$9.2 million investment to kickstart six ecotourism projects

On completion, the projects are collectively estimated to pump almost $64 million a year in overnight visitor expenditure and attract more than 196,000 visitors each year who will enjoy Queensland’s great natural lifestyle.

The projects are located in the Wide Bay area, Scenic Rim, Cape York Peninsula, Central Queensland, Pioneer Valley near Mackay and at South Stradbroke Island.

It is forecast the 6 projects will support a combined 338 construction jobs and 235 operational jobs with the government’s $9.2 million in co-funding support leveraging $76 million in private ecotourism investment.

The Activate Ecotourism Infrastructure initiative aims to deliver ecotourism or nature-based tourism infrastructure adjacent to, or near, a public protected area, world heritage area, state forest or timber reserve; accelerating infrastructure and investment opportunities; and expanding access to our state’s unrivalled natural assets and rich cultural heritage.

Activate Ecotourism is part of the State Government’s $74 million election commitment to accelerate the Queensland tourism industry’s pandemic recovery.

Announced in June 2022, the program aims to increase Queensland’s ecotourism offerings, building economic resilience in regional areas and creating construction and ongoing operational jobs for Queenslanders.

Incentivising investment in ecotourism is a key element of Queensland’s Toward Tourism 2032 roadmap to double the state’s visitor economy to $44 billion a year.

The strategy seeks to position our state as a global leader in the sustainable and ecotourism sector.

This initiative will also capitalise on the growing global desire for more immersive, meaningful ecotourism and nature-based tourism experiences.

The 6 projects supported in the Activate Ecotourism Infrastructure initiative are:

• stage one refurbishment of Turtle Sands Holiday Park at Mon Repos, near Bundaberg
• a walkers camp on freehold land at Binna Burra, adjacent to the Lamington National Park
• refurbishment and expansion of the Jarramali Indigenous Rock Art eco-camp stays on Cape York
• an upgrade of the Carnarvon Gorge Holiday Park including new ecotourism accommodation, a restaurant and renewable energy
• an outdoor tourism hub in the Pioneer Valley near Mackay
• nature-based luxury glamping pods and eco-lodgings on South Stradbroke Island.

Each of the supported projects are expected to be completed by 30 June 2024.