East Coast Tasmania walking holiday, Bay of Fires

East Coast Tasmania walking holiday, Bay of Fires

How East Coast Tasmania walking holiday, Bay of Fires makes a difference

Environment

The basic principles of sustainability - protecting the present for the future by maintaining bio-diversity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting place - have been wholeheartedly embraced in the construction of the accommodations used on this trip. From the siting of the buildings and the form of their design, to the selection of building materials and the management of the construction process, our single focus has been on protecting the landscape and connecting to it. Using sustainable materials and employing non-polluting services such as roof water collection, grey water treatment systems, composting toilets and energy-efficient solar power, the lodge was gently placed in the landscape to create minimal disturbance while maximising the visual connection with the surrounding vegetation and the ocean beyond. Without doubt, it's this connection with the unspoiled beauty of the environment, its flora and fauna, that creates the magical experience our guests enjoy.

Our leaders encourage and promote an understanding to our travellers of local conservation, including:

Stay on track: If no track, fan out and do not follow in each other's footsteps. On beaches, walk below the high-tide mark.

Use of fuel stoves: Take care to place your stove and any hot pots on hard surfaces. Some vegetation does not easily recover from the heat of stoves.

Pack it in - pack it out: Take all of your rubbish out with you! Collect any other bushwalkers' garbage off the track!

Flora/Fauna: Don’t disturb or feed nesting birds or browsing animals. Avoid introducing weeds or seeds into new areas by thoroughly cleaning boots tents and other equipment before and after each trip. The root rot fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi is present in Tasmania help stop the spread we ensure our travellers clean their gear including boots, tent pegs, gaiters and tent floor, before, during and after a trek.

Water: One of the rare pleasures one can have in Tasmania is to dip ones cup into the stream and drink directly from it. We advise travellers on how to keep the water sources unpolluted by taking washing water 100m away from a water source to only use bio-degradable soap.

We were delighted that our efforts were nominated by our travellers and subsequently long listed for the Responsible Travel Awards 2011.

Community

No one can show you Tasmania like a Tasmanian. All our guides and support staff are locally employed.

As part of our operations manual we make it very clear that resources, where and when possible, should be purchased from local sources. We have a food policy, whereby it states that the produce on trips should be both Tasmanian owned and produced. If both are not possible it should then be either produced or owned locally before even considering any mainland or overseas alternatives.

All vehicles are maintained frequently locally in Launceston.

As a pioneer and leader in the Tasmanian adventure industry, we help to bring together smaller operators and include some of their experiences in our multi-activity packages so they benefit from our marketing activities as well.

There is a check of local gear and equipment before every tour at a local gear shop. If a client is deemed lacking essential equipment we have obtained favourable rates for them to purchase the gear from the locally owned outdoor shop.

Each year we run at least one charity fundraising trek which benefits a Tasmanian charity financially as well as through raising their profile through the marketing activities we undertake to promote the trek.

As a company we also try to use our voice to campaign against local issues that threaten the natural environment that our guides call their office and the animals their home. Recently we have embarked on a grass roots campaign to help raise awareness of the threat to the Tarkine wilderness to mining.

East Coast Tasmania walking holiday, Bay of Fires

East Coast Tasmania walking holiday, Bay of Fires