Mission Beach Planning Project Invites Community Voices This March

Just over nine months after its official commencement, the Mission Beach Planning & Mapping project will hold its second Community Workshop this March, inviting residents to voice opinions on the progression of the project.

June of 2025 saw action finally take place following a decade and a half of planning under the 2010 Community Vision for Mission Beach, launching a Balancing Conservation & Sustainable Development project as funded by Cassowary Coast Regional Council.

The project aims to support smarter conservation and development planning in Mission Beach through the mapping of rainforest values and identification of priority areas for protection.

Mission Beach contains the second-largest area of lowland rainforest in Australia, boasting the highest density of cassowaries in any urban setting. Extraordinarily biodiverse and undoubtedly breathtaking, the community has worked for many years to protect the area; however, in recent years, significant environmental decline has occurred, including cassowary vehicle strikes.

An initial Community Workshop was held on the 8th of November in 2025, where locals were encouraged to share their knowledge of the area to help co-design future solutions that balance conservation and sustainable development. March’s workshop hopes to continue such conversations, with the project’s leadership team encouraging residents to attend to proactively participate in practical, hands-on community workshops to shape how conservation and sustainable development can coexist in Mission Beach.

Additional information on the Community Workshop’s specific date will be available shortly via www.ninneyrise.com, and interested residents are welcome to submit an expression of interest form, also available on the Friends of Ninney Rise Website.