Self drive coastal tour in Western Australia

Community
On our self drive tour in Western Australia, we use local guides wherever possible (Woody Island, Seal Island), and we encourage clients to participate in optional activities run by local tour operators (Seal Island Cruises, Woody Island ferry & walk ) & recommend these activities in our itineraries & at our Pre Departure Workshops (which we hold for clients resident in Australia). We conduct ‘fun fines’ & raffles while on tour to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Last year we collected over $1000 for this worthy charity which has been of assistance to us on several occasions. When planning the itinerary, we sought assistance & advice from the local 4WD club to ensure we were using appropriate & approved 4WD tracks.

Environment
We never drive on virgin sand dunes or areas of reclamation, reforestation or revegetation in this ecologically sensitive area. We emphasise environmental awareness at the pre-Departure Workshop and include a copy of our Environmental Management Policy in each Pre-Departure Kit. We also demonstrate responsible environmental practices when four wheel driving, i.e., if bogged, dig the vehicle out, don’t churn up tracks, remove obstacles from tracks, etc.

We obtain DEC approvals in advance for any areas we intend to visit over which they have jurisdiction; even though we are not required to do so (most of the bushcamps along this coast cannot be pre-booked), and advise clients of their responsibilities while in these areas. on our self drive tour in Western Australia, we drive at a reasonable & safe speed to suit conditions & conserve fuel, and limit number of vehicles in the convoy to minimize impact on bush tracks, bush camps & surrounds.

We take all our rubbish out with us as there are very few specified disposal bins in this area. We only build fires when permitted to do so & then keep them small & provide our own firewood whenever possible. We instruct clients on ‘bush toilet’ procedures. We don’t take souvenirs with us even though beachcombing in this area can be very productive (on our last tour we discovered the jaw of a whale!). The Director of the company is an Honorary Parks Ranger so is committed to protecting wildlife and looking after the environment. He is also one of the few Tour Guides in the State to be accredited by the Eco Tourism Association of Australia.

We were the first tag-along-tour company to ‘partner’ with Carbon Neutral. Under this arrangement we donate a percentage of our profits from each tour to Carbon Neutral in an attempt to offset our carbon emissions & we encourage our clients to do the same. Last year we cumulatively contributed to offsetting an estimated 67.08 tonnes of our carbon emissions by the planting of native trees.