Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
- We’ll partner with a local operator for an extraordinary visit to the World Heritage Fraser Island, the greatest sand island in the world.
- Your lodge at the Girraween Environmental Lodge was developed by visionary conservationists in a natural setting from recycled building supplies, all with the protection of the bush and wildlife in mind.
- In her home country we’ll recount the life of Judith Wright, Australia’s finest woman poet and passionate campaigner who was instrumental in the saving of The Great Barrier Reef and Fraser Island as outstanding World Heritage sites and who fought though to her death for the reconciliation of Australian Aborigines.
- You will have various opportunities to chat with local people about the Birth of our Nation, birds and wildlife in the areas we visit. In Australia many local naturalists do not see enough people or activity to become professional and earn a living from their expertise or hobby. The cost of obligatory public liability insurance makes their establishing a business and sub-contracting their services rather prohibitive. We do not conduct sufficient departures or visits to support them in establishing a business or employing them but we find ways of rewarding them for their expenses and time. Where another organization is involved and they are community volunteers we pay entry fees, make purchases and create economic revenue.
- All our guests receive a written brief, pre-tour, in which they are referred to our Travel Ethic, minimising the tour impact on the environments we visit.
- Compliance with the Travel Ethic and the values of Responsible Travel form part of the Terms and Conditions, when booking.
- You will also receive a questionnaire, pre-tour, in which you can profile your expectations of the tour, your special interests and declare the importance of sustainable tourism and the environment to you.
- Our pre-tour “meet and greet” briefing includes references to the Travel Ethic and Responsible Travel and values are highlighted spontaneously throughout the tour.
- Your tour is extensively researched for local content and “authenticity” and where available local guides are engaged in support. In addition your tour leader imparts a much broader study of Australia’s evolution, land management and conservation issues and knowledge drawn from research on other tours, by the company.
- Our tours also provide an extensive library of nature based field reference books, background information on local features, indigenous culture, conservation and history plus select DVD’s on these subjects for special viewings.
- Glaringly orchestrated and themed, mainstream tourist traps are not featured or included in our tours.
- Through annual and access fees to national park authorities we provide revenue essential to the protection and maintenance of the parks we visit. We comply with the management plans of each park and assist by reporting adverse events or special findings to the park management.
- We collect and thoughtfully dispose of any rubbish sighted in the parks visited. We retain and dispose of our own rubbish in a similar manner.
- We minimise the use of disposable packaging and recycle all catering items where possible.
- We conduct limited departures to any one tour or destination so minimising our impact on any one pristine environment.
- All catering is arranged or purchased locally or home made.
- In most instances quality accommodation is chosen on the basis of local family ownership and small business management and with added practices in place, particularly saving of water and energy.
- Our tour group sizes are limited to 8 to 15 people maximum, to minimise any negative impact on the environment, the enjoyment of other people, the capacity of community services, the safety and stress of wildlife. We encourage the practice of low noise bushwalking and special solo activities making our guests at one with the environment.
- We minimise the use of our tour vehicle in preference for walking, travelling only on formed roads and tracks, applying the annual recorded mileage to a carbon offset program.
- Vehicle fuel and service requirements are purchased locally.
- We conduct our operations from a minimalist city office under a policy of recycling paper and clerical supplies, minimising power and water usage in a current drought affected environment and engaging a network of expert small business services as required.
- Our operation is working toward a carbon neutral status with some proceeds from each tour directed to accredited tree planting programs to offset unavoidable CO2 emissions as well as the regeneration of degraded lands and enhancement of wildlife habitats
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
