How Australia's tourism industry is leading the way in sustainability

When it comes to scoring Australia’s sustainable report card, the travel and tourism industry has the opportunity to become a high achiever; let us explain.

Is it any wonder we’re yearning for the pure escapism of travel? The sobering realities of life in 2022 – from catastrophic floods to coral bleaching to the ongoing spectre of COVID-19 – are enough to send even diehard optimists scurrying for their suitcase. But when the act of escaping can also contribute to the very problems causing our hopelessness – particularly when it comes to the health of our planet – future-minded travellers are right to be asking: is travel in Australia sustainable? How does our country measure up?

Australia needs to do more to fight climate change

To be frank, in general, Australia needs to pull up its socks. The country’s embarrassing (lack of) progress on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals saw it ranked dead last in an assessment of 60 countries for its policy response to the climate crisis. (And who can forget the dubious honour of winning the Colossal Fossil Award at COP26 in October 2021?) But when it comes to sustainability in travel specifically, Australia’s report card shows far more promise. In fact, the travel and tourism industry is shaping up as a key driver in the push for change.

As Tourism Australia’s head of sustainability, Penny Rafferty, puts it, the impetus for sustainability is baked right onto the very things the industry is built on. “The reasons people come here are our nature and wildlife. Our aquatic and coastal beauty. Our clean cities, and our incredible food and beverage scene, which is only made possible because we have clean air, water, soil, and vast, relatively unspoilt lands," she explains.

It makes sense. Why be in the game of taking visitors to see the Great Barrier Reef, for example, if you’re not doing everything in your power to protect it?

Turtle Great Barrier Reef Australia — Help protect the Great Barrier Reef. (Image: Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree)

Sustainability a core motivator for tourism operators

For many tourism operators (especially ECO-certified operators), sustainability has been the modus operandi from day one. For the rest of us, it may have taken a pandemic for us to recognise the impact of our jet-setting ways – brought home, no doubt, by images of Venice’s pristine waterways and Barcelona’s surreal crowd-free streets, transformed due to the sudden absence of the tens of thousands of tourists who’d usually flock to these cities on a daily basis. But it’s a positive side effect of COVID-19 we’re glad to be afflicted with, and one backed by data: research commissioned by Booking.com in the midst of the 2021 lockdowns found 61 per cent of travellers credit the pandemic for making them want to travel more sustainably in the future.

A man walks through the bush on the Central Coast, Australia — We’ve never had so much awareness and so much choice when it comes to voting with our tourism dollar. (Image: James Vodicka)

Sustainability needs to be about more than just the environment

Indeed, the pendulum has now swung so far that sustainable travel is ‘trendy’. Happily, clickbait headlines and earth-toned Instagram accounts are not the extent of the movement. The real changes are happening on the ground, and are being shaped by a fast-growing realisation that a truly sustainable travel industry can’t limit its focus to environmental concerns, but must also consider the sustainability of economies, communities and cultures.

Indigenous Tour of Royal Botanic Garden Sydney — Embark on an Indigenous-led tour of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)

Examples that have earned big ticks on our report card include national parks being handed back to Traditional Owners, destinations receiving eco-certification, and companies heeding the call from their customers and seeking accreditation with organisations like Ecotourism Australia or B Corp. We’ve never had so much awareness and so much choice when it comes to voting with our tourism dollar.

Explore the Coffs Coast with Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours. (Image: Destination NSW)

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How to make your tourism dollars count

As you’d expect, those very dollars are also key drivers of industry change – attracting sustainable travellers means big bickies. The latest findings from Tourism Australia’s Consumer Demand Project showed sustainability was ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ important to almost 50 per cent of travellers when organising a holiday, and crucially, that travellers continue to seek experiences that are not only good for them, but good for people and places they love.

Now that the conversation around sustainability has moved from the ‘Why?’ to the ‘How?’, we’re planning our itineraries accordingly. We’re actively seeking out nature-based getaways and Indigenous led tourism experiences. We’ve realised the appeal of isolated, off-grid cabins and agritourism-style farm stays over cookie-cutter hotels. And we feel empowered to ask questions, and to expect sustainability to be part of any experience we’re considering.

An off-grid stay at a tiny cabin — Travellers have realised the appeal of isolated, off-grid cabins and agritourism-style farm stays over cookie-cutter hotels. (Image Source: @the.wandering.boys)

A holistic approach to sustainable travel

For Rafferty, the only (ahem) sustainable approach to sustainability is a holistic one. “What I ask operators… is, ‘How does a product or experience have incremental positive impact on the environment that it operates in, the community that it engages with… and the culture, or cultures in our case, that it represents?’ "

This holistic viewpoint can also serve as a lens to place over all of our travel plans. How do we get there? Where do we stay? What do we do while we’re there? And how can we leave it better than we found it?

If we look at transport as the first step in the process, big providers such as Qantas have clear strategies and, as Rafferty puts it, “The airline has got some pretty audacious goals".

Qantas moves towards net-zero emissions

With a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, tackling single-use plastics was first in the firing line. In the past three years, Qantas has cleared more than 80 million single-use plastic items out of operation, but it will take about five more years to phase them out completely. More pressing are the momentous carbon emissions created by flying, especially when aviation is predicted to grow by up to 300 per cent by 2050.

It’s why Qantas has committed $50 million towards the development of Sustainable Fuels (SAF) in Australia, setting a target of 10 per cent SAF in fuel uptake by 2030, and about 60 per cent by 2050. Its flights from London have been using a blend of sustainable fuel since the start of the year but, domestically, Australians need to look at options beyond flying, where possible, or at least ensure we fly direct and offset, which could include taking advantage of reward programs such as Qantas’s Green Tier.

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Getting around sustainably on the ground

On the ground, Australia’s long-distance rail options score a C minus at best, which means road trips have remained an attractive option when it comes to domestic travel. But drivers are starting to think about sustainability – astronomical petrol prices fuelling the conversation – with electric vehicle sales tripling in Australia in 2021.

It’s still in its infancy, but Gold Coast start-up Outbound is putting the focus on ‘shared mobility’, placing electric vehicles and e-bikes into hotels, which can be hired through its app. Its first Tesla is now available for guests at Mantra at Sharks in Southport to book for $30 an hour and co-founder and CEO Luke Rust says they plan to be in 10 more hotels by the end of the year.

This hourly hire concept has been embraced by both hotels and consumers. “People are realising… they need to use a car while they’re visiting somewhere rather than renting a car for two weeks and using it three times," Rust says.

“There is this incredible collaboration between businesses and individuals who are driving sustainability in a very positive way," Rafferty reflects. “There’s an understanding that we either all win or we all lose basically. And so collaboration is an absolute hallmark of travel as a force for good."

Emus in Flinders Ranges National Park — When it comes to sustainability we either all win or we all lose. (Image: Michael Waterhouse Photography)

Sustainable accommodation options

In Australia, it’s our younger generations leading the charge when it comes to sleeping sustainably, with research by IHG Hotels finding the average young Aussie adult would be prepared to pay up to 34 per cent more for green accommodation. Catering to demand, its newest hotel brand, voco, is introducing a fleet of handcrafted bamboo bicycles for guests to use free of charge across five Australian and New Zealand locations.

A bicycle with flowers in the basket leans against a gray wall — Businesses are putting more stock into bikes, e-bikes, and electric vehicles for guests who wish to travel around the area. (Image: voco IHG Hotels)

Other hotel groups – large and small – are making similar moves to sex up sustainability efforts. After trialling the concept for a year, Ovolo converted all of the restaurants in its hotels across Australia to plant-based menus in February. The Ovolo team has even created a white paper to help out other companies looking to move to a vegetarian-led philosophy in the hope it will encourage more industry collaboration.

For Rafferty, what makes considered initiatives like these score an A plus is they don’t just make for better sustainability outcomes and a better future, but also for better travel. “Knowing that you are enjoying it, but your kids and grandkids are going to enjoy it too… isn’t that a richer experience?"

For more tips and advice visit our guilt-free guide to sustainable travel.

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.

How Australia’s tourism industry is leading the way in sustainability