After two years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, if there is one thing everyone needs, it’s a holiday.
A holiday can mean something entirely different from person to person, however in recent times, there has been an increase in the desire to connect to and truly experience the world around us.
While the ways in which you can do this are vast and varied, the idea of eco-conscious travelling has emerged as one of the most popular holiday trends.
But what does this mean? Well, today we’re going to talk about eco-conscious traveling and how you can plan a Tropical North Queensland holiday where you can connect with the planet without taking away from it.
What is Eco-conscious travelling?
Over the last two decades, the focus on finding ways to better the environment has become a priority for most industries, including the tourism industry.
We’re more aware of the impact our actions have on the environment, and as individuals, we’re looking for new ways to be able to explore new places without having a negative environmental impact.
Eco-conscious travel and tourism is about travelling in a responsible way – where we’re choosing to travel with transportation and tour companies that prioritise the environment and their communities. It’s also about travelling in a way that is designed to better the environment and the local community. Eco-conscious travelling is about being able to give back more than you take from your holiday destination.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to be donating money everywhere you go or being afraid to step off the jungle path so as not to squish some grass, rather, it means being more aware of the various experiences out there that allow you to connect to the nature and the local community in a way that benefits everyone.
In Tropical North Queensland, the concept of eco-conscious and eco-friendly travel is well and truly alive, with opportunities and experiences a plenty.
Why Tropical North Queensland is the perfect eco-friendly holiday destination
It’s no surprise that Tropical North Queensland would be a leader when it comes to purposeful and environmentally friendly travelling as it is home to two World Heritage Listed natural attractions – the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef.
These special attractions, as well as various other places in TNQ are home to various eco-certified experiences (nature-based tourism experiences that are well managed and highly committed to sustainable practices) as well as amazing environmental restoration programs and projects, that have been designed to educate travellers, while simultaneously benefiting the local communities and environment.
When you visit TNQ, you have the opportunity to not only experience some of the most naturally beautiful and awe-striking destinations in the world, but the chance to do so in such a way that means you can help support the region, the local community and of course, build your own lasting and rewarding memories.
Here are some of the eco-conscious travel experiences you can have in Tropical North Queensland.
Travel with Purpose with These Experiences in TNQ
If you’re planning a trip to Tropical North Queensland and you want to be able to give back as much as you take from your experience, here are some of the incredible environmentally conscious activities you can undertake.
The Great Barrier Reef
For many people that choose Queensland as a holiday destination, the Great Barrier Reef has something to do with that decision. It is the one of the most well-known natural tourist attractions in the world.
The largest reef system on the planet is home to more than 1500 species of fish, as well as thousands of other marine and mammal species, 900 islands, around 3000 individual reefs, and about a third of the world’s coral. It also covers an area of 348,700 square kilometres, which means that there is a lot to see and lot of ways to do so.
If exploring the depths of the waters of the reef has always been on your bucket list, amazingly there are lots of tour options that are eco-certified. One of these tour operators is Sailaway who offers all sorts of reef exploration experiences where a portion of the proceeds are donated to various local sustainability programs. From sunset sailing to snorkelling in the sea, you can feel good working with a tour company that is a leader when it comes to their reef restoration efforts and environmental impact.
Another operator who is helping to restore the reef and local environment in the tropics is Passions of Paradise. They offer snorkelling and diving tours, where you can not only discover the beauty of the reef but also in one of the tours, you can join the research team who is working to protect the ecosystem of the reef. Passions of Paradise also give back to the environment by planting trees in the Daintree to offset their carbon emissions, and by donating a portion of proceeds to marine conversation projects.
Both Sailaway and Passions of Paradise are also supporters of various Reef Restoration projects, whose aim is to nurture the coral gardens of the reef through research and coral nurseries. After you see the reef up close for yourself, you might be inspired to give back with a donation to the reef restoration efforts of the Reef Restoration Foundation.
Animal and Wildlife Conservation
Given the rarity of some of these animals, it’s no surprise that there are various eco-certified tours and projects that have been developed to nurture these animals and their natural home.
The Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas is a wildlife sanctuary where you can see many of Australia’s native animals up close, learn about them and even get to feed them. Whether you’re into birds, furry friends or scaly animals, there is something for everyone here.
Wildlife Habitat is also home to a rehabilitation centre for wildlife – the Tropical Animal Rehabilitation Centre. They provide care to the injured, unwell, and orphaned animals in the area. The aim is to nurture these animals back to full health so they can be released back to their natural environment. And you can get involved by not only visiting the centre, but by adopting an animal pal and becoming a Habitat Hero. Your adoption fee goes towards their care costs, as well as various other rehabilitation and restoration efforts.
Another eco-certified animal conservation centre you can visit in the region is the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on Fitzroy Island. Run by volunteers, the centre is a safe home for injured and unwell sea turtles. The Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef is actually the home of six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles, and unfortunately, they face dangers every single day.
The turtles at the centre have either become unwell from various turtle diseases or been injured by predators and/or human actions. Some turtles at the centre have called the place home for many years, however, the aim is to release the turtles who are well back into their natural environment.
At the centre, you can learn about these extraordinary animals, as well as the work that they do at the centre, and you might even get to feed some of the residents. If you do plan to visit the centre, we do recommend booking though, because it’s a popular destination!
Wet Tropics
The Wet Tropics is a Heritage Listed region that has one of the most diverse landscapes within it. From luscious green tropical rainforests to woodlands and granite boulders, there are many secrets to this beautiful destination, and a whole lot of flora and fauna you will not see anywhere else in the world.
The Wet Tropics is also home to the Daintree Rainforest, one of the most well-known rainforests in the world.
As you can imagine, with the Wet Tropics covering such a large land area, there is a lot to see and a lot of ways to do so. Many of which are eco-certified and extremely rewarding. Some of these include:
- Billy Tea Safaris – a locally owned and operated tour group that offers personalised tours of the Wet Tropics in custom built 4WD vehicles. You can learn about the animals, plants and the indigenous culture of the region. There are single and multi-day tour options and some of which that include river cruises on the Daintree River.
- Mossman Gorge – the Mossman Gorge centre is considered to be the gateway into the Daintree rainforest, and if you’re going to visit one place in the Wet Tropics, this area is it. You can learn about the region at the Mossman Gorge centre, before embarking on a walk through the Mossman Gorge walking trails. You can take a self-guided tour; however, we recommend joining a Dreamtime Walk tour so you can learn more about the Indigenous significance of the area, and even take part in a traditional smoke cleansing ceremony.
- Back Country Bliss – if you’re into a bit of action and adventure, a day tour with the eco-certified team at Back Country Bliss. These tours are all in various parts of the Daintree rainforest, with options to hike the Devil’s Thumb (a very strenuous hike), discover Mossman Gorge, and snorkel in the rivers of the Daintree.
Your Eco-Friendly Holiday Awaits
Supporting the environment and giving back to the world doesn’t have to be boring or limiting in any way. You can make a difference while also learning more about the world around you and creating rewarding memories that will last a lifetime.
Plan your eco-conscious adventure today.