It started in the late 1980s when the State Government overruled Council’s decision to refuse an application to subdivide the Daintree rainforest into more than 900 one hectare, housing lots.
The applicant than took out an advertisement in the Wall Street Journal advertising 958 blocks of tropical rainforest for sale. For $25,500 ($US18,000 in those days) buyers saw it as their opportunity to own a piece of tropical paradise – either for their dream retirement property, or as a great investment.