Our Mission: To bring together the broad-based community and other organisations to take action to promote a vibrant Far North Queensland natural environment.
CAFNEC represents a region that stretches from Cardwell to the Torres Strait Islands, through the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York and Cairns and surrounding areas. Known as Far North Queensland (FNQ). Where the reef meets the rainforest, FNQ boasts two of Australia’s most iconic World Heritage Areas, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. Just two of vast and varied environments we love. OUR CHALLENGES ARE great but not insurmountable. Now, more than anytime in history, our natural environments are under threat from the impacts of modern society.
However, history also tells us that we are capable of great change. When communities come together we can achieve great things. CAFNEC is committed to empowering FNQ communities to come together and fight for the environments that we love and depend on. OUR ORGANISATION IS made of people like you. When it comes to the greatest threats to our environment, people are the problem and people are the solution. Here at CAFNEC we know that the FNQ community is ready and willing to come together and act as stewards of our environment. Our organisation is made up of everyday people who dedicate time and passion to a connected community and vibrant natural environment. CAFNEC has been advocating for the protection of nature in Far North Queensland since 1981.
ABOUT CAFNEC
The Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) is a not-for-profit incorporated association that acts as conservation council for the region from Cardwell north to Torres Strait and from the east coast to the Gulf of Carpentaria. We work to protect the environment by enhancing the capacity of local groups and community members to act for conservation, strengthening networks within FNQ, facilitating region-wide cooperation to identify and coordinate action on issues of regional significance and when necessary, engaging in campaigns that are strategically important for the region. The FNQ environment needs a strong voice, and the people of FNQ who know, love and live in the region are the best ones to be that voice. Protecting the world’s largest living structure (the Great Barrier Reef) and the oldest continuously surviving rainforests (the Wet Tropics) – as well as the other spectacular natural areas in the region – is a huge challenge and needs resources. These World Heritage Areas are important to Australians and global citizens alike so we also need people outside the region to join and support us in giving voice to the local community members who speak and act for these globally-recognised natural wonders. Like many not-for-profit organisations, we have a small number of staff that keep things ticking along but volunteers, members and donors are the real power behind the organisation so the more we have, the more we can do.