The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will enjoy a uniquely Queensland experience on Monday 22 October when they step into the thick of the Fraser Island rainforest.
Their Royal Highnesses will join Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Butchulla People, the Traditional Owners of Fraser Island (K’gari), to unveil a plaque that dedicates the 206,970-acre site to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC). The Duke and Duchess will take part in a traditional Welcome to Country Smoking Ceremony while in the pristine rainforest.
K’gari, and Bulburin National Park, are the two Queensland forested areas accepted into the global conservation program.
The Premier said The Duke and Duchess will also meet with local elders and National Park rangers at one of the island’s iconic lakes to learn more about the history, biodiversity and cultural significance of the world’s largest sand island.
"Their Royal Highnesses will then visit the beach to learn about the history of the island’s logging trade. Timber from its satinay trees was used to build the London docks in the 1930s," the Premier said.
Logging was undertaken on K’Gari from 1863 to 1991. In 1992, the island was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
"I am thrilled, as I know all Queenslanders are, that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are heading our way, and I am looking forward to showing them why K’gari is a worthy addition to the growing number of QCC-supported conservation projects across the Commonwealth," the Premier said.
"Their visit will help raise awareness of the value of our indigenous forests—K’gari is the world’s only tall rainforest to grow in sand—and the importance of preserving them for future generations.
"Queensland has hosted many Royal visits over the decades and this will be particularly exciting, as The Duke and Duchess will be visiting one of our most beautiful and pristine locations, allowing it to be showcased to the world."
