Daintree B&B, Australia
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
We live a permaculture lifestyle by reusing most of everything. We take our rubbish to the local transfer station once a week, twice in summer, they recycle glass, plastic, milk cartons and aluminum. We recycle all organic waste into our 3 compost bins, which is then added to the vegetable garden. We collect all our lawn clippings to turn into mulch, and we mulch with old newspapers, which we collect from the local shop or the news agency in town. We mulch several times a year, as the rainforest soil is very poor and doesn’t hold a lot of nutrients due to the heavy rainfalls in summer. We have WWOOFers most of the time during winter and show them how we manage our garden and land here. We are hands on when birds are injured and relocate snakes to other areas here in Cow Bay where there is no resident population. Just last week one of the Emerald doves knocked itself out on the plexi windows, which we installed so the birds won’t kill themselves, and we don’t get injured during a cyclone, and by giving it some rescue remedy we prevent shock and it took off back into the forest 10 minutes later. During summer we find at least one of the pythons in the garden/driveway/road/house and pick it up in a rubbish bin and release it that night if possible.
We grow endemic as well as exotic plants to attract birds and butterflies to our small foot print of rainforest and the delight of guests. We have no mains power and use solar energy and gas.
Community
We have been living here for over 15 years and in a community of ca 500 people one is well known. We use local produce as much as possible, Daintree Tea, Bananas from the Daintree Ice Cream Company and use only locally guided tours and businesses. We are member of the local tourism association, Daintree Marketing Cooperative and have been volunteering several years for shows and other events, we are also on the website Destination Daintree. Brian is the local electrian and has a number of customers who won't pay full rates due to personal circumstances, or we swop. We go shopping once week/twice a month and buy at the local market in Mossman. I am in big danger to buy a black marker pen next time I am at WW and cross out all the fresh produce imported from other countries when we grow them here. Our guests are always welcomed in any of the other businesses in this area and have been helped in all kinds of emergencies over the years. We have discounts vouchers available for business here for our guests. We make my own bread and preserves from the fruit in the garden and juice and freeze various citrus for use during the season.
1of3
