Cruise Whitsundays - How We Care

Cruise Whitsundays

WHTSUNDAYS, WHITEHAVEN AND GREAT BARRIER REEF
ENVIRONMENTAL CARE

Cruise Whitsundays has a strong environmental ethic. We believe that the Great Barrier Reef, its marine life and the Whitsundays natural environment are the most important aspects of our operation.

We want to ensure that the reef will be preserved for all to enjoy today, tomorrow and for the future.

ADVANCED ECO CERTIFIED TOUR OPERATOR

Cruise Whitsundays Great Barrier Reef Adventures and Camira Sailing Adventure products have both acquired Advanced Eco Certification. This globally recognised certificate is only given to Australia’s leading and most innovative ecotourism products. We are committed to achieving best practice, using resources wisely, contributing to the conservation of the environment and helping local communities.

Find out more on:
Knuckle Reef Lagoon, our Great Barrier Reef Adventures site
Whitehaven Beach and Whitsundays National Park, where our Camira Sailing Adventure cruises

The Eco Certification program assures travellers that certified products are backed by a strong, well managed commitment to sustainable practices and provides high quality nature-based tourism experiences.

HOW CRUISE WHITSUNDAYS
CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

We love the Whitsundays, the majestic Great Barrier Reef that lines the coast, the pristine beaches and tropical forests that blanket the islands. We also care deeply for the marine and mammal life that call this area home. We know that it is our responsibility to set a standard for protecting this fragile environment.

Below are some of our environmental practices.

Great Barrier Reef Turtle

DID YOU KNOW...
Cruise Whitsundays has a regular visitor to their Reef site, 'Dollar' the turtle. Here are some interesting facts about turtles in the Whitsundays:

Sea Turtles tend to only nest every 2 - 5 years and they return to the beach where they hatched to nest.

They may travel thousands of kilometres to reach their nesting grounds from their feeding grounds

Unlike most land turtles, sea turtles can not retract their heads into their shell for safety

Hatchling gender is determined by sand temperature. Cooler sands mean more males.

If turtles are disturbed during nesting they will most likely abandon their eggs, so stay away from turtles coming up the beach and avoid making loud noise. If it is dark, please don't shine lights on them!

For more turtle facts visit www.seaturtlefoundation.org

Best Environmental Practices All our activities and operations are designed following world-best environmental practices to prevent potential impacts on the reef. Reef Protection Program We perform ongoing monitoring of reef health and bio diversity at our site to help in detecting adverse impacts and unusual natural phenomena. No Touching Policy We have adopted a no touching policy with regards to all marine life. This helps protect the animals from stress and disease. Biodegradable Cleaning Products All chemicals used on the pontoon and vessels are biodegradable and the amount of these chemicals used is kept to a minimum. Silicon based antifoul products are used on ‘Seaflight’ (our vessel to Great Barrier Reef) as alternatives to toxic antifoul paints. This avoids potential leaching of toxic chemicals into the ocean. Innovation Technology As new environmental technologies and products are developed, we trial them. One example is the use of microfibre for cleaning to eliminate the need for chemicals. Litter Clean Up and Waste Reduction Our scuba divers carry out daily ‘litter patrols’ of the reef and surrounding areas. Wherever possible, plastic items are replaced with biodegradable or reusable products. Oil Spill Control The risk of fuel and oil spills from the pontoon has been eliminated by not having a generator on the pontoon. Rather than using a diesel generator to top up our batteries, we use a wind power generator. A fully equipped oil spill kit is however kept on the pontoon at all times. Scientific Research Scientists are actively encouraged to conduct reef research at Knuckle Reef Lagoon. Interpretation Programs Interpretive/educational programs have been designed by reef specialists to make the visitors’ experience enjoyable and informative. Staff Training All our staff are well trained in environmental awareness and reef ecology to promote a sense of stewardship towards the reef. Compliance and Environmental Management Charge We comply with all legislation and permit requirements set out by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Included in your cruise fare is a $5.50 per head fee which is used for the management and protection of the Reef by this authority. Government and Community Liaison We liaise closely with government agencies and community groups to help promote and support good overall environmental management of the reef. Cruise Whitsundays also actively participates in a number of environmental / conservation programmes with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. These are: Sightings Network: reporting sightings of unusual fish, birds and whale sightings. BleachWatch: a community based coral monitoring initiative. Eye on the Reef: we collect a range of biological information on Knuckle Reef which GBRMPA assembles alongside information from other selected operators. Sustainable Regions Programme Cruise Whitsundays recently joined this programme and is one of only three operators in the Region to do so. It is a statewide programme and a first for Tourism Queensland. The programme engages Queensland tourism operators to measure their environmental footprint and develop operator specific action plans. We are delighted to have joined.
	DID YOU KNOW... Whitehaven Beach has almost 100% silica sand, giving it the vivid white colour.

	DID YOU KNOW... Knuckle Reef Lagoon has more than 200 different types of fish and 150 types of hard and soft coral.

	DID YOU KNOW.... The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth and has existed for millions of years. It was first discovered by humans when Captain James Cook's ship accidentally hit the reef in 1770.