Cloudland
- Acquired:
- 2015
- Area:
- 80 ha
- Bioregion:
- Wet Tropics
- Habitat:
- Endangered high-altitude rainforest on basalt
- Threatened Ecological Communities:
- 1
- Threatened and Near-Threatened Species:
- 25
Reserve overview
Cloudland Nature Refuge is an 80 hectare property situated in the cooler higher region of the Atherton Tablelands. The property occupies a key central position in the Hypipermee Outlier, a 1,000 hectare remnant of endangered highland rainforest described as “simple to complex notophyll vine forest on cloudy wet uplands on basalt”.
This is the largest continuous area of remnant endangered rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands outside the World Heritage Area.
protecting WILDLIFE, sustaining life
Species and Habitats
In 2023 the conservation status of the Lemuroid Ringtail Possum was lifted to critically endangered after new research showed that the possum’s distribution and abundance has contracted markedly due to climate change. The same research concluded that the Green Ringtail Possum should be considered endangered and the Herbert River Ringtail Possum vulnerable. However, these recommended uplistings have yet to go through the formal process.
The rainforest at Cloudland is also prime breeding habitat for Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, itself another listed species. Other species restricted to these higher altitude forests include the Atherton Antechinus and the Masked White-tailed Rat.
The forest supports thirteen species of bird life endemic to Queensland’s Wet Tropics: Lesser Sooty Owl, Mountain Thornbill, Fernwren, Atherton Scrubwren, Bridled Honeyeater, Macleay’s Honeyeater, Chowchilla, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Victoria’s Riflebird, Golden Bowerbird, Toothbilled Bowerbird, Grey-headed Robin and Pied Monarch. Six of these are restricted to the higher altitudes. Nearly all of these bird species have recently had their conservation status lifted to levels ranging from near threatened to endangered.
Conservation Highlights
Cloudland has very high biodiversity values as habitat for a range of threatened fauna and flora. These include the nationally endangered Southern Cassowary and all the endemic possum species of the region. Of the six possum species, four are now restricted to altitudes above 600m: Green Ringtail Possum, Lemuroid Ringtail Possum, Herbert River Ringtail Possum and Coppery Brushtail Possum.
