Queensland nature-based tourism opportunities
New accommodation in and near national parks
Wilderness Retreat, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria. Photo courtesy of Parks Victoria.
Seven demonstration sites for low-impact nature-based ecotourism accommodation were announced by the Honourable Premier Anna Bligh MP (PDF, 612K)* on 25 November 2009. The proposed developments will be a first for Queensland and will offer eco-friendly accommodation such as semi-permanent safari style tents in a selection of the state’s most scenic areas in and near some of Queensland’s best known national parks.
- Map of demonstration sites (PDF, 159K)*
Accommodation opportunities will be established within tight sustainability guidelines ensuring best practice environmental protection, cultural sensitivity, sound business operations and high quality interpretation and visitor satisfaction. These experiences will offer employment opportunities in regional Queensland and have the potential to stimulate the economy.
The infrastructure will be operated and built by private companies and, where the infrastructure is on national park estate, will be owned by the State.
Tourism is Queensland’s second largest export earner, behind coal. The nature-based tourism market is a growing sector and an important contributor to the Queensland economy. Each year, there are over 16.2 million visits to Queensland parks and forests. The most recent research into the economic value of national parks to the Queensland economy found that direct spending by tourists visiting Queensland national parks is $4.43 billion annually which is 28 per cent of total tourist spending in Queensland.
Complementing existing tourism products, these experiences will provide new ways to enjoy, appreciate and learn about our natural environment and rich cultural heritage. They will be developed in line with the evolving needs of Queensland’s visitor markets and global trends.
The Premier has committed to investing revenue raised through this initiative directly to park management within the local area.
The seven opportunities identified were:
- Ninney Rise near Mission Beach, adjacent to Clump Mountain National Park in north Queensland
- Green Mountains section, Lamington National Park
- Mount Mee, D’Aguilar Range National Park (Recovery)
- Cowan South, Moreton Island National Park
- Wallaman Falls, adjacent to Girringun National Park
- Eurong, Fraser Island
- Jonah Bay, adjacent to Dryander National Park north of Airlie Beach
Background
Karijini Eco Retreat, Karijini National Park, Western Australia. Photo courtesy of Christian Fletcher.
This is a joint initiative managed by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) and Tourism Queensland (TQ) and will deliver high quality, environmentally sensitive tourism experiences.
Other states such as Western Australia and Victoria offer similar opportunities both within and near national parks.
Expressions of Interest
Three opportunities have been released to the market to date. The first of the seven sites, Ninney Rise, was released in May 2010. The two-stage assessment process for this site has been completed with no sucessful tenders appointed.
The Green Mountains site was released in October 2010, and applications are currently progressing through the two-stage assessment process.
The Mount Mee site was released to the Market in December 2010. Expressions of Interest for this site closed Friday 18 February 2011.
The fourth opportunity, Cowan South, was investigated and has been withdrawn due to environmental and commercial sustainability issues.
The three remaining opportunities are located adjacent to National Park and are currently being investigated to assess their commercial viability, and to identify any environmental or statutory development constraints.
All opportunities that are released to the market are subject to a rigorous and transparent tender process. An evaluation panel is being established for each opportunity and this will consist of DERM representation including the relevant Regional Manager, DEEDI, TQ, a probity auditor and relevant expertise as required including landscape architecture and commercial tourism acumen. The process will be completed in two stages consisting of an initial Expression of Interest (EOI) to the marketplace and then a more detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) for those proponents who meet the criteria in the Expression of Interest.
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Last updated 7 March 2011