In the early 1990’s Fauna Squad police became aware of possible large scale criminal activity in one of Queensland’s most remote national parks, Cape Melville National Park on the east cost of Cape York Peninsula. The intelligence received was that criminals were dealing guns and drugs and making death threats to others involved in the illegal harvesting of the Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia bifurcata). The Palm grew naturally within the National Park, and was/is unique to Cape Melville. Although very hardy and readily available within the community, albeit by unlawful means, the popularity of the palm increased and it was marketed interstate and overseas. Criminal gangs would harvest the seed pods from high in the tall palms using long poles with saws affixed. Each pod could contain up to 200 seeds which were then sold for $2 each initially, the price increasing depending on the eventual market.
Foxtail Palms (Wodyetia bifurcata) Cape Melville National Park.
Image Courtesy of Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts.
NATIONAL PARK DAMAGE
The palm trees themselves were never threatened. However, botanists argued that future generations and the survival of the species were. As they were all being removed, no seeds were germinating in their natural environment. In the process of taking the seeds gangs were bulldozing roads and delicate hillsides throughout the park to gain access to more and more palms. Old 4WD vehicles with logs chained to the front were utilised to “push the bush”. Illegal camps were being built on precious waterways of which there are few in this dry part of Cape York, creating pollution and disturbing the natural habitats.
Foxtail Palm Seeds (Wodyetia bifurcata) Freshly picked Seeds sell for between 50c and 3 dollars (Southern or overseas market).
Image Courtesy of Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts.
Fauna was being shot and eaten. On one occasion, tourists camping on the beach at Barrow Point were photographing pelicans flying overhead when someone nearby “opened up on them with a machine gun.” The shootings were for fun and not food. Needless to say, the tourists fled the park as the pelicans fell from the sky. It was the practice of most of the gangs to carry Chinese SKS rifles, which were converted into fully automatic rifles.
Seized Firearms. Image Courtesy of Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts.
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
When initial intelligence of illegal activity within Cape Melville National Park was received, Rangers flew over the area in a helicopter but were unable to spot any evidence of it. Some months later, the wife of a gang member reported to the police that “someone was going to get killed in Cape Melville if Qld National Parks and Wildlife Service (QNPWS) didn’t stop the foxtail racket.”
Acting on this information, OIC of the Fauna Squad Detective Sergeant Gavin Ricketts organised an operation involving 2 Fauna detectives, 2 QNPWS Rangers and a Cairns Drug Squad detective travelling in 3 4WD police vehicles. It took three days to reach Cape Melville from Brisbane. Initial patrols failed to locate any offenders but damage to the park and evidence of the interference with the palms was obvious. On the second day the officers were travelling on a bush track about 150 metres from a densely forested creek, when DS Ricketts saw a flash of blue plastic through the trees. A foot trek disclosed a large six men camp constructed within what is known as a ‘gallery forest’ (rainforest which follows the creeks in dry areas). The camp was camouflaged from above with green military style tarps, which hid it from detection by helicopters. These green tarps covered the camp on all sides. The blue plastic turned out to be a blue water bottle set up to filter water from the creek.
4WD located with three men and loaded automatic rifle within a National Park Bag of seed located in the rear of the vehicle.
Image Courtesy of Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts.
Consequently, within the next two days five men were arrested. Their FWD vehicles, guns, large quantities of ammunition and drugs were seized. Other hidden camps were located throughout the area, which resulted in further arrests. Investigations revealed that these gangs under the control of two men, one in Brisbane and one in Port Douglas were aggressively competing for the spoils of the NP. Regular patrols of Cape Melville were conducted during the dry season until the activity ceased. Foxtail palms are now widely available legally within the community. They make excellent garden plants.
Sawn off .22 rifle and bag of Cannabis located under mattress at No. 1 Camp.
Image Courtesy of Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts.
Some never understood the fuss over these palms, as they did not see how the integrity of a unique NP was being compromised and taken over by a bunch of criminals. The dangers that it posed to not only the wildlife but the general public enjoying a wilderness experience. “I’ve got no doubt that we prevented a killing either through gang related murder or the shooting of an innocent tourist.”
__________________
This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing. The article was written by Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts, previously OIC of the Fauna Squad, currently OIC of Caloundra Police Station, and edited by Museum Volunteer and Crime and Policing Historian Dr Anastasia Dukova.
The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“FROM the VAULT – Operation ‘Foxtail Palm’ by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode