The Cairns Post

Sir David naturally thinks the world about us

- NICK DALTON

ESTEEMED wildlife broadcaste­r Sir David Attenborou­gh has reiterated his love for North Queensland at an awards ceremony in London.

When accepting the Britain-Australia Society Award at the Australia’s High Commission in London he told 150 people that his favourite place was North Queensland.

Sir David said children al- ways asked him about his favourite place.

“I have no hesitation in answering that question,” he told the audience.

“My favourite place is North Queensland. It has for a naturalist everything.

“It has an amazing rainforest which is quite unlike any other rainforest in the world.

“Not only does it have that but down on the coast it has the Great Barrier Reef.”

The 91-year-old first visited the Great Barrier Reef in the 1950s, beginning a love affair with the country.

“The fact is, if I wasn’t born in this country I would have loved to be born in Australia,” Sir David told Australian journalist­s.

He has highlighte­d the dangers of climate change and rising ocean temperatur­es in his nature documentar­ies.

“It’s in danger that’s for sure, but then natural places all over the world are in danger.

“It’s quite true that up in North Queensland there’s been huge developmen­ts over the past 50 years.”

Sir David was recognised for his great contributi­on to the Britain-Australia relationsh­ip, an annual award.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Pip Close said it was great recognitio­n for the region.

“Having the world’s most popular naturalist endorse Tropical North Queensland’s World Heritage areas as his favourite place to be underlines how special the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforest are,” Ms Close said.

“We hope people around the world want to come and see why Sir David Attenborou­gh loves Tropical North Queensland so much.”

 ??  ?? TOPS: Sir David Attenborou­gh says our region is his favourite.
TOPS: Sir David Attenborou­gh says our region is his favourite.

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