Harry’s focus on environmental issues
FRASER ISLAND: In the local language, K’gari means Paradise, and that is what Prince Harry experienced on his visit to Queensland’s Fraser Island.
The Duke of Sussex turned his focus from the Invictus Games for wounded war veterans to the environment yesterday.
That included dedicating the K’gari/Fraser forest to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, a network of forest conservation initiatives which involves all 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
The 206,970 acres of pristine rainforests is the second Australian forest to be added to the canopy project.
In a space between towering satinay trees in Pile Valley, the prince received a blessing from the Butchulla who performed their smoking ceremony, welcoming him to K’gari, which translates to Paradise.
After a walk to the island’s Big Tree, a satinay 1000 years old that survived Fraser’s logging past, he emerged into a clearing to a rapturous welcome.
Prince Harry was to have been accompanied by his wife Meghan, but the pregnant Duchess pulled out of the ceremony that could only be reached by jolting fourwheeldrive along rough sand roads. She instead stayed behind at one of the island’s resorts.
Aunty Mally Clarke drew laughter from the crowd and the prince when she called out, ‘‘He’s even better looking in person.’’
‘‘I’ll take that as a compliment,’’ Prince Harry said. — AAP