39: Inspire the next generation of eco-warriors

Holidays are the perfect time to take learning out of the classroom and into the real world. Surrounded by the staggering beauty of our coastline, seeing the wildlife and the pristine beaches, suddenly all the background noise about the need to protect our habitat becomes resoundingly clear.

More and more tourism operators are providing opportunities to combine precious time off with the chance to make a difference. Naturewise Conservation Holidays offers a range of ways to give back to our beautiful coastal environment, from monitoring the turtle population on Eco Beach in Western Australia to helping clear marine debris in Arnhem Land. Conservation activities usually take up around 30-50 per cent of your time, allowing plenty of free time to enjoy the surrounds (and feel pretty chuffed about the fact you’re helping to save them for future generations).

Depending on the nature of the activities you’ll be undertaking, there are minimum age restrictions for each holiday – the Eco Beach holidays, for example, take children as young as 12, while for some others it’s 16 and older (anyone younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult). The holiday packages include accommodation, meals, guides, transfers and activities. See conservationvolunteers.com.au for more information, including full itineraries and pricing.

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