Rangeland Kangaroos a World Class Wildlife Experience
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RANGELAND KANGAROOS A WORLD CLASS WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE By David B Croft WILDLIFE TOURISM RESEARCH REPORT SERIES: NO. 16 RESEARCH REPORT SERIES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The primary aim of CRC Tourism’s research report series is technology transfer. The reports are targeted toward both industry and government users and tourism Objectives researchers. The content of this technical report series primarily focuses on applications, but may also advance research methodology and tourism theory. The report series titles relate to CRC Tourism’s research program areas. All research The large populations of kangaroos in the outback could be used to reports are peer reviewed by at least two external reviewers. For further information build a unique tourist attraction, comparable to an African game- on the report series, access the CRC website, [www.crctourism.com.au]. viewing safari, but with animals unlike anything found elsewhere. This project focused on the far west of New South Wales where the greatest Wildlife Tourism Report Series, Editor: Dr Karen Higginbottom densities of kangaroos are found and where large protected areas, This series presents research findings from projects within the Wildlife Tourism especially Sturt National Park, are set aside for their conservation. The Subprogram of the CRC. The Subprogram aims to provide strategic knowledge to objectives were: facilitate the sustainable development of wildlife tourism in Australia. 1. to conduct an attitudinal survey of visitors to the region in order to National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data research the feasibility and demand for specialised tourism based around kangaroos, Croft, David B. Rangeland kangaroos : a world class wildlife experience 2. to observe visitors to Sturt National Park in order to assess how they use current facilities and interact with wildlife (especially Bibliography. ISBN 1 876685 27 1 kangaroos), 1. Wildlife watching industry - Australia. 2. Kangaroos. I. Cooperative Research Centre 3. to conduct a survey of tourist operators in the region to assess for Sustainable Tourism. II. Title. (Series : Wildlife tourism research report (Cooperative current activity and demand for innovative wildlife products and, Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism) ; no. 16) 4. to review statistical information about non-visitors to the region to 338.479194 assess constraints which may impede uptake of kangaroo-based © 2001 Copyright CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd tourist products in the region. All rights reserved. No parts of this report may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means of electronic, mechanical, photocopying, Findings recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Any enquiries should be directed to CRC for Sustainable Tourism [[email protected]] . The attitudinal survey was conducted amongst visitors to Sturt National Park between December 1998 and December 1999. Control groups were surveyed at Broken Hill and Kinchega National Parks during the summer, autumn and winter school holidays. Visitors to all three locations were primarily domestic tourists from New South Wales or Victoria travelling as couples or families in their own vehicle. National park visitors were usually self-sufficient bush campers. The profile was inconsistent with the typical international visitor engaged in nature-based activities, who tends to be in the 20-29 year age group, travelling by less independent means and using more i permanent accommodation. National park visitors, especially those receptive to the sale of guidebooks and development of free wildlife visiting Sturt, visited many regional townships and protected areas, viewing platforms to expand their clients’ experiences. crossing state boundaries especially into the Cooper Creek and channel country. Wildlife viewing consumed a large part of the Implications to industry holidays of all visitors to this part of Outback New South Wales, more so if they visited a national park. Kangaroos were a strong attraction The study clearly shows that mobs of kangaroos, centre stage on a amidst diverse landscapes in an environment praised for its wilderness vast outback landscape, are a strong and integral attraction to qualities. Outback New South Wales. The large regional national parks provide an additional attraction of a landscape free from domestic stock and Visitors typically appreciated the quality of the infrastructure in Sturt unbounded by the fences of the pastoral industry. However, tourists (i.e. access roads, walking trails, wildlife viewing locations and venturing much beyond Broken Hill and its nearby attractions are campgrounds) and claimed it enhanced their experience beyond well-resourced independent travellers on self-sufficient camping expectations. However, dust, rough roads, flies and lack of amenities tours. The more time-constrained and less well resourced such as showers were detractions for some. There was a gap between international and domestic tourist is poorly serviced except on an expectations and experience with wildlife and so visitors were infrequent long-distance tour or through hire of a campervan. Tourists responsive to new products that would enhance the experience and arriving at Sturt National Park find much variety in the landscape but narrow this gap. They were particularly attracted to written guides insufficient activities to hold them in the park for long. New products and information about attractions in the park which are currently should focus around the well-placed campgrounds and give each a lacking, to opportunities for close observation of wildlife in the day unique character and set of activities so that no journey to Sturt is and night, and better quality accommodation provided this did not complete unless one lingered in each place. Accommodation should detract from the ‘undeveloped’ nature of the Outback (e.g. tented be appropriately enhanced to comfort travellers weary of long camps and use of existing pastoral infrastructure). distances and rough and dusty roads. However, such developments should be sensitive to the wilderness attractions of the park, using Observations of visitors at a water body with a bird hide and a lookout existing historic buildings from the former pastoral era and/or tented suggested that individuals and parties make appropriate use of such camps in a spectacular locale for a privileged high-paying few. Tourists developments. However, their attention is not held for long and most need to be better informed through guidebooks about the history seem to spend their time driving along access roads in the Park. and ecology of the landscapes they view, and the drama in the lives Visitors probably need to be better informed about attractions of their floral and faunal occupants. (especially lists of key flora and fauna) within the Park and wildlife viewing platforms need to enhance a sense of discovery. There are good prospects for one or more local operators in Tibooburra to service clients to Sturt National Park and other local attractions. A number of operators, mainly running tours originating in Broken Backpackers and younger travellers may be encouraged to travel to the Hill, take clients to Sturt National Park. In general, most of the Park’s region if a mini-bus or some appropriate form of public transport attractions are accessed in a similar frequency to independent visitors. operated on demand from Broken Hill. Fly-in safaris should tap a However, operators tend to accommodate clients in hotels and motels wealthier more time-constrained clientele as Tibooburra has an all- in Tibooburra rather than the Park’s campgrounds. Sturt National Park weather strip for twin-engine light aircraft. These clients could be offered is typically one destination in tours that include historic towns/villages an Outback experience with abundant wildlife immersed in a history of and other conservation reserves. Kangaroos are considered a high- heroic exploration and pioneering families in the pastoral industry. quality wildlife attraction by operators and Sturt National Park delivers a good experience with them to their clients. Most operators were ii iii Implications for community appropriate practice. They should be encouraged to restore biodiversity and suppress introduced exotic pests but at a landscape Pastoralism based on wool production in western New South Wales is scale with realistic expectations for the future not a backward look in crisis. Employment in the pastoral and mining industries is in rapid into a hazy past. The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) needs to decline, and profitability in these industries is much reduced. Rural address the quality of major access roads so that all-weather access is communities will derive some benefit from diversification into ‘bush reasonably possible to hubs of tourism activity such as Tibooburra and tucker’ of which the kangaroo game-meat industry will continue to be White Cliffs. Agencies need to address trans-state boundaries as a major player. However, this should not be at the cost of a strong, obviously much of the tourism activity at Sturt National Park crosses dynamic and profitable tourism based on wildlife, with the large and into South Australia and to a lesser extent Queensland. specious kangaroo populations at centre stage. Some pastoral leaseholders will grasp the opportunity to exploit the natural heritage Communication of findings to stakeholders features of their properties in a nature-based tourism enterprise.