Responsible Tourism & Australia By Nature

Sustainable, Responsible, Mindful, Respectful – There are many ways to describe how we approach our role as a tour operator. After thoughtful consideration of each word’s meaning, we chose “responsible.”

As an Australian-based company, we are fortunate to have some of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders right at our doorstep, and with that comes the responsibility to protect and preserve them for future generations.

Our definition of Responsible Tourism is simple: it’s about working in harmony with the land, its people, and our company to safeguard the destinations we visit. We are committed to continuously evolving the way we operate, ensuring that the well-being of the environment, wildlife, marine life, and local communities is always at the heart of everything we do.

We strive to follow 4 pillars of Sustainability as set-out by the Global Sustainability Council Tourism Council (GSTC), which are:

· Sustainable Management

· Socioeconomic Impacts

· Cultural Impacts

· Environmental Impacts

Sustainable Management

Founder Caroline brings extensive experience in Sustainable Tourism and is committed to ongoing learning in this field and sharing these learnings with our employees. As our business grows, we understand the importance of educating new staff and continuously refining our practices to operate sustainably. 

We actively discourage the use of single-use plastics on our tours and collaborate closely with our partner suppliers to ensure we offer immersive experiences that leave only a positive impact on the destinations we explore. 

All of our tours are carefully curated to work with suppliers who share our values.  

We respect that many of our tour guests dream to see and learn about Australia’s beautiful native animals. We prioritise Wildlife Parks that serve as sanctuaries and rescue centres, dedicated to rehabilitating native animals and releasing them back into the wild when safe. Our tours emphasise  the importance of viewing wildlife from a respectful distance, ensuring both their safety and ours.

Socioeconomic Impacts

Whenever possible, we make it a priority to collaborate with local communities, ensuring that the income generated through our tours stays within the region.

We partner with suppliers who source produce from local farmers and growers for our lunches and picnics, and we support small businesses that offer authentic, immersive experiences. 

Our employees are hired locally, and we welcome local tour operator students to gain practical experience with Australia By Nature, where we share our knowledge and promote greater awareness of responsible tourism.

Cultural Impacts

Our tours take place on the lands of the Gadigal, Dharug, Darkinjung, and Gayamaygal Peoples, and we deeply respect the Traditional Owners of Country and the thousands of culturally significant rock sites in these areas. 

We collaborate with Bush To Bowl, an Aboriginal-owned company, to ensure that a First Nations guide leads the way on our cultural tours, providing authentic and respectful cultural interpretations throughout our journeys.

Environmental Impacts

We acknowledge that our day tours rely on the use of vehicles, and while we ensure they are regularly maintained, we recognize that this results in carbon emissions. 

To mitigate our impact, we actively support native reforestation projects through Greenfleet by donating $10 from every tour booked. This partnership allows us to offset not only the carbon emissions from our vehicles but also those generated by the overall operations of our business.

About Greenfleet: Since 1997, Greenfleet has planted over 10.8 million native trees across more than 550 forests in Australia and New Zealand. To learn more, visit www.greenfleet.com.au. Visit the Greenfleet Impact Report and year in review video at  www.greenfleet.com.au/blogs/news/2023-impact-report 

We take pride in educating our guests on how to protect and preserve the environments we visit, ensuring we leave no negative impact. Single-use plastics are actively discouraged and never provided by our team. 

We responsibly manage all waste generated during our tours and go the extra mile by collecting and disposing of any litter we encounter along the way.

Respect for wildlife is paramount; we always maintain a safe distance to avoid disturbing animals in their natural habitat.