Regional Sustainability
Regional Sustainability
Located on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, home to some of the most pristine reef system along the East Coast of Australia, with the largest loggerhead turtle rookery in the south pacific, Australia’s largest food bowl, producing 25% of Australia’s fresh grown produce on land of our traditional owners the Taribelang Bunda, Gooreng Gooreng, Gurang, Bailai, Wakka Wakka, Wulli Wulli, Djaku-nde, Jangerie Jangerie, and Kabbi Kabbi Peoples, the Bundaberg Region is committed to working at protecting this natural environment for future generations.
ECO DESTINATION CERTIFICATION
Bundaberg ECO Destination Certification Journey
The ECO Destination Certification program is a world first by Ecotourism Australia and our goal is for the Bundaberg Region to become certified as an ECO Destination by June 2022.
The program was developed to identify and support genuine ecotourism and nature tourism experiences in Australia. The ECO Destination Certification program assures travellers that certified destinations are backed by a strong, well-managed commitment to sustainable practices and provide high-quality nature-based tourism experiences within the region.
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Visit the BRC’s Eco Destination Website
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Getting Your Business ECO Certified
Whether your business is an accommodation provider, a restaurant, a tour operator or an attractions there is a ECO Tourism Australia certification program for your business. Bundaberg Regional Council is offering a subsidy to offset your first annual certification fee.
Advantages of being ECO Certified
- Global quality assurance
- Operator credibility and recognition
- Demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement
- Search filters on bundabergregion.org
- Eco packages on Bundabergregion.org
- Free Listing on Eco Tourism Australia Green Travel Guide
- Free Product Listing on Our Planet Travel
- Meeting consumer expectations
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Visit the Eco Tourism Australia Business certification webpage
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The Bundaberg Regional Council is offering 50% off the annual Eco Tourism certification fee. Fill in the EOI for here
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Turtle-Safe Operations
The Cut the Glow Initiative
With turtles nesting on our beaches, Queensland Parks and Wildlife lead an initiative to increase awareness of the impacts of light pollution on sea turtles.
Our turtles need dark beaches and you can make a difference. During the breeding season (15 October to 30 April) whether you are a resident, visitor or business, you can help cut the glow of lights affecting beaches in your local area
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Read more on the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services Cut the Glow initiative
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Cut the clow collateral to use in your business
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BRC’s Turtle Awareness Campaign
Bundaberg Regional Council encourages everyone, including our visitors, to understand the significance of the Bundaberg Region’s shoreline as a nesting location for threatened turtle species.
Council has developed an easy to use video and turtle awareness materials that local businesses, tour operators and venues are encouraged to display in their businesses to urge residents and visitors to implement the small changes that can have a real impact on turtle hatchling survival rates.
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Register below
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Sustainability Stories
Regional Case Studies
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Sustainability has always been part of Bundaberg Rum’s story. See how they make their award-winning rum on the recently voted world’s best distillery tour.
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Bundaberg grows over 70% of Australia’s sweet potatoes. Now with the help of your takeaway coffee cup farms are more sustainable than ever before.
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Joey Caruana’s heart-felt passion for Bundaberg flavours drives the delicious menu at The Windmill Cafe Bargara and keeps the whole business thinking local.
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Macadamias Australia embed sustainability into every aspect of business. They’ve even used nuts as a renewable energy source!
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Kellys Beach Resort offers great value to sustainability-minded families looking to reconnect and recharge near one of Bundaberg’s best beaches!
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Located 80 kilometres Northeast of Bundaberg, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort is on the Southernmost Island of the Great Barrier Reef, and a sustainability success story.
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At the end of a day trip with Lady Musgrave Experience most people don’t want to leave. Now they can stay overnight in reef-friendly glamping beds!
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Tourism Australia's Sustainability Storytellers
As travellers across the globe look forward to travel, and ‘travel better’ is a phrase resounding across our industry, Tourism Australia’s focus on sustainability is aimed at making it easier for anyone planning, promoting or selling travel to learn about and include sustainable Australian travel products and experiences in itineraries. What better place to start to demonstrate the depth and diversity of Australia’s sustainable travel offering than with stories direct from some our great storytellers and tourism legacy-makers.
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Learn about Amy Gash from Lady Elliot Island (page 5)
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Learn about Cathy Gatley from Mon Repos Turtle Encounter (page 7)
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Green Destinations Top 100 Stories Competition
The Bundaberg Region has been listed among the top 100 sustainable destinations in the world for 2021 in recognition of work carried out to reduce urban glow.
It means the Bundaberg Region will now be featured by Green Destinations in its 2021 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories alongside other leading cities and regions throughout the globe. The stories are an annual selection of destinations demonstrating innovative and effective good practice to be shared as inspirational examples to other destinations, tour operators and international visitors.
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Read the story on Bundaberg Regions success in making the TOP 100 Sustainable destinations in 2021
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Visit the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations website
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Read Bundaberg’s Top 100 Sustainable Destination submission
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Other Sustainable Business Resources
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Develop an action plan to help your businesses save money and increase efficiencies..
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Two-part sustainability training program is available on-demand through the ATEC Academy online learning platform
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As part of the #LessIsMore BRC & the Burnett LMAC will pick up your plastic straws & replace them with an equal number of Biopak Art Straws free.
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Why integrate sustainable waste & recycling practices in your business?
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