[1] The north-western part of the locality is low-lying coastal plains (10–20 metres about sea level) and is used for farming, predominantly sugarcane.

[3] The Mossman - Mount Molloy Road which winds up and down the Great Dividing Range forms the north-western boundary of the locality.

A cane tramway carries harvested sugarcane to the sugar mill at Mossman.

[3] The locality presumably takes its name from the large Australian flightless bird, the cassowary, which is found in the northern tropics of Queensland.

[4] It was located on Captain Cook Highway (16°29′17″S 145°23′26″E / 16.4881°S 145.3906°E / -16.4881; 145.3906 (Cassowary State School (former))), now just across the locality boundary in neighbouring Shannonvale.