Storytellers Tourism Australia

SuStorytellerstainabislity

Chapter 1 As travellers across the globe look forward to travel, and ‘travel better’ is a phrase resounding across our industry, Tourism Australia’s focus on sustainability is aimed at making it easier for anyone planning, promoting or selling travel to learn about and include sustainable Australian travel products and experiences in itineraries. What better place to start to demonstrate the depth and diversity of Australia’s sustainable travel offering than with stories direct from some our great storytellers and tourism legacy-makers.

CONTENTS

Alan Wallish 03 Greg Irons 17 Lizzie Corke 31 Passions of Paradise Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation Ecology Centre and Wildlife Wonders Amy Gash 05 Hayley Baillie 19 Lady Elliot Island Baillie Lodges Loz Hunt 33 Tanja Lagoon Camp Charles Carlow 07 Ian Johnstone 21 Arkaba Conservancy Maria Island Walk Melissa Brown 35 Gemtree Wines Claire Baguley 09 James ‘Murph’ 23 Spicers Retreats Murphy Rosie Sandover 37 Sea All Dolphin Swims and Bec Sampi Craig ‘Hassie’ 11 Kingfisher Tours Haslam Janine Duffy 25 Australian Wildlife Adventures Echidna Walkabout Tours Scott Pullyblank 39 and Coodlie Park Farm Retreat Alice Springs Desert Park Jim Smith 27 Dwayne ‘Naja’ 13 Sea Darwin Tim Tranter 41 Bannon-Harrison Tread Lightly Eco-Tours Ngaran Ngaran Cultural Laurence Kain 29 Awareness Capital Brewing Company

Gene Hardy 15 Cape to Cape Explorer Tours tourism AustrAliA Sustainabilitystorytellers

AlAn WAllish Managing Director, Passions of Paradise | Queensland

Over the 30 years that Alan Wallish has The project sees broken pieces of living been revealing the underwater wonders coral ‘re-planted’ in special frames in of the Great Barrier Reef to visitors, he’s coral ‘nurseries’ on the sea floor, that seen an evolution: guests now want to house up to 4 000 nascent corals. Once "our CorAl nurturing play an active part in reef conservation. established, they can be harvested and re-located to their dive sites. projeCt is one of the Passions of Paradise operates a first times sCientists 30-metre sailing catamaran – one of the “It’s about building resilience for our coral biggest in Australia – offering guided reefs: these corals are survivors. Learning And tour operAtors snorkelling and diving adventures about the project helps our guests hAve Worked side by on the Outer Reef. The company is understand that - while the reef is fragile now developing a parallel program, and needs our protection – it’s also a side on greAt bArrier incorporating ‘citizen science’ into its dynamic system that can heal itself, given reef ConservAtion." reef excursions. the opportunity. The project also enables

03 "by pArtiCipAting in Citizen sCienCe, trAvellers see hoW they CAn leArn or be involved in ConservAtion And personAlly Contribute to mAking the World A better plACe. for us, under normAl CirCumstAnCes, crew operating out of Cairns, but it leap- with our passengers. On a subtle and very frogged us forward to now, where those personal level, we’re immersing guests in We Are Able to 18 staff are still with me, and we’re ready our sustainability ethos throughout the engAge With 30,000 to launch this exciting new program. I see day, inviting them to be part of it. ‘science-tourism’ as an opportunity to pAssengers A yeAr, really build the business.” The focus on sustainability has been a from All Around the point of difference for the company in a In addition to the Coral Nurturing crowded market, which has been good for World." program, the company will offer a new business. ‘environment dive’, where guests can us to improve the visitor experience observe marine biologist, participating in Alan is often invited to be a spokesperson on our dive sites, once the corals are survey work or other projects. for the reef and dive tourism, and the established,” explains Alan, Founder of company has been recognised as an Passions of Paradise. In 2021, Alan commissioned a new, industry leader with a variety of awards, smaller boat with an extended range, including being inducted into the Throughout 2020, when they were designed to undertake bespoke charters. Queensland Tourism Hall of Fame. unable to operate tours due to COVID, It’s an ideal platform for expanding Alan continued once a week to take his the new ‘science-tourism’ arm of the “The reef’s lesson is that we don’t live in staff out to the reef to plant corals. business, working with researchers and a vacuum – everything is connected, we special interest groups. are all components of a bigger picture. “I’m really proud that we planted over I love every day I spend on the reef – in 2000 corals in a three-month period “We are a small, family-owned 30 years I’ve never lost that sense of awe and that we kept the dream alive for our business. Our staff wear many hats and, and connection.” staff. We were the only boat that kept consequently, have a lot of interaction

AdditionAl InformAtion: ContACt detAIls:

For 15 years, Passions of Paradise has worked in Alan Wallish collaboration with GBR Marine Parks Authority on Managing Director, Passions of Paradise the ‘Eye on the Reef’ monitoring program, Crown of +61 418 183 067 Thorns eradication programs, and other stewardship [email protected] projects on the Reef. www.passions.com.au

On board, single-use plastics have been eliminated and food waste monitored, while carbon emissions are offset by tree plantings in the Daintree Rainforest.

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Amy GAsh Custodian, Lady Elliot Island | Queensland

Peter Gash first spied Lady Elliot Island programs begun in the 1970s by – 80 kilometres off Queensland’s coast previous lessees, and set the newly- – from the window of his seaplane over named Lady Elliot Eco Resort on the 30 years ago. In 2005, he seized the path to operating wholly on renewable "We see ourselves opportunity to take over the island’s power. lease and set about developing the As custodiAns of the existing infrastructure as an eco- Fifteen years into the 30-year lease, islAnd – We never tourism destination. the Eco-Resort is still a family-run operation. For Peter’s daughter Amy tAke it for GrAnted." In collaboration with the Great - his ‘Apprentice CEO’ - the island has Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, been her backyard since she was five, seen an incredible resurgence in bird- he successfully lobbied for a Green and acting as environmental ‘custodian’ life, particularly in migratory birds. Zone – a no-take fishing zone – to of the island is second nature. Now we say it’s the birds’ home – and be established around the island, we’re the visiting residents,” says Amy. extending five kilometres off shore. “We’ve planted over 10,000 trees The island had been strip-mined for and native plants in our time, with However it is the flourishing reef guano and had been bare of vegetation another 10,000 to go. Over the years, and abundant marine life – with over for about 100 years. Peter and his we’ve watched the vegetation become 1200 species of fish - that are the big family reinvigorated the revegetation stronger and denser. As a result, we’ve drawcards.

05 "often We heAr thAt the GreAt BArrier reef is under threAt or dyinG, But due to our unique GeoGrAphic locAtion And environmentAl steWArdship, the reef on lAdy elliot IslAnd is thrivinG - powered by 100% renewables with the And for mAny Guests "Without the implementation of 900 solar panels conservAtion Actions and 240 batteries saving the burning of it’s life-chAnGinG: over 200,000L of diesel per year which We’re creAtinG eco- We’ve undertAken, equates to reducing around 500 tonnes We Wouldn’t hAve of carbon emissions. It’s a way of life for WArriors!" the Gash family, and they use the island’s A Business – And systems to educate guests on how they the islAnd And can minimise their own impact. “Our marine life seems to know it’s protected, the fish are so relaxed. We’re surroundinG reef “Education is key and we use everything known as the ‘Home of the Manta’: we’ve possiBly Wouldn’t we can to get our conservation message worked with Project Manta for over across. We offer our guests free talks by 15 years, and they’ve identified over exist At All: Without visiting experts; and we offer a behind- 1000 individual manta rays that come veGetAtion And the-scenes tour to teach about our specifically to the island to utilise its sustainability initiatives.” ‘cleaning stations’. Birdlife, it could hAve Been completely Ecotourism awards garnered over the Without the protection of the Green years have resulted in high levels of Zone, those cleaning stations – where eroded By the seA." media coverage and recognition – tiny wrasse provide a parasite removal including by Prince Charles, who chose service for many different fish species Lady Elliot as the site for a global –probably wouldn’t exist.” Living on the island necessitates a conservation awareness Round Table high level of self-sufficiency and a meeting in 2018. Each year more humpback whales holistic approach to sustainability, are sighted and in-water incidental from water and power generation to “We are reaping the rewards of our encounters often occur. The island is also waste minimisation and disposal. Lady custodianship: we’re at over 95 per cent a critical nesting site for Loggerhead and Elliot Island has been on a solar power capacity six months in advance and Green turtles. In addition, resort staff journey since 2007 supported by various we have a thriving ecosystem. We’ve monitor and report any illegal fishing Federal and State Government funding put a lot in, but we’re getting it back a activity in the Green Zone. programs. The island is now almost hundred-fold.”

AdditionAl InformAtion: contAct detAIls:

The high conservation values of Lady Elliot attract Amy Gash the best staff, currently including five Master Reef Custodian, Lady Elliot Island Guides, recognised as the world’s leading reef +61 402 222 576 guides, interpreters and ambassadors by the Great [email protected] Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. www.ladyelliotisland.com.au

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Charles Carlow CEO, Wild Bush Luxury (incl. Arkaba Conservancy) | South Australia

At Arkaba Conservancy, just “Tourism income underwrites our ten guests share 60,000 acres conservation efforts, and the resulting of Australia’s spectacular regeneration – with numerous "the feedbaCk we get outback scenery, framed by the species now flourishing – enhances Flinders Ranges. But it’s not the the guest experience,” explains is that it’s the time exclusivity or fine dining that Charles Carlow, founder of Arkaba. guests spend with our resonate most with guests. Over the past decade, Arkaba has amazing field guides – Modelled on the African safari conducted comprehensive feral their passion and experience, where tourism and wildlife animal eradication programs that conservation are intrinsically linked, have borne rapid and visible results. the environmental Arkaba has emerged from a sheep River Red gums are recovering. learning they impart station to become a wildlife refuge, Two colonies of Yellow-footed Rock where guests can see rare endemic wallabies have been re-established; – that resonate most animals in their natural environment. echidnas and numerous depleted bird deeply."

07 "we see it partiCularly with families, where teenagers are exposed to wildlife in the natural environment – away from sCreens. we’ve seen how their outlook on the world Can substantially Change at that age."

species are thriving, and Western Quolls – extinct in South Australia for 100 years – have been sighted.

“Seeing the first quoll was a our interpretive guiding. We find The Arkaba experience is designed highpoint. We’ve now recorded most guests completely buy into to disconnect guests from busy lives four, which tells us that our the whole conservation aspect.” and reconnect them with the natural regeneration and re-wilding projects environment that sustains them. are working - that’s immensely Charles aims to ensure the Immersed in one of Australia’s most satisfying,” says Charles. conservation imperative underpins ecologically-significant landscapes, every part of the business, and they learn about the environment, “We get really excited by each that every guest touch-point – and leave with a better understanding new milestone, and we try to from locally-sourced products to of the issues and of how they can imbue a little of that passion and reusable water bottles – illustrates make their own contribution. delight in our guests, through the environmental message. “I hope that we inspire guests to look for substance in their future holidays, using their travel dollars to learn and to have a beneficial impact. We’ve proven that business and conservation can work hand in hand, and I hope it’s a model that other tourism operators, businesses and landowners adopt, so that we can regenerate and conserve the wild areas of Australia.”

ContaCt detaIls:

Charles Carlow CEO, Wild Bush Luxury (incl. Arkaba Conservancy) +61 402 269 572 [email protected] www.arkabaconservancy.com

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Claire Baguley Group Sustainability Product and Design Manager, Spicers Retreats | Queensland

The focus on sustainability at Spicers 25% reduction in water consumption and Retreats is forensic, examining every zero net waste by 2030, and we aim to detail of operations across nine luxury be single-use plastic free from 2025.” retreats, the eco-camps on the Scenic Rim "Now we kNow that Trail and the wildlife refuges in between. The company recently engaged a data analyst to take a deep dive feeliNg Cared for “The company philosophy is driven into determining the exact carbon reSpoNSiBly iS the by founder, Jude Turner, who’s a footprint of each property, and life-long conservationist, and is comparing that across the Group. ultimate luxury. constantly evolving: the question greeN iS our gold." of sustainability prefaces every “It’s been a discovery project: we’re business and design decision. We looking honestly at our performance live and breathe it,” says Claire and where we need to improve. All our “For the past three years, we’ve been very Baguley, Spicers Group Sustainability research is wrapped up in our long- focused on waste reduction and recycling. Product and Design Manager. term goal of being the first carbon- Internally, we have minimum standards: neutral retreat group in Australia.” ‘Plant the Seed’ initiatives, where each “We established a Sustainable Futures retreat has implemented 10 landfill waste Taskforce, committed to achieving But they’re not waiting on results reduction initiatives. Then we have ‘Grow our target of zero net emissions, to start implementing programs. the Seed’ initiatives, where each property

09 "our teamS juSt Soak it up – they love it. It’S Not eaSy to Be greeN – eSpeCially iN the luxury SpaCe, But our Staff are Committed – aNd their paSSioN aNd iNSpiratioN are CoNtagiouS. gueStS really value their SuStaiNaBility traversing Spicers’ private properties, kNowledge. we’re Hidden Vale and Spicers Peak Station. "we’re ethiCally oN a CoNStaNt foCuSed aNd Creating the walk itself and the improvemeNt ‘camps’ along the way – from glamping traNSpareNt: we’re trajeCtory." tents to hand-built wooden cabins happy to Share – was underpinned by a ‘light touch’ environmental policy that covered every our kNowledge aNd chooses three additional initiatives, aspect of the construction and operation. experieNCe with all such as the zero-waste Asian Food festival held by our Tamarind Retreat.” The project was taken to another level, our StakeholderS aNd since the private lands were gazetted as with iNduStry." Staff are encouraged to think Nature Refuges at the Turners’ behest, entrepreneurially and are preserving them in perpetuity, and empowered to enact programs and establishing a safe wildlife corridor the rehabilitation, research and breeding communicate openly guests. into Main Range National Park. centre is situated amid a 4,500-hectare private nature refuge that is being “We are in the fortunate position “We want to show people that you can restored to provide sustainable habitat of having the long-term vision still enjoy the land while protecting it. for threatened and rare wildlife. Guests and the resources – through the So many layers of consideration went can tour the facility and participate Turner Family Foundation – to take into the long-term sustainability of the in koala tracking safaris to learn more risks and undertake research.” operation and the environment. I was about the work being undertaken so proud when the walk opened and we to help reverse biodiversity loss. One such R&D project is a $2 million had feedback from the first guests, who renewable hydrogen energy trial, partly were fascinated to learn about the walk’s “Our granular attention to sustainability funded by a Queensland Government development, and really appreciated is a market differentiator for us, for sure. grant, that will enable all Spicers our effort and achievement. It was a But while we’re investing in sustainability eco-camps to off-grid diesel-powered phenomenal project to work on and an for the advancement of the Spicers generators with hydrogen storage amazing vision to help bring to life. Group, we want to leave a legacy of units. It’s hopefully a precursor to information for others to follow.” powering all the retreats in the future. “My hope is that we inspire guests to make sustainable choices of their own.” “We’ll be first to market in the ecotourism space and hope to In 2017, the Turners established showcase the system as an alternative the Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre CoNtaCt detaIlS: power source for other ecotourism, with a Foundation commitment of remote and farm applications.” $18.5 million, thought to be the Claire Baguley largest-ever family contribution Group Sustainability Product and Jude Turner’s long-held dream of creating to conservation in Queensland. Design Manager, Spicers Retreats a multi-day walk is now a reality, with +61 497 997 084 the Scenic Rim Trail through the Main Operated in conjunction with [email protected] the University of Queensland, Range National Park bookended by www.spicersretreats.com

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Craig 'Hassie' Haslam Director, Australian Wildlife Adventures, and Owner Operator, Coodlie Park Farm Retreat | South Australia

When Craig ‘Hassie’ Haslam says southern Western Australia. Covering sustainable tourism has ‘consumed his everything from history and culture life’, he’s not exaggerating. to wildlife and wine, tours range from swag camping to tailored luxury; from Beginning in 1999 with a run-down, craggy coastlines to desert dunes. "WHen I’m gone, I Hope 100-year-old house on a 1240-hectare farm on the wild and rugged Eyre In every facet of the businesses, Hassie’s people Will say, ‘He Peninsula, 700 kilometres east of guiding principle is to leave things Wasn’t a bad fella – Adelaide, Hassie and wife, Jo have in better shape than he found them, transformed the property into the proving that even a little business ‘out He tried Hard and tHe Coodlie Park Farm Retreat, offering in the sticks’ can set a leading example World’s a better plaCe on-property tours, camping and for sustainability. accommodation. for Him being Here." The focus from Day One has been on In 2004 they bought Australian re-use, re-cycle and rehabilitate – it’s toilet and reduced water usage from 50 Wildlife Adventures, and grew it become a way of life. Hassie built 000 litres a year to under 2 000 litres from bankruptcy into a thriving tour the Coodlie Park campground out of by designing a bucket shower system company providing diverse, interactive timbers recycled from an oyster lease. that uses just eight litres of water per tours through South Australia and He designed a solar and wind-operated person.

11 "We believe We’re tHe only australian tour operator tHat’s 100 per Cent Carbon neutral, tHrougH offsetting our emissions internally."

“You have to be a bit creative when you’ve got no budget!” he says.

“But people love the bucket showers – and it starts them thinking about saving water back home.”

Hassie – who still personally guides some of the Australian Wildlife Adventures tours - aims to involve, encourage and support as many like-minded businesses as possible en route, especially emerging and “I can honestly say that 99.9 per cent indigenous operators. He’s developed of guests that do one of our tours "sustainability is a strong relationships with the elders of leave with a changed perspective of Cost of business tHat several indigenous communities and what Australia is really all about.” has mentored and trained indigenous you need to Wear: it’s guides. At Coodlie Park, Hassie and Jo have simply not oK not to set aside a third of the property for “I don’t have to be the ‘guru’ of environmental rehabilitation and, do tHe rigHt tHing." everything. Wherever possible, we try since 2008, have been collecting and to include local specialist business propagating seeds from the property owners, so that guests hear their and re-planting 1.2 hectares of native stories first-hand.” vegetation every year.

Along with hosting tourism students on live-in placements (25 students over 13 years), Hassie encourages travellers to offset their own carbon emissions by working on the farm: they’ve hosted over 300 WWOOFer volunteers to date.

ContaCt detaIls:

Craig ‘Hassie’ Haslam Director, Australian Wildlife Adventures, and Owner Operator, Coodlie Park Farm Retreat +61 428 870 455 [email protected] www.australianwildlifeadventures.com.au

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Dwayne 'naja' Bannon-Harrison Founder and CEO, Ngaran Ngaran Cultural Awareness | New South Wales

Uncle Max Dulamunmun Harrison is the meeting place for 13 different an 85-year-old Yuin Aboriginal man, indigenous dialect groups – that whose knowledge of culture and story take participants on a deep learning has been passed down to him in an and healing journey into Aboriginal unbroken chain from his grandfathers culture and concepts of creation and "our aBoriginal and great-grandfathers. ‘Country’. ancestors were Adopting Uncle Max’s mantra of, “They don’t always get it straight tHe ultimate ‘you have to give it away to keep away, but we plant the seeds and it’, his grandson, Dwayne ‘Naja’ as we get deeper into story, they sustainaBility Bannon-Harrison established Ngaran experience a profound change: they aDvocates: tHey Ngaran Cultural Awareness to share realise sustainability is not just a fad indigenous knowledge, with the aim of or a concept; ‘Country’ is who they taugHt tHat we Have healing both land and people. are. And then comes the realisation to respect country that they have a responsibility to care Ngaran Ngaran offers overnight for it. We are all custodians, no matter since we are part guided walks on Mt Gulaga – once our nationality,” says Dwayne. of it."

13 "tHrougH explaining tHe aBoriginal concept of connection to motHer – to country - we aim to activate people’s unDerstanDing anD awareness of tHeir personal connection to tHeir own country – no matter wHere tHey’re from."

Drawing on his own experience of trauma and loss, Dwayne also founded the Bring Back the Warrior program to help young indigenous men re-connect with their cultural identity. He also established Mirritya Mundya Indigenous Twist, integrating other indigenous people, who don’t indigenous food ingredients into have that, to fill in the gaps while "you’ll grow western dishes, with the aim of respecting their own traditional anD Heal anD Be ‘getting more native food crops into knowledge. We act as a hub where the ground’, thereby regenerating people of all backgrounds can learn Better for tHe native flora and fauna. and take knowledge to apply in their experience." own lives. “What we offer is important and knowledge to share – they should be rare: our elders are still overseeing “The position my grandfather is leaders in this space. I want to change what we do. I feel blessed to have looking from now – to the past the mindset and the narrative. I want this continuous lineage of knowledge and the future – is really powerful. to watch my grandchildren and great- and I feel an obligation to help First Nations people have valuable grandchildren continue our legacy.”

aDDitional Information: contact DetaIls:

Ngaran Ngaran also provides tailored training courses Dwayne Bannon-Harrison for businesses, designed to create a framework Founder and CEO, Ngaran Ngaran Cultural Awareness for establishing strong relationships, enhanced +61 408 272 121 understanding, and respect for Aboriginal culture. [email protected] The aim is to assist organisations to transform good www.ngaranaboriginalculture.com intentions into action on their journey towards reconciliation.

The NNCA Dancers offer dynamic performance packages with up to 20 dances available to showcase Yuin talent. The dances all stem from the Yuin dreaming teachings passed down to them.

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Gene Hardy Managing Director, Cape to Cape Explorer Tours | Western Australia

Gene Hardy describes the Cape to The hikes are structured so that all Cape Track in Margaret River as ‘a logistics are taken care of, ensuring phenomenal canvas to call your office’. guests have the ‘headspace’ to fully enjoy the walk - it can, says He operates Cape to Cape Explorer Gene, be almost meditative. Tours and, while guests come for "If we can raiSe the multi-day trek linking Cape Along the way, guides offer themed tHe perceived value Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste interpretation covering everything lighthouses, he ensures they get from the geological history that of tHe leeuwin- more than they bargained for. shaped the incredible aesthetics naturaliSte national of the coastline to the ‘toxic wars’ “Guests expect primeval forests, between birds and insects. park, we can keep white sand beaches and challenging it aS larGe and hiking, but their ultimate experience “Guests come away with a far deeper adds much deeper layers of understanding and appreciation of wild aS poSSible." meaning and value,” he says. how special this place is and our

15 and young leaders. For years, Gene’s ‘one-ness’ – we’re all in this together "tHere are textureS had leading roles in environmental and we need to look after the and cornerS you and industry organisations (he’s a environment and each other. That’s former President of the Surfrider our message and the more people we don’t find anywHere Foundation) and continues to take a can share it with, the better.” elSe." hands-on, solutions-focused approach to issues such as marine debris.

place in it – as well as some tools “Clients value that attitude: word they can take back home to reduce of mouth is our biggest source of their own environmental footprint.” business, and we’ve been hugely supported by locals through “Returning guests tell me things like, the recent tough times.” ‘my first Cape to Cape walk eight years ago changed my life.’ Mostly, “‘Integrity’ comes from ‘one’”, says they’ve changed their values. Seeing Gene. “It all comes down to that their joy is what keeps us going.”

Gene’s guiding business principle is ‘integrity’. He’s examined every contact detaIlS: aspect of operations – from catering to cleaning products – to reduce Gene Hardy its environmental footprint, and taken a holistic approach to quality, Managing Director from staffing to accommodation. Cape to Cape Explorer Tours +61 459 452 038 Community is key: the company works [email protected] with school students, at-risk youth www.capetocapetours.com.au

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GreG Irons Director, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary | Tasmania

“We don’t have any healthy echidnas Some 20 years later, he and his team here – all ours are missing a leg,” of volunteers respond to around says Greg Irons, Director of Bonorong 13,500 calls for assistance with injured Wildlife Sanctuary, explaining wildlife every year. It’s a 24/7 job. how almost all the injured native animals treated at the Sanctuary are Greg purchased Bonorong Wildlife "I remember how eventually returned to the wild. Park in 2009, changed its name and function to ‘Sanctuary’, and I felt the first “Every animal in the Sanctuary is transformed the zoo-like park time I releAsed A here for a reason: either they’re into a social enterprise that recovering from an illness or injury or funds his rescue operations. rehAbilitAted AnimAl there’s some reason why they couldn’t bAck to the wild, survive in their natural habitat. Our The vast majority of the wildlife mission is to heal and release as many rescue service is underwritten by GivinG it A second animals as we possibly can: we’ve tourism: guests from around Tasmania chAnce – And I’ve been sent all the healthy echidnas home.” and around the world visit the A self-confessed ‘animal nutter’, Greg Sanctuary to see and learn about chAsinG thAt feelinG began Tasmania’s first wildlife rescue Australian native animals - many of ever since." service when he finished high school. which are extinct on the mainland.

“People support us because they know what their visit is funding. I can look visitors in the eye and say, ‘these animals are being saved because of you. We gave you a great experience and you just paid for a box of wombat milk’.

At any given time, around 30 animals are undergoing treatment or rehabilitation: they’re not on view to visitors. There are an additional 150 to 200 permanent residents that tourists can see and interact with, ranging from one-eyed Tawny Frogmouths to hand-reared wallaby and wombat joeys which are too young to release.

In 2019, Bonorong opened the only wildlife hospital in Tasmania - with five trained wildlife veterinarians

17 "I would definitely recommend the sociAl enterprise model to other tourism operAtors. we Get so much support from the public: the more Good thinGs you do, the more people wAnt to support you."

on staff - which has revolutionised injured wildlife care. The majority of its costs are underwritten by tourist visitation and donations.

“Injured animals are assessed on a case-by-case basis and we do what’s best for the animal: sometimes “On the other hand, we can perform Greg has trained over 20,000 wildlife that’s euthanasia. The wonderful surgeries and treatments that we never rescuers – a sizeable proportion thing about the hospital is that could before, such as pinning the wing of Tasmania’s total population of we can quickly check the animal’s of an endangered Masked owl. With 500,000 - and teaches a tertiary base markers and more accurately only 700 breeding pairs left in the course on Animal Studies that diagnose problems. If it has no chance Tasmanian wild – and they mate for helps fill the knowledge gap for of survival, we can often save the life - it’s important conservation work.” wildlife medical treatment. animal so much needless suffering. Guided tours introduce visitors to “Our aim is to have the most Tasmania’s unique native wildlife effective wildlife rescue service in the and ensure they leave with tools world, responding to 100 per cent and knowledge to help protect it. of identified injured animals – and we’re almost there, at 98 per cent. “We educate people by stealth: we deliver our conservation message “In Tasmania, we tend to take our while we’re holding a baby wombat! abundant native wildlife for granted, but our conservation record is poor. We “Almost all the issues our animals face have a huge opportunity to do things are caused by humans. Our message right, to be world leaders in wildlife is that one person making daily management and conservation.” small changes can save thousands of animals over their lifetime.”

AdditionAl InformAtion: contAct detAIls:

Bonorong also has Tasmania’s only seabird Greg Irons rehabilitation enclosure. Director, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary (03) 6268 1184 [email protected] www.bonorong.com.au

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Hayley Baillie Co-Founder, Baillie Lodges and Ernabella Arts Community Partnership | Northern Territory

Longitude 131° sits at the heart of In particular, Co-founder Hayley Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Baillie formed the “Working Together” (APY) country yet, when Baillie partnership with Ernabella Arts Lodges took over the property in Community, whose artists work 2013, there was no Indigenous art primarily in ceramics. Longitude 131° on site. The first step in refurbishing provides a $50,000 annual grant to "For many oF tHe the lodge saw the Baillies connecting cover the salary of a professional artiStS, it’S tHeir FirSt with local Indigenous art centres ceramist, who trains and mentors and commissioning artworks: each emerging and established Ernabella opportunity to earn luxury tent now has its own signature artists. tHeir own income collection of Aboriginal paintings, weavings and carvings. At Ernabella, young and old artists – it’S incrediBly work alongside one another, helping empowering, However, the Baillies wanted to to keep skills, language and traditions establish deeper relationships with strong. The partnership has facilitated eSpecially For young the art centres – relationships that several large commissions and overseas women." were beneficial to the artists, their artist residencies. communities and to Longitude’s guests.

19 "we’ve Been aBle to Sell over $2 million wortH oF art tHrougH tHe lodge Boutique and commiSSionS. tHe artiStS take great pride in Seeing tHeir art – and tHeir StorieS – going gloBal."

“Etching their traditional stories into clay provides artists with a different “Over the past five years we’ve created it. It’s been enlightening to medium for preserving them, and is purchased more than $2 million direct have an insider’s perspective on the the only source of income available from Central Desert art centres, which challenges they face, and it’s been so to them outside of government means funds go straight to the artists. rewarding to have been able to help assistance. For many of the artists, The artists love it when a guest sends a their careers. it’s their first opportunity to earn photo of an artwork from Switzerland their own income – it’s incredibly or America: they take great pride in “Today, Ernabella Arts Community is empowering, especially for young seeing their art – and their stories – thriving. The partnership has been women. going global.” so successful – both with the artists and our guests – that we’re looking to “Personally, I love being in the Centre Hayley has also established an Artist establish relationships with local and and seeing the excitement on a young in Residence program, held regularly, Indigenous art centres at our other mother’s face when I ask if I can which sees local artists painting in the lodges within the portfolio.” purchase her work – and if she can Dune House at the lodge. make another one like it.” “It’s a wonderful chance for artists For the lodge’s predominantly and guests to share their respective international guests, the partnership stories and learn about each other’s means they can purchase an authentic cultures. The artists get to broaden artwork as a vibrant memento of their horizons, while guests can learn where they’ve been, and know that the about the world’s oldest living culture, proceeds go directly to the artist. sitting one-on-one with the artists and hearing the story told, while watching it being created on the canvas.

“Over the years, I’ve watched young people develop their personal style and become established artists – now I can see a work and know which artist

contact detaIlS:

Hayley Baillie Co-Founder, Baillie Lodges and Ernabella Arts Community Partnership +61 418 115 972 [email protected] www.baillielodges.com.au

20 tourism australia Sustainabilitystorytellers

Ian Johnstone Founder, The Maria Island Walk | Tasmania

Maria Island is renowned for its condition than we found it,” says Ian wild beauty and UNESCO-recognised Johnstone, Founder of the Maria Island historical significance. Essentially Walk, which operates small-group uninhabited by humans, in recent walking tours on the island. years it has become a sanctuary for populations of vulnerable animals From the outset, Ian took a big picture "our young guides such as the Tasmanian Devil. approach to environmental and grow a foot in stature industry sustainability. “It’s fascinating, multi-layered and and confidence – with the historic Darlington site - “When I started the business in through working reflects the whole colonial experience. 2003, the local walking sector was It’s the jewel of ecotourism fragmented and operators viewed one with us and our destinations. We feel privileged another strictly as competitors rather guests." to operate here, and feel a strong than allies. I took the attitude that we obligation to be good corporate should work together to make the pie citizens, to leave the island in better bigger for everyone.”

21 “The course is an outstanding "we like to see other resource for our industry. We good operators take graduates and further their training in our company philosophy succeed – we get of showcasing this extraordinary, behind them and do fragile environment in the context of sustainability. They carry that what we can to help. learning with them throughout their It’s not Just one-way: careers. we learn too." “The benefits flow both ways: our efforts to support our staff mean we attract outstanding guides; Leading by example, Ian invested the we can provide better service and time, tenacity and dollars to do what consequently our reputation is right he saw needed to be done to improve up there – due to the extra effort we the island and the Tasmanian eco- make. Invariably our guests report tourism industry. that our guides are a highlight of their experience, and 50 per cent of our Building relationships with fellow tour business is word of mouth.” operators, he was the key driver in establishing Great Walks of Tasmania, “Our guides walk shoulder to shoulder which leveraged the marketing with our guests for four days, sharing "we’ve shown that the clout of individual companies, as their knowledge, joy and passion. dollars look after well as providing a platform for Through their interpretation of the sharing knowledge and support. natural environment and history of themselves if you Great Walks of Australia grew out of the island, they subtly impart our have a good product this collaboration and Ian has also sustainability message: ultimately, we’d mentored and advised other start-up like guests to understand and respect and your staff and tourism operators. our values – and perhaps modify their clients believe in you. own.” He commissioned and published ultimately, you get research on World Heritage Darlington In 2010, Ian was recognised by out what you put in." Settlement; worked hands-on Tourism Tasmania for his “Outstanding in revegetation and bird census Contribution to Tourism by an programs and has been a staunch Individual”. but we worked with, and invested in the supporter of the Hobart-based industry and it has paid off: we’ve shown Drysdale TAFE Guide Training program, “I’m very proud of our company’s that the dollars look after themselves if fighting for its sustainability and leadership role. We could have been you have a good product and your staff integrity. passive and just done our own thing, and clients believe in you.”

addItIonal InformatIon: contact detaIls:

The Maria Island Walk company aims to ‘leave no trace’ and operate ‘above spec’ Ian Johnstone in minimising its environmental footprint. Guest cabins are built above ground Founder, Maria Island Walks and solar-powered; removable boardwalks have been constructed in each camp; +61 400 400 756 toilets are composting and camp showers use minimal water, with wastewater [email protected] treated on site. Around 95 per cent of provisions and equipment are sourced www.mariaislandwalk.com.au within Tasmania.

The company supports guides’ career development through a national network established with other nature tourism operators, which enables guides to transfer from company to company. It raises the bar for service and environmental knowledge across the industry.

22 tourism australia Sustainabilitystorytellers

James 'murph' murphy Captain and Owner, Sea All Dolphin Swims | Victoria

When James ‘Murph’ Murphy bought for-profit foundation – and an Sea All Dolphin Swims, offering environmental levy on every dolphin unforgettable close-up experiences swim ticket sold, with funds going with the wild dolphins and Australian directly to research. fur seals of Port Phillip Bay, he knew "I feel like there’s a he had a responsibility to help sustain Learning of the Precious Plastics tide of momentum and restore the ocean environment. open-source recycling project, But he soon realised there wasn’t Murph established plastic bottle-top for our enough scientific data available to collection points – open to guests sustainability make informed decisions. and the wider community – and purchased machinery that turns initiatives, and one He set about integrating a matrix of waste plastic into anything from hair step keeps leading revenue streams into the business clips to outdoor furniture. There’s the to generate research funds. He potential to manufacture to order – serendipitously to established SOEL.org.au – a not- with proceeds going to SOEL. another."

23 "our foCus on sustainability has strengthened our brand as a leading eCotourism provider, whiCh has built Client trust and helped attraCt both the ‘right’ Clients and the best staff. we’re now working on Collaborations with other tourism businesses and related industries, inCluding maJor wetsuit manufaCturers. the more we Can all work together, the more we Can aChieve."

As the largest Victorian provider of algorithms that identify dolphins over “I can’t do it all, but if I can put the marine education services, Sea All live footage, revolutionising marine right systems in place, the right has the potential to introduce tens mammal monitoring efforts. people will fall into line and we’ll of thousands of high-school students be able to give our kids the same to marine conservation through Sea All Dolphin Swims recently opportunities we had.” dolphin and seal swim tours. Now, scooped three gongs at the Geelong as an adjunct, Murph has introduced Business Excellence Awards – the first plastics recycling workshops. time in the history of the awards – including Business of the Year and “The reward is seeing the penny Young Entrepreneur of the Year. drop for students, when they create something useful from waste and “I’m hoping that other businesses will realise that they – anyone – have the see our results and be nudged to ask, power to make a real difference,” ‘Am I doing enough?’” explains Murph.

The project has added resilience to the business: Murph expects the plastics project to account for two- ContaCt detaIls: thirds of future revenue. James Murphy To date, SOEL-funded projects have Captain and Owner, Sea All Dolphin Swims ranged from funding the Pope’s +61 412 120 211 Eye underwater camera to monitor [email protected] marine species, to developing AI www.dolphinswims.com.au

24 touriSm auStralia SustainabilityStorytellerS

Janine Duffy Founder and Marketing Director, Echidna Walkabout Tours | Victoria

The bushfires that tore through tourists are involved in conservation Victoria in 2020 were a grim case of actions that both contribute to, déjà vu for Janine Duffy, Founder of and fund scientific research. Echidna Walkabout Tours. In 2006, "everyone haS a Janine witnessed the decimation of “There is an answer: and while we might 90 per cent of a koala population not be able to save every individual camera on their she’d been studying for seven years, koala, we can save the species.” phone theSe DayS. when fire destroyed large areas of the Brisbane Ranges, west of Melbourne. On their multi-day wildlife tours in the Simply taking You Yangs near Melbourne, guests are photoS of native “I had to face a terrible future, offered the opportunity to participate knowing that this fire and its impact in a conservation activity such as animal behaviour anD on wildlife was exactly in line with pulling weeds or planting koala- uploaDing them climate change predictions,” she says. friendly trees – activities identified as key to regenerating koala habitat. to one of the many The realisation spurred her reSearch DatabaSeS and co-founder Roger Smith to Echidna Walkabout’s trained guides develop a social enterprise model take detailed koala observations on on-line iS a valuable of ‘conservation travel’, where every tour (around 3,600 per year), contribution to reSearch. ScientiStS can never Secure funDing for Such wiDe-ranging Data StuDieS, So citizen Science can play a huge role."

which are backed up by scientific studies underwritten by tourism dollars: over 50 per cent of company profits are directed to conservation activities.

“Our combined observations showed that Boneseed was inhibiting koala movement. We now remove around 650,000 weeds each year, which has helped koala populations double.

25 "Imagine you plant a koala-frienDly tree toDay anD come back in four yearS to See koalaS flouriShing, anD you know you’ve helpeD Save a SpecieS."

We also realised that we needed to disperse vulnerable koala populations through the landscape by planting trees on private land and near water- courses, strengthening populations in case of catastrophes like fires.”

The combination of small conservation actions by thousands of tourists is having a big impact.

“In 2021 data analysis showed that ‘our’ koala population has increased for the fourth year in a row. Every and fun. They only make up a small so citizen science can play a huge other population in the area is component of the tour, but they enrich role, and we give guests some tools in serious decline – and the only travellers’ experience enormously. that they can implement at home.” difference is our weeding and tree planting activities. Seeing those “We believe that guests have to get Since implementing the conservation results – which would never have involved in conservation: they don’t travel model, the business has been possible without the tourism want to be told about it, they want to grown at an extraordinary rate – contribution - brought me to tears.” do it. They come away with a fabulous doubling in two years, and receiving story to tell, while making a significant global accolades, including from Knowing that they are helping contribution to both the conservation the UN. Janine hopes that more to save a species they love is a cause and the economy of regional companies will adopt the model. powerful driver for guests. Australia, where it’s most needed. “It’s been staggering to see: guests “I can almost see the relief on their “Our message is that any ordinary are hungry for this type of experience, faces when we give them something person can make a valuable and that hunger is growing. We’re great to do – 99.9 per cent of guests contribution to conservation - introducing new opportunities in can’t wait to get their hands dirty! scientists can never secure funding Victoria and around the country - I The actions we undertake are easy for such broad-based data studies, can’t wait to get people involved!”

aDDitional Information: contact DetaIlS:

In 1998, as a result of observations during her wildlife Janine Duffy tours, Janine developed a method of identifying individual Founder and Marketing Director koalas by their unique nose patterns, a non-invasive Echidna Walkabout Tours method that inspired a wild koala research project and +61 427 808 747 which has been adopted by koala groups around the [email protected] country as an important tool in the study of the species. www.echidnawalkabout.com.au

Echidna Walkabout Tours are helping to plant 45,000 koala-friendly trees in 2021.

26 touriSm AuStrAliA SustainabilityStorytellerS

Jim Smith Co-Founder, Sea Darwin | Northern Territory

“How better to get people to care them, especially when they come up about a place than to show them the beach and lay their eggs right in something special?” asks Jim Smith, front of you. founder of Sea Darwin, explaining his approach to raising guests’ “When we talk about turtles surviving "I’m pretty hAppy I’ve environmental awareness. 100 million years and the threats they’re now facing, it blows people been Able to help my Jim and his family operate Darwin away. Our job is to deliver the story, kidS – And A bunch of Harbour and WWII history tours make it real. We don’t need to be and sunset cruises, in addition to evangelical to get the conservation other young people, their flagship tours to observe the message across!” to hAve given them nesting Australian Flatback turtles of Njulbitkik (Bare Sand Island). From the beginning, Jim and his wife opportunitieS in their Heather built the business using the own cAreerS And life “Turtles are like the koalas of the sea: Ecotourism Australia accreditation you can’t help but feel empathy for template – a rigorous and robust purSuitS."

27 "my key meSSAge to people iS to love And cAre for your bAckyArd becAuSe it’S A nAturAl wonder. we Should be very proud of it – And pro-Active in mAnAging it to hAnd it on to the next generAtionS."

model that includes independent sustainability audits. They’ve also regularly and successfully participated in state and national tourism awards programs. services and staff; food – locally. We transport and logistics and a reliable examine every part of the business source of funding through a levy “The real value of the audits and to see where we can minimise our on ticket sales. In turn, when the awards is not as marketing tools. footprint; we offset our emissions researchers are on the island, they They really get you focused, make you and we support a range of causes and share their knowledge with Sea articulate your goals and measure indigenous organisations. I sleep well Darwin’s guests. the efficiency of your systems in all at night knowing we’re doing it as facets of the operation. well as anyone and making a worthy contribution to society.” “For us, what sustainability boils down to is keeping everything Jim works closely with the scientists ‘local’. We source everything - our researching the turtles on Njulbitkik work clothes; tools and materials; (Bare Sand Island), providing

contAct detAIlS:

Jim Smith Co-Founder, Sea Darwin +61 407 887 212 [email protected] www.seadarwin.com

28 touriSm auStraLia SustainabilityStoryteLLerS

Laurence Kain Co-Founder, Capital Brewing Company | Australian Capital Territory

The Capital Brewing Company is a “At most breweries, waste hops and small business with big ideas – and a yeast – by-products of the brewing long-term vision to change the brewing process – flow to the sewer, ultimately industry for the greener. ending up in treatment plants and waterways,” explains Laurence Kain. When Laurence Kain and Tom Hertel "We have a Saying, founded the boutique brewery in “We send our waste hops and yeast to a ‘It’S onLy one piece Canberra, their enthusiasm for nature nearby organic farm, where it’s used in and outdoor pursuits permeated their the production of organic compost. We of pLaStic, Said Six company ethos: they make beer that’s also send our waste grain to the same biLLion peopLe.’ We’re ‘good for nature, good for people’, and farm to be fed to organic beef cattle. social and environmental responsibility We’re diverting and re-using around 10 LooKing at every is fundamental. tonnes of waste every week, assisting opportunity to reduce in the production of 500 tonnes of Capital has taken a simple but compost per year, and reducing carbon or avoid pLaStic uSe revolutionary approach to waste emissions by consolidating the freight in the company." disposal – one that they hope other to one location.” brewers will emulate.

29 "We StiLL have room for improvement: the popuLarity of our tap room haS been a bit of a SurpriSe and We StiLL need to do better at reducing WaSte in our food Service. but doing Something iS better than doing nothing, and aS Long aS We’re in a conStant State of improvement, that’S What countS." plastic wrap each year. It costs us twice “From a social responsibility perspective, as much, but in two to three months, it’s my biggest reward is seeing our In addition, each week, food waste from fully bio-degraded.” staff develop their careers within the Capital’s Tap Room restaurant is diverted company, gaining a deep understanding to Goterra, a local insect farm, where it’s Perhaps their biggest statement has of what we’re about, and continuing fed to black fly larvae, becoming food for been the installation of a massive grain that growth either within the company livestock. silo on-site. or taking the message to the wider industry. We’re particularly keen to “The ACT government’s recycling “Previously, all our grain arrived in provide career pathways for women in facilities aren’t capable of recycling heavy-duty plastic bags. Now it’s this heavily male-dominated industry. compostable plates and cups. So we delivered straight from the truck to pioneered an R&D project in conjunction the silo, which results in production “Could we scratch more money out of the with Goterra and Biopak, using - and efficiencies, cost savings and safety business? Sure, but what do you want to then shredding - food containers made of improvements but, importantly, every be seen to be doing over the long term? plant-based materials, mixed with food year it stops tens of thousands of plastic We firmly believe that if we focus on waste. This was successfully fed to the bags going to landfill.” social and environmental responsibility, fly larvae for livestock feed. In a busy the financial metrics will naturally follow summer festival season, this represents “That was a huge investment for us as a – and so far that’s the case.” 120,000 fewer plastic cups.” mid-size craft brewery. We’ll forego some short-term profit but, as with all these Kain and Hertel also investigated initiatives, the incremental savings we’re alternatives to pallet shrink-wrap. making on supplies and utilities will be enormous over eight or 12 years – and “It took us two years, but we found a that’s the sort of timeframe that governs plant-based material that behaves like all of our business decisions. We’re plastic. We’re saving 37 kilometres of looking to the long term.”

addItIonaL InformatIon: contact detaILS:

Capital spends around $18,000 per year on ‘gift with Laurence Kain purchase’ offerings. Instead of a free stubby holder or Co-Founder, Capital Brewing Company hat, the company now offers to plant trees. +61 421 070 193 [email protected] www.capitalbrewing.co

30 touriSm AuStrALiA SustainabilityStoryteLLerS

Lizzie Corke CEO, Conservation Ecology Centre and Wildlife Wonders | Victoria

Tucked amongst the wilderness managers – from traditional owners landscape of the Otway Ranges to National Parks to farmers - to and the Great Ocean Road, the address the most urgent conservation Conservation Ecology Centre is a not- challenges facing the Otways. We foster "WiLdLife WonderS for-profit organisation that marries important collaborations that wouldn’t tAkeS the SoCiAL science and tourism – with a wide- otherwise happen,” explains Lizzie. ranging impact on environmental enterpriSe modeL conservation and community. In 2004, they opened the award- proven by the winning Great Ocean Ecolodge Lizzie Corke OAM and husband, on the same site as a social eCoLodge’S SuCCeSS Shayne Neal established the CEC in enterprise, with all proceeds to the next LeveL. 2000, with the aim of supporting going to fund CEC projects. conservation research and It openS up A WhoLe implementing habitat restoration “Over the past decade – among rAnge of poSSibiLitieS and wildlife protection programs. other projects - we’ve planted over 100,000 koala habitat trees, trained for the ConServAtion “We saw our role as facilitating a team of Tiger Quoll detection eCoLogy Centre’S research to fill knowledge gaps and dogs and helped prove that Tiger bringing together scientists and land Quolls still survive in the Otways.” Work by providing reLiAbLe funding for environmentAL ConServAtion ACtivitieS And jobS, ALLoWing uS to inCreASe our orgAniSAtionAL impACt."

However, Lizzie and Shayne realised that the scope of the CEC needed to expand - and that a sustainable, reliable source of funding was needed.

Five years in the making and extrapolating the science-meets- tourism social enterprise model, Wildlife Wonders opened early in 2021.

31 "We Aim to ShoW the interdependenCe of everything - ConneCting ALL the frAgiLe pieCeS to form A heALthy eCoSyStem iS hoW We buiLd reSiLienCe, And We ALL hAve A roLe to pLAy."

Designed by Brian Massey, the gifted landscape designer of Hobbiton in New Zealand, Wildlife Wonders is a 75-minute walk with a naturalist guide through a varied landscape feels like it’s always been there and the region as a whole and have a where visitors can see and learn say, ‘Weren’t you lucky this was all more meaningful experience – it’s about vulnerable native animals here’ – which is just the best feedback a more ecologically responsible such as potoroos and bandicoots - but they don’t realise that it’s born model for economic development. – as well as kangaroos, koalas and of a degraded sheep paddock, and other wildlife - in a natural setting. it’s taken years and thousands of “We’re really proud of the social There is also a stop at a research hours of hard work to create it.” enterprise structure we’ve established station to learn about current CEC to sustain the CEC into the future. projects and see them in action. Community inclusiveness has Reliable, sustainable revenue creates always been fundamental to the agency for the organisation to commit “A hidden predator-proof fence, 1.4km CEC’s operations, from providing to long term projects, leverage long, encloses 30 acres. Every step of employment opportunities for young external funding, determine its the way, every turn of the path has conservationists to promoting own destiny and take leaps of faith been crafted and imagined to have local artisans. The community to support cutting-edge projects maximum visual and emotional impact. responded by volunteering in a way we couldn’t before. It’s like stepping back – or forward – in labour, goods and services for the time to a pristine Otways ecosystem construction of Wildlife Wonders. “The Wildlife Wonders habitat - it’s a wonderful place for visitors to Another major goal of the CEC is will continue to evolve and see animals they’d never see in the to contribute to changing current improve – we’re excited to see it wild, and the animals are protected. tourism patterns in the region. in 10 or 20 years’ time.”

“Visitors experience this thriving, “We want people to slow down, beautiful Otways environment that stay longer, spend more money in

AdditionAL InformAtion: ContACt detAILS:

The opening of Wildlife Wonders has seen a tripling of Lizzie Corke OAM staff, with 20 new roles created across the organisation. CEO, Conservation Ecology Centre and Wildlife Wonders +61 438 132 764 Lizzie is the recipient of the Banksia Foundation 2005 [email protected] Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year award, and www.conservationecologycentre.org was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2020 www.wildlifewonders.org.au for Services to Conservation and the Environment. She has previously served as a Director of Ecotourism Australia and as Chair of the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority Community Advisory Group.

32 TOUriSm AUSTrALiA SustainabilitySTOryTeLLerS

LOZ HUNT Co-Founder, Tanja Lagoon Camp | New South Wales

Surrounded by national parks and set opportunity to merge their passion on the edge of a coastal lagoon on and expertise in outdoor education the wild and beautiful Sapphire coast with providing an immersive, nature- of southern NSW, Tanja Lagoon Camp based experience for guests. bears little resemblance to its dairy "We WANT TO creATe A farm heritage. “During 20 years of working with mOdeL Of TOUriSm AS organisations like Outward Bound, Over the past 20 years, Loz Hunt, I’d spent extensive time alone in A fOrce fOr gOOd, THAT business partner Sam Bright and wilderness areas, and a sense of reSpecTS THe priSTiNe Sam’s parents, David and Libby Bright reverence and spiritual connection to have regenerated and restored the the land seeped into me,” says Loz. NATUrAL beAUTy Of THe natural habitat on the 17-hectare regiON, THAT beNefiTS property, planting over 7,000 She and Sam nurtured that sense of trees and establishing safe wildlife connection and channelled it into the THe LOcAL cOmmUNiTy corridors. business. ANd THAT iNSpireS

In 2013, Sam and Loz built the first “Minimising our environmental OTHer bUSiNeSSeS TO of four glamping tents, realising an footprint is central to all our choices. be ecO-cONSciOUS."

33 "OUr SUSTAiNAbiLiTy effOrTS AreN’T perfecT ANd iT’S eASy TO HAve ‘ecO- gUiLT’ THAT We’re NOT dOiNg eNOUgH, bUT fUNdAmeNTAL TO THe bUSiNeSS iS OUr fOcUS ON prOTecTiNg THe pLANeT. We Need TO ceLebrATe THAT."

My approach to sustainability comes from a deeply spiritual place – when I feel connected to nature, I know I’m on the right path.”

The self-contained glamping tents are designed so that there is minimal David Rogers Photography separation between guests and the natural environment.

“We provide as much or as little Sam and Loz are driven educators and disposable slippers – and we hope support as guests need: most of the constantly seek ways to subtly impart that people see that the ‘luxury’ is in time we leave them to relax and environmental knowledge. the natural experience, rather than reconnect with nature in their own consumables.” way. Many know that it’s essential “Since the property has been to their well being; others are just rehabilitated, our kangaroos have While it’s initially more expensive to dipping a toe into nature tourism – become ridiculously relaxed and I’ve make sustainable choices with every they tend to be the ones that have the learnt a lot about the behaviour of detail – such as purchasing beeswax most transformative experiences. the mob, as guests are so intrigued rather than paraffin candles – the by them. It’s a great way for people ethos resonates with guests and is “Either way, I love seeing guests just to become more aware of the natural reflected in high occupancy rates. float out of here, rejuvenated and habitat.” inspired.” The next step is the construction The tents are luxurious but simple. of two more eco-structures and a common area, which will see the “We provide comfy beds with beautiful realisation of Sam and Loz’s dream linen and delicious local produce. But of providing an exceptional venue to we made a purposeful choice not to be immersed in nature, connect with ‘pamper’ – not to include things like others and learn.

cONTAcT deTAILS:

Loz Hunt Co-Founder, Tanja Lagoon Camp +61 477 614 275 [email protected] www.tanjalagooncamp.com.au

34 tourisM australia Sustainabilitystorytellers

Melissa Brown General Manager - Viticulture, and Owner - Gemtree Wines | South Australia

Grapes were first planted in McLaren “We’d learned a bit about biodynamic Vale, South Australia in 1838 - just two farming and thought, ‘let’s have a crack’,” years after settlement. Today, it’s one of says Melissa. the world’s great wine-growing regions and has the highest proportion – 38 per “You’ll ruin me,” was her father’s cent – of organic wineries in Australia. response to her proposal. "we’ve never Been afraid to forge our Melissa Brown grew up on her family’s Starting with determination and one vineyard, Gemtree but, after adopting block of Tempranillo in 2006, Gemtree own path and do an organic lifestyle with her husband reached full organic certification in things differently. (winemaker Mike Brown) and three 2011. The winery is now a showpiece for children, they realised there was a McLaren Vale, producing award-winning we’ll continue to more sustainable way to farm than the biodynamic wines, and Melissa is a Build on that." intensive chemical regime employed in respected industry spokesperson and viticulture. mentor.

35 "at the end of the day, if you don’t produce good wine, you don’t have a Business. But we’re Making viBrant, expressive wines – and we’ll pass the land on in Better condition than we found it."

She’s keen to spread the word that biodynamic farming isn’t ‘voodoo’, rather a holistic, sensible approach to sustainable agriculture.

Having project-managed the building of Gemtree’s sustainable cellar door - which made use of recycled materials, contains no concrete, and is solar powered – Melissa designed the ‘Biodynamic Hut’, where vineyard visitors can learn more about biodynamic practices. guided eco-tours and picnic facilities, two more luxury cabins to be installed it’s become a regional tourist attraction in April 2021. She also spear-headed the development in its own right. of the Gemtree Eco-Trail, which involved “The tourism offerings have created a rehabilitating 10 hectares of degraded “What we have created is unique. We’ve whole new business unit for us. We’ve land, and partnering with Greening worked hard to set an example, to show created our own market niche of serious Australia to plant over 50,000 native that you can run a successful business wine drinkers who also care about plants. The trail is now a wildlife and not have a detrimental impact on a healthy environment and healthy corridor – and with Wine and Wander the environment. We’ve never been people.” afraid to forge our own path and do things differently. We’ll continue to Would she like to see biodynamic build on that.” practices adopted by farmers around the country? Her latest project is a synergistic partnership with CABN, which has seen “Hell, yeah! I tell my kids, ‘This is about the installation of four off-grid ‘tiny you. This is your future. You look after houses’ for guest accommodation, with nature and nature will look after you!’”

contact detaIls:

Melissa Brown General Manager - Viticulture, and Owner - Gemtree Wines +61 414 836 488 [email protected] www.gemtreewines.com

36 touRism austRalia SustainabilitystoRytelleRs

Rosie sandoveR and Bec sampi Director and Head Guide, Kingfisher Tours | Western Australia

The long and close friendship between A primary driver of the business is Rosie Sandover and Bec Sampi was to provide pathways into tourism for forged through working together on Indigenous people: all the company’s community development and capacity- guides are local Traditional Custodians building projects in Western Australia, (mostly women), who bring a richness and through a mutual passion to and depth to guests’ experience that empower local Indigenous people, set Kingfisher Tours apart from other "ouR guides aRe a particularly women. tourism operators. Bunch of wise – and

Rosie started Kingfisher Tours eight Bec is a Gija woman and Kingfisher’s hilaRious – souls. years ago, offering luxury air, land Head Guide. She’s responsible for you’ll have an and sea tours of the remote and guide training and consultation rugged Kimberley region, including with local Traditional Owners for extRaoRdinaRy Mitchell Falls and the extraordinary permission to travel on their lands. expeRience if you rock domes and canyons of Purnululu want to immeRse (Bungle Bungles). youRself in it."

“Bec is the only Indigenous, female head guide in the country – she’s an important role model,” explains Rosie.

“All our crew – me included – have a strong social media presence,” Bec continues.

“Indigenous kids can see us doing our jobs and realise that their own traditional knowledge is a tradable commodity – they realise they can dream bigger and those dreams are achievable.”

“We show guests what we know: stunning, pristine wilderness and the stories behind it. We don’t gloss over complex issues such as social dysfunction – we help guests understand and empathise with our objective of nurturing and supporting

37 "eveRy touR is an oppoRtunity foR Reconciliation."

Indigenous people to find a way out of that,” says Rosie.

With the support of Rosie and Kingfisher Tours, Bec Sampi has started her own side-business in bush medicine products, which are used by Kimberley tourist lodges. Her family is involved in production and the business provides Bec with a wet- season income.

“It’s very powerful to travel on Country with a Custodian and learn how every plant has a use and how every animal relates to that place. You’ll have an extraordinary experience if you want to immerse yourself in it.” says Rosie.

“It’s so important to share our traditional knowledge – not just for our own mob, but for everyone,” says Bec.

additional InfoRmation: contact detaIls:

Loli Fitzgerald, Rosie’s daughter, is responsible Rosie Sandover Bec (Rebecca) Sampi for overseeing other aspects of the company’s Director, Kingfisher Tours Head Guide, Kingfisher Tours sustainability, from managing the vehicle fleet +61 438 080 291 to minimise environmental impact, to sourcing [email protected] local seasonal produce and ridding the business www.kingfishertours.com.au of single-use plastics.

38 touriSm auStralia SustainabilityStorytellerS

Scott Pullyblank Curator of Life Sciences, Alice Springs Desert Park | Northern Territory

The Alice Springs Desert Park was Scott Pullyblank has been Curator established to attract tourists to of Life Sciences at the park for 14 Central Australia: to tell the story of years, overseeing the management of the desert through the creation of the animal collection and the botanic "I’m now 65. I hoPe that distinct and dynamic habitats. It has gardens. He cites the mala – once a the meSSage I’ve been evolved to be a critical link to both common marsupial in the area – as past and future for some of Australia’s just one example of why the Park is so living and Projecting most vulnerable flora and fauna. important. all my life will become

Today, the park provides a safe haven “Malas were thought to be extinct on more reflexive – that for around 13 species of endangered the mainland, but a small population we’ll Start to look animals and 15 species of threatened was discovered in the Tanami Desert native plants, and plays a pivotal role back in the ‘80s. When they couldn’t at the imPlicationS in national breeding programs for be protected in the wild, around 26 of everything we do, species such as the Western quoll and were brought to Alice Springs as a Greater bilby, which are on the edge safeguard. Subsequently, the Tanami to think and act for of extinction. population was wiped out by fire and long term."

39 "we Show thingS on a Small Scale, but endeavour to convey the meSSage that change needS to haPPen on a much larger Scale."

foxes so, today, every living mainland mala is a descendant of that captive population,” he says.

The park has also evolved in the way it selects which animals and plants to include in its collections.

“Whereas once we’d assess an animal “The mala, for example, is significant Perhaps the Desert Park’s biggest on the basis of its conservation status to a number of Central Australian influence is in education - of children plus its appeal to visitors, that process Aboriginal cultures and was also as well as adults. The Park runs has developed to equally consider the hunted as a food source. Those interactive programs for school cultural significance of the species to considerations add weight to our children of different ages and the Traditional Custodians of the area. conservation decisions.” backgrounds, including students from remote indigenous communities.

“Since 1997, pretty well every school kid in Alice Springs – not to mention thousands from interstate – has visited, and been impacted by, the Desert Park – it’s had a profound influence on a couple of generations.

“These days, students are far more knowledgeable about environmental processes and understand we need to act to conserve the planet. Encouragingly, we’re now seeing some of those kids entering the workforce in conservation and tourism roles.”

addItIonal InformatIon: contact detaIlS:

The Park supports a range of scientific research, Scott Pullyblank including regenerating areas of the 1000 hectares of Curator of Life Sciences, Alice Springs Desert Park land owned by the Park beyond the fenced perimeter. +61 475 485 665 This includes removing weeds such as buffel grass, [email protected] replicating the natural processes to restore habitat to www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au ‘what might have been’.

40 TouriSm auSTralia SustainabilitySToryTellerS

Tim TranTer Owner-Operator, Tread Lightly Eco-Tours | New South Wales

Inscribed on the World Heritage From the outset, Tim and his wife Soni list in 2000, the Blue Mountains built their business on the principles west of Sydney are an unparalleled of environmental sustainability, natural laboratory of biodiversity and which set them apart from other evolution, with ancient wilderness guiding companies at the time. Group areas and unique ecology. sizes were limited to six (though two "We offer a SenSory, to four is usual); itineraries were inTeracTive experience Tim Tranter, Owner-operator of varied to reduce track impact; they Tread Lightly Eco-Tours, has been a favoured local suppliers; used low – The Walking iTSelf iS trailblazer – both figuratively and emission vehicles and considered almoST Secondary." literally – since he started leading the environmental impact of every interpretive bushwalks in the Blue business decision. Mountains 25 years ago.

41 "I believe ThaT foSTering reSpecT and underSTanding of The complexiTieS and diverSiTy of global ecoSySTemS and culTureS iS The beST Way To inSpire compaSSion and a WillingneSS To conServe our Wild placeS, and adapT more SuSTainable lifeSTyleS."

“We offer a sensory, interactive experience – the walking itself is almost secondary. Our interpretation interweaves natural history with indigenous culture. We focus on seeing, tasting and touching; learning about medicinal and food plants and fire ecology,” explains Tim.

Among many awards, Tread Lightly was the first guiding company in NSW to be awarded with Respect Our Culture accreditation, and has been recognised as the most ‘credible’ sustainable business in the state.

He relishes the opportunity to open minds, challenge guests’ beliefs, “It’s great to see clients savouring and illustrate how environment and five minutes of reflective silence as culture – old and new – are entwined. they sit on the edge of a cliff with nothing but wilderness for hundreds “We get a lot of Northern Hemisphere of kilometres – it’s a profound academics, for example, who have experience in their busy lives.” a particular understanding of how seasons work. We like to challenge their concept of ‘normal’ by explaining how a variety of native flora flower in winter rather than conTacT deTaIlS: spring; many lose their bark rather than their leaves; and that fire is a Tim Tranter naturally productive process. They leave with a completely different Owner-Operator, Tread Lightly Eco-Tours understanding – and frequently +61 414 976 752 integrate that into their teaching [email protected] back home. www.treadlightly.com.au