Queenslands Wet Tropics
The Wet Tropics of Queensland is one of a handful of sites worldwide which met all four criteria for World Heritage listing. It represents a major stage of the earth’s evolutionary history. It is an outstanding example of ongoing ecological and biological processes. It contains superlative natural phenomena and it contains the most important natural habitats for conservation of biological diversity. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1988, the Wet Tropics extends from Cooktown to Townsville and covers almost 900 000ha. Included are many national parks such as Daintree, Barron Gorge and Wooroonooran National Parks. To find more rainforest pictures, please click here.
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Stinging Tree, usually grows as a single-stemmed plant reaching 1 to 2 metres in height. It has large, heart-shaped leaves that are about 12 to 22 cm long and 11–18 cm wide, with finely toothed margins. The species is an early coloniser in rainforest gaps, seeds germinate in full sunlight after soil disturbance. Contact with the leaves or twigs causes the hollow silica-tipped hairs to penetrate the skin. The sting causes a painful stinging sensation which can last for days or even months and the injured area becomes covered with small red spots joining together to form a red, swollen mass. The sting is known to have killed one human, and it can also kill dogs and horses. One can suffer even if the plant is not touched. The plants continuously shed their stinging hairs. Stay close to the stinging trees for more than an hour, and one can get an allergic reaction - intensely painful and continuous bouts of sneezing. Nose bleeds can also happen from silicon hairs floating in the air.
Dendrocnide moroides or Dendrocnide excelsa (also known as Laportea gigas) | Atherton Tablelands | Australia