It was very sad to see the last cane harvested in Douglas last week. Even though I have never farmed the stuff, it has always been part of my world, the little yellow cane trains, the mill belching smoke, and the annual harvest. No more trains down Mill Street, and no more budding musicians at Lynda's concerts at the Shire Hall being told ' If a train goes past during your piece, just stop and start again when it is gone'.

It is even sadder to see Rainforest Rescue jumping in and raising cash to forest the land before the community has had a chance to think about what they want to do. I have said before that charities will be eying the old cane land like Hyena eyes a kill, and it seems I was not wrong. There is nearly limitless money in guilt tripping city folk.

I am not against revegetation, but it has to be planned. Like it or not, there will be a bridge over the Daintree one day, and why revegetate then knock the trees out later? Let's plan where the bridge will go now and leave that as it is. Let's look at corridors for wildlife and prioritise those. Lets reveg the river and creek banks.

If we are going to raise money and revegetate, why get a charity based in NSW to do it? Council could raise the money and engage local companies to plant and maintain, we don't need outsiders with their own agendas doing it. Or allow the creation of our own local charity, run by locals. You have to wonder why charities from northern NSW are here when the area where they are based is so denuded? They are here to trade off our name, and none of the high paid staff are local.

I personally don't think any land uses other than agriculture should be approved until we have had a well thought out consultation process. That process may well lead to revegetation, but there will likely be other uses too. So many people I know would love to live on rural acreage. Do we amend the town plan so this can occur? That would certainly help the economy; but like reforestation, the agricultural land would be lost.

Council needs land too, land for a cheap or free backpacker campground maybe? A tourism levy could pay for that. Get all the vans out of the suburbs. And the poo off the beaches.

Or land for spoil from future disasters that are supposed to become more common.

Jabalbina is clearly looking for land to return to country on, and certainly for youth facilities.  

Consultation would reveal more ideas.

Lets think about the value adds. I am sure there were thoughts of an abattoir, how about the Council and government support this? Not only will it provide jobs and income, but local meat for our visitors to buy. They are gagging for local products.