Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

text is taken from a brochure available at the Reserve

The visitor's Centre - volunteers provide a wealth
of local knowledge to enrich your visit.

The enlightened gift of a Rainforest to the future

Mary Cairncross was the second daughter of William Cairncross, who came to Brisbane in 1846.

An early conservationist, Mary Cairncross campaigned to prevent the felling of native forest on the island of St Helena, in Moreton Bay. However, it was an unsuccessful campaign as the forest was sacrificed to make way for a prison which, ironically, is now gone.

A Strangler fig rears up
from the forest floor

She subsequently became involved in a fight to prevent the discharge of effluent into the sea at Luggage Point because of the threat to the Moreton Bay oyster banks.

Mary Caimcross married the Hon. A.J. Thynne, who became Postmaster General of Queensland and also Minister for Agriculture. He was the first legal adviser to the Maleny Co-operative Dairy Association, registered on September 19, 1903.

The Thynnes had a family of five daughters and three sons.

History | Fauna | A word of caution

The History of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

In 1941, Mary Cairncross's daughters - Mabel, Mary and Elizabeth Thynne - donated the land for the scenic reserve to the then Landsborough Shire Council. The gesture was in memory of their mother and the Council subsequently set aside Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve for "the preservation, conservation and exhibition of the natural flora and fauna".

The Council recognised the value of the gift, as clearly indicated by a letter signed by Shire Clerk, Mr K. Burgess, In 1943: "...the Council has every confidence in believing that their generous action in placing the requirements of their district before that of their purse will, in time, be appreciated to the full and will earn undying gratitude which is justly due to them. Gifts of this nature are practically unheard of, and owing to its greatness, it is impossible to calculate what worth it will be to the district".

elevated wooden viaducts provide all weather access for pedestrians and wheelchairs

The raised walk way
provides level, dry
wheelchair access
over waterways etc

The well-maintained path through
the forest provides a convenient
and intimate interface

It was a far-sighted assessment, as those 100 acres (~40 hectares) preserved the evidence of the "big scrub" - a rich, wonderful, mysterious jacket of green which clothed the Blackall Range before European settlement and which was known by the Aboriginal people as Bonyi Bonyi.

On December 11, 1966, at a social afternoon held at the Mary Caimcroas Scenic Reserve, Elizabeth Thynne, the sole surviving sister, handed to Landsborough Shire Council the title deeds for a further five acres to be added to the scenic reserve.

Mary Caimcross Scenic Reserve gives shelter to many species of wildlife - an indication of the amazing range of native fauna which lived in the rain forests of the Blackall Range before the sounds of the settlers' axes mingled with the call of the whip birds.

History | Fauna | A word of caution

Fauna

animals seen In Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve include:
Mammals Marsupials: Swamp Wallaby Red-necked Wallaby Red-necked Pademelon Brush-tail Possum Rufous Ringtail Possum Sugar Glider Yellow.ellied Glider Long-nosed Bandicoot Yellow-looted Mouse Placentals Allied Grey Rat Eastern Pseudo Rat Pygmy Mouse Grey-headed Fruit Bat Eastern Little Bat Little Brown Bat Monotremes Echidna Reptiles Lizards Leaf-tailed Gecko Bearded Dragon Common Tree Goanna Black Skink Copper-tailed Skink Snakes Diamond Carpet Green Tree Brown Tree Blue-bellied Black Broad-headed	Birds Scrub Wren Brown Thornbill Grey Fantail Rufous Fantail Willie Wagtail Yellow Robin Golden Whistler Grey Shrike Thrush Black-faced Flycatcher Eastern Whip bird Lewin Honey eater Grey-breasted Silver eye Olive-barred Oriole Southern Fig bird Golden Cistieola Satin Bower bird Kookaburra Forest Kookaburra Magpie Lark Grey Butcher Bird Pied Currawong Blackbacked Magpie Wonga Pigeon Green-winged Pigeon Forest Bronze wing Crested Pigeon Bar-shouldered Dove Pale-headed Rosella King Parrot Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Rainbow Lorikeet Boobook Owl Blackshouldered Kite Nankeen Kestrel Brown Goshawk Grey Goshawk Wedgetailed Eagle Hooded Robin Red-browed Finch White-throated Tree Creeper Rifle Bird Brush Turkey.

History | Fauna | A word of caution

A word of Caution

( well, several actually )

When walking in the rainforest. keep in mind that some little "meanies" live there. These include shellback ticks, also known as scrub ticks. which cause a fiery itch when attaching themselves and, if undiscovered, can be a threat to young children.

In wet weather, you will also find leeches which, although harmless enough, are not everybody's favourite. Leeches retreat very quickly before a pinch of table salt. As well, watch out for the Gyrnpie Gympie, which is the native stinging tree. It has very large, roundish. leaves Which if touched can provide a severe sting. It is not likely to be near walking tracks.

Spending too much time lolling around on the grass can be dangerous. In summer without sunscreen you can burn to a crispy black colour. The top of your head can even turn red - if you are cranially challenged hair-wise. At other times you are likely to be tagged by the Reserve's diligent team of parking inspectors. This photo shows what you could look like if you ignore these warnings! (this paragraph wasn't on the original brochure)

History | Fauna | A word of caution

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document (www.sunweb.com.au/places/mrycpark.php) last updated: Tuesday April 04 2007

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

The visitor's Centre - volunteers provide a wealth of local knowledge to enrich your visit.

The enlightened gift of a Rainforest to the future

A Strangler fig rears up from the forest floor

The History of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

The raised walk way provides level, dry wheelchair access over waterways etc

The well-maintained path through the forest provides a convenient and intimate interface

Fauna

animals seen In Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve include:

A word of Caution

( well, several actually )

The visitor's Centre - volunteers provide a wealth
of local knowledge to enrich your visit.

A Strangler fig rears up
from the forest floor

The raised walk way
provides level, dry
wheelchair access
over waterways etc

The well-maintained path through
the forest provides a convenient
and intimate interface