A Cedar Bay Cherry at Thala.

A walk through the lush native forests surrounding Thala Beach Lodge at this time of year will yield visitors a view of the Cedar Bay Cherry fruiting.  This unique rainforest fruit tree bears bright red bulbous fruit that when ripe is deliciously sweet. It is historically known as a great source of ‘bush tucker’, and is also a favorite of nectar-loving native birds. Belonging to the Lilly Pilly family, the Cedar Bay Cherry grows in dry or lush coastal forested areas, and is just as likely to be found growing along dry creek beds and  rocky beach fronts as it is in lush rainforest.

The Cedar Bay Cherry derives it’s name from a very special place further north from Thala on the Queensland Coast, where the tree is prevalent. Cedar Bay is nestled in the heart of the Wet Tropics, between the small townships of Bloomfield and Rossville. Inaccessible by road and protected under the Wet Tropics listing by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, a permit must be obtained to venture into this virtually untouched paradise. Accessible on foot or by boat, those lucky enough to be able to explore this lush environment will find a rainforest that is centuries old, through which run freshwater streams that flow across the pristine white beach and feed into the sheltered blue waters of Cedar Bay.

Despite it’s namesake, the Cedar Bay Cherry can be found sporadically all along the Queensland coast, from as far south as Bundaberg, all the way to Cape York, and even throughout the Torres Strait and in some parts of Papua New Guinea. It more widely known as the Beach Cherry outside of Queensland, and is a close relative of the Brazilian Cherry, a South American native. that is used medicinally by South Americans to treat a wide range of ailments. Like the Cedar Bay Cherry, the Brazilian Cherry is delicious so is also used by South Americans to make various preserves and other traditional food stuffs.

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Thala Beach Lodge was host to a rare and beautiful visitor this week; a dugong, or ’sea cow’ as they are sometimes called. The rare sea mammal was spotted by a lucky group of guests as they took guided nature walk through the forest and beaches around Thala Beach Lodge. The dugong was spotted just off Pebbly Beach where sea grass, a primary source of food for the dugong, grows.

A dugong was spotted off the coast of Thala Beach Lodge this week!

The name sea cow comes from the dugong’s grazing habits rather than any similarity in looks. It’s head actually resembles that of an elephant, which is it’s closest relative. In contrast to their upper half, dugong sport a long graceful tail that brings to mind that of a mermaid, and it is rumoured that these creatures inspired this myth; that  female dugong were what lonely sailors saw so long ago and imagined as maidens of the sea. This is rather surprising as a mature female dugong can reach  up to three meters in length, and weigh in excess of  four hundred pounds.

Australia is home to the largest concentration of dugong left in the world – around 80,000 occupy waters reaching from Shark bay in Western Australia to Morton Bay in Queensland.  Dugongs are regarded as environmental indicators in coastal marine ecosystems, and their significant presence on the Great Barrier Reef was one of the reasons it was given a World Heritage Listing. Today, there is estimated to be around 12000 dugong in the Great Barrier Reef region

The dugong’s native habitat extends throughtout the Indian and Pacific Oceans however, various threats to the species have seen a dramatic drop in population of dugong in many areas and even reach extinction in places such as the Maldives and around Mauritius.

Sharks, crocodiles, and killer whales are natural predators to the dugong, however their biggest threat is humans. Like dolphins, dugong are prone to getting caught in fishing nets or hit by boats, and the sea grass that so integral to their diet is threatened by industry, mining and agricultural practices that greatly affect the health of coastal waters. Despite their ecological importance and dwindling numbers, dugong are still only partially protected.

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