Nature tourism boils in the Green Cauldron, by Rudi Maxwell - Northern Rivers Echo - October 2008

The Federal Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett and Federal Minister for Tourism Martin Ferguson joined Richmond MP Justine Elliott and Forde MP Brett Raguse at the base of Wollumbin (Mt Warning) on Monday to announce Australia’s ‘Green Cauldron’ being included in the National Landscapes program.

Branded as a “partnership between conservation and tourism” the initiative aims to market regions of Australia – Kakadu, the Red Centre, the Great Ocean Road, Flinders Ranges, the Australian Alps, Australia’s Coastal Wilderness (Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland) and the Greater Blue Mountains – as ecologically diverse holiday destinations.

Chair of the Green Cauldron Steering Committee Robyn Rae said the project would allow the region (described as “stretching from Byron Bay to the Gold Coast and west towards the Great Dividing Range”) to promote its incredible biodiversity.
“Amazing, wild, diverse, elemental, mystical, breathtaking, special, very, very real and very, very green; this spectacular land is part of a living Gondwanan rainforest,” Ms Rae said.

Uncle Doug Williams, senior custodian of the Ngarakbul Githabul Moiety, gave a Welcome to Country.

“We need to remember Aboriginal people have an awesome amount of respect for this place and it needs to be preserved for the future,” Uncle Doug said.

Mr Ferguson said it was important to see first-hand how tourism could work when local councils and the state and federal government worked together.

However, despite claiming the program was specifically targetted at people who liked to travel with a “soft” carbon footprint, Mr Ferguson refused to commit to greater spending on public transport to the region, saying that groups were welcome to put in submissions to the federal government for infrastructure spending and that they would all be judged on their merits.

Mr Ferguson, a former president of the ACTU, encouraged people to take a holiday in Australia rather than jetting off overseas.

“The National Landscapes program ensures the Australian Government works with local councils and business representatives to promote Australia’s iconic landscapes,” Mr Ferguson said. “For the traditional owners, the Bundjalung and Githabul, the land here provided wealth, food, medicine, and is a sacred site.

“We need to encourage high-yield long-stay travellers to experience Australia first-hand, so they spend more and stay longer.

“Australians, at large, need to have a holiday at home and look after their mates.

“People are stockpiling too much long service and holiday leave. It’s better for business and better for workers to take their leave.”

Mr Garrett said it was important to work towards a sustainable economy that could appreciate natural assets.

“Australia is blessed by its natural environment. This rainforest is now heritage-listed and it’s of priceless value and importance,” Mr Garrett said. “It’s a large world with an extraordinary geological history.

“Nature-based tourism can continue to grow and contribute to the economy, which is critical to education and conservation and ways of building sustainable tourism for the long-term.”

Ms Elliott said she was proud to be able to share the experiences of the region with people from other parts of Australia and the rest of the world.

(Credit: Northern Rivers Echo)

Media Man Australia Profiles

Githabul people

Eco tourism