Mary Cairncross Reserve
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The Marry Cairn Cross Reserve is located in the higher regions of Maleny, Australia. Maleny is approx. 100 km north of Brisbane or a few minutes drive from Caloundra. The reserve is hidden in the mountain rainforests of the Maleny region and it over looks the Glass House Mountains.
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[edit] Geology
The Region holds many of the large predominate landforms in Queensland, the most recognisable is the Glass House Mountains. The Glass House Mountains were formed thousands of years ago when the outer layer of soil and rock eroded from the extinct volcanic summit. The dirt and soil located in the region is very rich and healthy, due to the high quantity of volcanic rock decomposed in the soil. Volcanic rock contains high amounts of nutrients.
[edit] European history
The Coastal region of Queensland was first discovered by Captain James Cook on 17 May, 1770. Captain Cook also discovered the Glass House Mountains; he named them after the glass manufacturing houses in England. Between 1770 and 1853 many explores mapped out the inner regions of the coast and named the landforms. The first land lease was granted in 1853 to the Skyring brothers. In the late 1850’s Queensland separated from the NSW colony and Brisbane became the new capital city. From then on the state has been growing rapidly.
[edit] Aboriginal legend
The Aboriginal Legend of Mt. Tibrogargan is a very creative and intriguing story. The indigenous Australians wrote very deep stories of creation and family history. Many of these stories were written for religion and beliefs.
[edit] The Mary Cairn Cross story
The Cairn Cross Reserve was given to the Landsborough Shire Council in 1941 by three Thynne sisters. They named the reserve after their mother, Mary (Cairncross) Thynne. Caloundra City Council manages and maintains the reserve along with the volunteers that staff the Thynne Natural History Education Centre daily. The reserve is one of the best remaining subtropical rainforest in Australia. The reserve was created to protect the flora and fauna of the Maleny region.
[edit] The rainforest
The reserve is a subtropical rainforest. These types of rainforests are mainly located in the north-east parts of Australia. The Cairncross reserve has an area of 530,000 square metres and reaches a peak canopy of 440 m. The main specie of tree is the red cedar. Strangler figs and fungi are some of the environmental elements that the rainforest needs to survive.
[edit] Biodiversity
Some of the plants are trees 107 species, herbs 30, vines 50, plams 3, fungi 21, shrubs 26. Some of the animals 139 birds including the Wompoo fruit dove, brown cuckoo dove, tree creepers, thornbills, scrub wrens, the eastern whipbird and the beautiful green catbird and the Lowin's honeyeater, 11 marsupials, 3 bats, 20 lizards, 14 snakes, 14 frogs.
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