The blockade was staged on November 30, 1983, when a small group of concerned locals formed a peaceful, non-violent demonstration in an attempt to stop Douglas Shire Council constructing a road from Cape Tribulation to Bloomfield. 

The road was being built to provide the final link of road along the east coast of Australia, but in doing so it was set to traverse the recently declared Cape Tribulation National Park and cross through the last remaining coastal lowland rainforest in the country. 

Southern supporters arrived to help the campaign, some with experience in protests at the Franklin River in Tasmania and Terania Creek in northern New South Wales. But the State Government lent their support, and that of the Queensland Police Force, to Council, and after a break for the wet season, work recommenced in August of 1984 and the road was opened in October of that year.

While the campaign to stop the road was unsuccessful, the protest played a significant role in the eventual World Heritage Listing of Queensland’s wet tropical rainforests a years later in 1987.

On the night of the anniversary, those present enjoyed a comprehensive trip down memory lane, with photos and newspaper clippings adorning the walls of the Lodge, a reproduction of a blockade banner hung at the entrance to the building and a film with footage of the blockade shown.

After a barbeque dinner, Lawrence Mason of Mason’s Tours compered an open mic session, allowing those present at the blockade to recall the days of heightened tension, the sense of camaraderie among those who participated, and the feeling of loss as the road went through. 

There were also plenty of laughs as the protesters revealed some of the games they played with the builders of the road. Among them, Don Gray recalled how they discovered that the protesters lines of communications had been tapped. They sent a fake message through that a group of protesters would be gathering at the wharf in Port Douglas and to send some supply boats up along the coast first thing the following morning. The next day, a dozen police officers showed up at the wharf, but there was not a protester in sight.

Fallen comrades who have since passed away were remembered, including Christine Gray, Tiny Toohey, Judy Salmon and Hans Nieuwenhuizen.

Those present recalled what a different place Cape Tribulation was 30 years ago to what it is now – the road from the ferry was not sealed and prone to wash-outs during the wet season, there were no telephones, the ferry stopped operating at 5.30pm, and only a few simple accommodation houses were in business.

On Sunday morning, December 1, Rosemary Hill had the honour of unveiling a plaque at Blockade Creek. Ms Hill played a significant role in raising the awareness of conservation issues in the Far North, and Daintree in particular.

"I have to say, this is one of the greatest honours of my life," she said. 

"I think this place is about the amazing spirit of this forest, and the amazing spirit that it brings out in people. Preserving the Daintree is something that’s important to the whole world."

"It was absolutely wonderful," said organiser and DMC member, Dawn Gray.

"It was an opportunity for people to see each other after 30 years. Most of them were young people, and to see where they are now is just fantastic."

Mrs Gray described the protest days as one of the most traumatic times of her life; seeing grown men sitting on the ground crying over the destruction of the rainforest is something she will never forget.

Read related article: 'Writer marks Daintree Blockade's 30th anniversary', November 14, 2013

Bill Wilkie is writing a book about the Daintree Blockade. Follow progress on the book at www.facebook.com/daintreebook.