364