We all know that taking care of our environment is an absolute must, and there has never been a more important time to collectively become aware of how our actions are affecting the sphere.
With ‘conscious consumerism’ on the rise, the clean and green movement is gaining strong momentum and the importance of delivering value to our visitors while encouraging sustainability is becoming the norm.
Eco-tourism is ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that foster environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.
Seven local operators across our Southern Great Barrier Reef destination are providing leadership on environmental sustainability and adaption – making small changes that are having a big impact.
Great Keppel Island Hideaway
Great Keppel Island Hideaway, our barefoot paradise on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, has achieved eco certification by demonstrating best practice in sustainability and ecotourism. As one of the exemplary operators in terms of sustainability and provision of authentic, high-quality nature-based tourism experiences. For Great Keppel Island Hideaway, this certification not only preserves the island and the reef’s biodiversity, but also enhances visitor experiences, contributing to the long-term viability of the tourism industry in the region. Their eco-friendly practices include the collection and recycling of all plastic bottles, eradicating non-native species from their tropical gardens, raising funds and awareness for the protection of marine life through the Keppel Turtle Fund, educating guests on fishing green zones, protected species and the rules for spearfishing, installation of solar panels, using eco-friendly detergents and more.
Capricorn Caves
Capricorn Caves, located just a short drive from Rockhampton is advanced ecotourism certified, meeting a range of criteria relating to natural area focus, environmental sustainability, education and interpretation, contribution to conservation, cultural sensitivity and their work with local communities. As visitors explore the remarkable limestone cave systems during their tours, they can do so knowing that this iconic attraction is committed to reducing environmental impact in all of their operational procedures. In addition to sustainably managing natural resources of water and energy, the team at the Capricorn Caves have a special responsibility for protecting the property’s significant natural habitat and biodiversity. Setting the eco-bar high with rainwater usage, recycling and many other eco-friendly practices including educating school children and providing environmental awareness programs, Capricorn Caves eco-friendly policies come naturally for the business and will ensure that the magnificent natural beauty of these 140-year-old above ground masterpieces remain in place for many more years to come.
Pumpkin Island
One of Australia’s best-kept secrets, Pumpkin Island is nestled within the Keppel Group of islands only 14 kilometres off the coast of Yeppoon on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, and in 2011 became the first private island in Australia to gain ‘carbon-positive’ status. The tiny gem – just six hectares in total – offers eco-friendly accommodation for up to 34 guests in seven self-catering units that are powered by the wind and the sun. Proudly obtaining Australia’s highest ecotourism certification (advanced ecotourism certified) and long-term operational permits granted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the island’s environmental stewardship has been recognized as best practice. Every activity conducted on Pumpkin Island is committed to protecting, nurturing, and maintaining the critical balance between the resort and the diverse eco-system of the island and its surroundings. This boutique resort in Keppel Bay has taken green ethos to the extreme, taking every precaution to protect and preserve the pristine underwater backyard on its doorstep – the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
Freedom Fast Cats
With a deep understanding of their immense role in the preservation and protection of the reef and its inhabitants, Freedom Fast Cats popular cruise and transport service to Great Keppel Island has been successful in receiving their ECO Certification. The crew are all local to the area and passionate about reef preservation, incorporating a great deal of education during our tours that foster environmental and cultural understanding, together with an appreciation of the underwater world and the wonderful creatures that reside there. They are always looking for ways to improve their footprint in any way, ensuring that daily operations and guests leave the reef as it was when they arrived. Freedom Fast Cat tours, ranging from Glass Bottom Boat Coral Viewing and Snorkelling to seasonal Whale Watching, have a high inclusion of both education and focus based information. Many schools have participated in their education tours with students avidly learning about the reef and its inhabitants.
Keppel Dive
The team at Keppel Dive are passionate about promoting and leading by example in sustainable tourism by providing educational experiences and having as little of an impact on the Southern Great Barrier reef and environment as possible. In 2020 Keppel Dive achieved the Ecotourism certification, and in turn, is recognised as a High Standard Tourism Operator within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The waters around Great Keppel Island are home to some of the most unspoilt reefs that the Great Barrier Reef has to offer, and Keppel Dive are committed to preserving and presenting the Reef’s colourful past, present and future. With a primary focus on protecting our ocean, Keppel Dive assures travellers choosing to snorkel or SCUBA throughout the beautiful underwater world that they are doing so with staff whose commitment is focused on sustainable practices and a dedication to marine conservation and education. The top-class snorkel and dive adventure are also fortunate to have a Master Reef Guide on board, who is a leading interpreter and storyteller, sharing the wonders of this World Heritage Area with the rest of the world.
Coral Inn Boutique Hotel
Coral Inn Boutique Hotel is in the heart of Yeppoon, just a two-minute drive to Yeppoon’s Main Beach and has been operated as an accommodation business for over eight years and in 2021, achieved eco-certification at the Nature Tourism level. The business has always been committed to protecting, nurturing, and maintaining the critical balance between their business, its surrounding community, and the diverse ecosystem of the Australian wildlife. Coral Inn Boutique Hotel is also an award-winning, 4.5-star accommodation. Coral Inn Boutique Hotel acknowledges the cultural ownership of Yeppoon area as Darumbal Aboriginal people and as a sustainable business operation, respects the Darumbal Aboriginal culture where their stories and cultural learnings are still passed on to younger generations. As a business operating on the Capricorn Coast, Coral Inn ensures it safeguards the flora and fauna of the area, especially the Capricorn Yellow Chat – a critically endangered endemic species, flying foxes, micro-bats, white-breasted sea eagles, wedgetail eagles and Banksias and Norfolk pines. As an initiative to reduce the environmental impacts of their business, the staff of Coral Inn Boutique Hotel have taken steps to reduce their consumption of energy and water usage and have initiated several waste-management projects using different approaches.
High Valley Dawn Permaculture Farm
With a powerful ethos of ‘earth care, people care, fair share’, together with an ever-evolving, self-sustaining community model, High Valley Dawn Permaculture Farm has been successful in obtaining Advanced Ecotourism certification through Eco Tourism Australia. With a long-term understanding of his immense role in the preservation and protection of the land, Ross, his family, and the High Valley Dawn Community are consistently looking for ways to improve their footprint in order to deliver a tourism product that nurtures love and joy in harmony with mother nature for the greater good of all beings. The High Valley Dawn journey began a while back when a passion for wellness and sustainable development collided with a desire to serve fresh, local, organically grown produce from their nearby restaurant, Beaches. Fast forward almost a decade, and High Valley Dawn has now have established a 2-acre market garden, a 2-acre food forest and a 2-acre bushtucker forest.
