at the time the region was caught in a whirlwind of conflict and protest as "greenies" and pro-development forces met head on. several events brought a focus on the region - the Cairns International Airport was established in 1984 and the Wet Tropics Rainforests were World Hertiage listed in 1989. developments such as Skyrail and the Daintree road brought nationwide attention to the terrible rate of logging and land clearing in the wet tropics.

with so much activity CAFNEC found it impossible to keep the two volunteer-run shops operating. the green possum closed but the green house in kuranda was bought by long time CAFNEC members including Ann Mansfield ( then Downey) who made a commitment to donate annually a percentage of profits to local conservation groups and to provide information about and support for local conservation and social justice groups.

as a private business, the green house went from strength to strength and in 2001 won the Bendigo Bank's inaugural Kuranda Better Business award. however, with rising rents in kuranda and a need to continue growing, the decision was made to move down the mountain to the "big smoke" of cairns in 2004.

now re-establised and much evolved the green house is one of cairns's most successful "small businesses" but still retains its green "roots" with continued financial and in kind support for local conservation and social justice activity.