Category Archives: News

It all started with a 21-year-old, a dream, a camp oven, a billy and a troopy called Tilly. Alan Smith started operating in 1988 and Outback Aussies Tours (OAT) has come a long way since. Now a multi award-winning operator that has been successfully running for 30 years, OAT has just achieved Nature Tourism for their Longreach Explorer Cruise, Legendary Longreach and Winton Tour, Birdsville Desert Escape, Journey of the Gulf Savannah tour, Corner Country Explorer tour and Cape York and Torres Strait tour.

Through their minimal impact focus and education about local flora, fauna and culture, the OAT team are ensuring the prosperity of the natural environment in which they operate and an authentic Australian experience for their guests. 

Being Western Queenslander locals, owners Alan and Sue Smith and the Outback Aussie Tours team take immense delight in showcasing, interpreting, and sharing with visitors the natural and cultural features of the area of Australia’s outback they call home. With all guides attending the annual Savannah Guides School for training and best practice, guests can rest assured that they’re going to get an expert insight into this unique part of Australia.

Benefitting the community is also essential to the OAT team, and products are sourced locally where possible – from purchasing produce from the local butcher and bakery to providing homemade baked goods to tour participants.

Based in Queensland’s central outback town of Longreach, the team provide escorted, accommodated Australian outback tours and flexible short break packages from Longreach, Cairns and Brisbane to favourite outback Queensland destinations. Careful research, well-established contacts and a detailed local knowledge are the backbone of this touring operator. The company also specialises in coordinating Australian outback tours for incentives, special interest groups and events. 

The team exude a boundless energy and enthusiasm for their home as they are able to share their passion for the bush with visitors from around the world. We are so happy to have Outback Aussie Tours on board and can’t wait to see where they go from here!

Dr. Ioannis Pappas, GSTC Board Member & Director for the Mediterranean Region, spoke at the Moscow Urban Forum 2019 in July. Dr. Pappas shared important developments in the travel industry’s shift to adhere to sustainability standards in the session “Attraction point. Tourism as a resource for the internal development of the city”. Moscow Urban […]

The post GSTC Board Member Dr. Ioannis Pappas at Moscow Urban Forum 2019 appeared first on Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Please join us in welcoming Kiikstart, our newest Business Member.

On a mission to develop businesses that are commercially viable, innovative and globally aware, Kiikstart is a boutique learning and business development service that focusses on working with the pacesetters, influencers and game changers of tomorrow who share their passion for sustainability.

Led by founder and director Ali Uren, Kiikstart uses a creative style of organisational development that helps individuals and organisations across the corporate, government, tourism and hospitality sectors navigate their way through the realities of doing business in today’s modern world.

Kiikstart does this not only through the design of strategies that will take their clients’ businesses to the next level, but also through tactics and measurable outcomes that will help them implement change in real time. As Uren says,

“The world is changing and it is our role, through working in a more hands on, modern way, [to ensure] that our clients have the best possible tactics and insights to make the best of opportunities and challenge.”

Photo: Ali Uren, Kiikstart

Kiikstart works with businesses of all sizes and has made a genuine commitment to building skill and talent across regional and outback Australia. Among others, Kiikstart has worked with Innamincka Hotel in South Australia, which was recently awarded Ecotourism Certification.

Excited to join the ranks of Ecotourism Australia business members, Uren says that the business’ commitment to treading with care is shown in how she lives and works:

“Kiikstart is 100% off grid and personally I grow all my own eggs, meat, vegetables, water and sunshine. We have minimal food waste and zero carbon footprint.”

With values closely aligned with those of Ecotourism Australia, we are excited to welcome Kiikstart and look forward to the value they can bring to our members.

To find out for about Kiikstart, please visit their website.

To find out how your business can become an Ecotourism Australia Business Member, please visit our membership website.

The health of the environment and Indigenous recognition and reconciliation are key priorities for the team at Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays.

Leading by example, this team is a group of enthusiastic and motivated eco innovators. They are office free, paper free, carbon positive and have just achieved Advanced Ecotourism, Climate Action Business and ROC Certification!

More than a boat charter company, the Portland Roads team live and breathe sustainability and encourage their guests to think deeper about environmental issues and First Nation People. The team is working hard to normalise sustainable change in the hope others will follow.

Their charter boats are equipped with fully self-sufficient solar power systems, smart charging, saltwater flushing and cleaning solutions, 100% non-toxic cleaning materials and regularly utilise biofuel sources.

It is their mission to tell the stories of Traditional Owners and the team share unique associations with Proserpine Indigenous Reference Group, the Black Coffee movement and relationships with local First Nations Elders who have provided permission for the company to operate on the waters of the Whitsundays.

Keep up the amazing work, Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays and welcome to the Ecotourism Australia community!

For more information about Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays, visit their website or Facebook page.

[Photos: Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays]

25 million.

That’s how many trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted since National Tree Day was established in Australia 23 years ago. Why does this day exist? And why have close to five million volunteers given ten million hours of their time to a cause which forces them to get their hands dirty?

Ian Darbyshire, CEO of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, says that National Tree Day is a cause that resonates because it affects both people’s health and the environment.

“Aussies are spending more and more time inside and in front of a screen, disconnected from the natural world, but research from here and overseas show there are real health and wellbeing benefits associated with spending time outside and in contact with nature.”

Photo: Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife

These benefits include a lowered risk of heart disease and diabetes, reduced stress, and increased happiness, wellbeing and productivity.

For the planet, a five percent increase in tree cover can reduce nearby daytime temperatures by 2.3 degrees Celsius, which could be crucial as heatwaves cost more lives than all other climate change impacts combined. A large, healthy tree can also sequester (remove and store) up to 93kg of CO2 emissions and 1.4kg of air pollution a year.

With all these benefits, protecting our trees seems a logical priority. Sadly, it doesn’t always end up that way.

Over the past 200 years, more than 75% of Australia’s native vegetation has been destroyed or degraded. Darbyshire says that destructive human activities such land clearing, urban expansion and logging are to blame, as well as climate change impacts, invasive species, pests and diseases.

Photo: Robert Jones / Pixabay

“Extinction of species can have unforeseen effects with widespread consequences for ecosystems, native wildlife and for people. Our futures are linked. We need to work together to restore rainforests, woodlands and bushland across Australia.”

The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife supports on-ground projects that protect habitat, rehabilitate native bushland and increase biodiversity for Australia’s threatened species. One such project is National Tree Day, which is celebrated every year on the 28^th of July as a positive, community-based activity aimed to bring native plant communities back to into the Australian environment and connect people, especially children, with nature.

Each year, 300,000 people volunteer their time, making National Tree Day Australia’s largest annual tree-planting and nature care event.

Photo: Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife

Darbyshire says participating is easy: “There are many ways to get involved, such as collaborating with a local community group to host a tree planting event, or you can make a donation to enable others in the community to conduct planting activities.”

Running a tree day activity in your workplace is also great team building initiative, which at the same time makes a difference to the community, fosters a love of nature and creates positive environmental change.

For more information on planting sites near you, call the National Tree Day Hotline on 1300 885 000. If you can’t plant a tree yourself, the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife can plant one for you through the Plant a Tree for Me! Program. For more information, visit www.plantatreeforme.org.au.

[Header image: Josh Withers / Unsplash]