The Central Coast and Margaret River become certified ECO Destinations

The NSW Central Coast and Western Australia’s Margaret River region are Australia’s newest ECO Destinations after receiving certification with Ecotourism Australia.

This brings the total number of Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Destinations to four, with the regions joining the ranks of Queensland’s Port Douglas Daintree region and the NSW Coffs Coast.

Destinations across Australia are driving a national shift toward sustainable tourism, and the industry is committed to putting the needs of the local community and environment at the fore and meeting the increasing demand for sustainable travel options.

Terrigal Boardwalk from above. (Image: Love Central Coast) — The Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre in Terrigal is an eco-conscious activity. (Image: Love Central Coast)

The ECO Destination Certification program uses the international Green Destinations framework, recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, to assess a destination across approximately 100 core criteria. Destinations are then audited onsite by a verified, independent auditor. Through this certification program, visitors are assured the region has a range of high-quality nature-based tourism products and a strong commitment to improving sustainable practices in the future.

Aerial view of the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse built 1895. (Image: Tourism Western Australia) — The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is an ECO-certified business in the Margaret River. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Being immersed in an ECO Destination as a local or a guest means taking action to be a responsible traveller for a sustainable future, and to ultimately travel for good.

The Central Coast has a thriving range of ecotourism experiences, with the largest ECO cohort of nature-based businesses pursuing their own ECO Certification to do business for good. This includes six ECO-certified businesses and nine actively pursuing their accreditation. To achieve this globally respected green status, the Central Coast has partnered with Ecotourism Australia since 2020 in a two-year program funded by WWF-Australia.

A woman feeds alpacas. (Image: Destination NSW) — Breakfast with alpacas at Iris Lodge Alpacas, a working farm in Jilliby in the Central Coast hinterland is another activity for the eco-conscious traveller. (Image: Destination NSW)

Driven by the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, and supported by the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association, 26 businesses across the region are now ECO-certified. In addition to this, around 68 wineries across the Margaret River region are certified members of Sustainable Wine Growing Australia, with 12 per cent of vineyards certified organic or biodynamic.

Margaret River Surf School is an ECO-certified business. Aerial shot of surfers at Redgate Beach in Margaret River. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Ecotourism Australia chief executive officer Elissa Keenan said it is a huge achievement for the Central Coast and Augusta Margaret River and was significant both regionally and for Australia’s reputation as an international leader in eco-tourism.

“We are delighted to see these two beautiful destinations achieve this significant milestone, and we recognise the amount of work that the local councils, regional tourism organisations and community have undertaken to receive their certification," she said.

“ECO Destination Certification is a whole-of-destination commitment, assuring travellers that these regions are on a journey of constant improvement in their sustainability practices, as well as providing high-quality nature-based experiences for visitors."

A town charmingly paused in time has become a hot mountain biking destination.

There’s a forest reserve full of eucalyptus and pines surrounding town – when you combine all the greenery with a main street of grand old buildings still standing from the Victorian Gold Rush, Creswick looks more period movie set than a 21st-century town.

old gold bank Victoria — Grand buildings from the Victorian gold rush. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This entire region of Victoria – the Central Goldfields – is as pretty-as-a-picture, but there’s something extra-special about Creswick. I used to live 30 minutes north; I’d drive in some evenings to cruise its main street at dusk, and pretend I was travelling back in time.

It was sleepy back then, but that’s changed. Where I used to walk through its forest, now I’m hurtling down the state’s best new mountain bike trails. There’s a 60-kilometre network of mountain bike trails – dubbed Djuwang Baring – which make Creswick the state’s hottest new mountain biking destination.

Meet Victoria’s new mountain biking capital

Creswick bike trail — This historic town has become a mountain biking hotspot.

Victoria has a habit of turning quiet country towns into mountain biking hotspots. I was there in the mid-2000s when the tiny Otways village of Forrest embarked on an ambitious plan to save itself (after the death of its timber cutting industry) courtesy of some of the world’s best mountain bike trails. A screaming success it proved to be, and soon mountain bike trails began popping up all over Victoria.

I’m no expert, so I like that a lot of Creswick’s trails are as scenic as they are challenging. I prefer intermediate trails, such as Down Martuk, with its flowing berms and a view round every corner. Everyone from outright beginners to experts can be happy here. There’s trails that take me down technical rock sections with plenty of bumps. But there’s enough on offer to appeal to day-trippers, as much as hard-core mountain-bikers.

I love that the trails empty onto that grand old main street. There’s bars still standing from the Gold Rush of the 1850s I can refuel at. Like the award-winning Farmers Arms, not to be confused with the pub sharing its name in Daylesford. It’s stood since 1857. And The American Creswick built two years later, or Odessa Wine Bar, part of Leaver’s Hotel in an 1856-built former gold exchange bank.

The Woodlands is set on a large bushland property. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

Creswick is also full of great cafes and restaurants, many of them set in the same old buildings that have stood for 170 years. So whether you’re here for the rush of the trails or the calm of town life, Creswick provides.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Inside the Woodlands, a chic 1970s log cabin. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

RACV Goldfields Resort is a contemporary stay with a restaurant, swimming pool and golf course. The Woodlands in nearby Lal Lal comprises a chic log cabin set on a 16-hectare property abundant in native wildlife.

Eating there

Le Peche Gourmand makes for the perfect pitstop for carb and sugar-loading.

The menu at Odessa at Leaver’s Hotel includes some Thai-inspired fare. Fuel up for your ride on baguettes and pastries from French patisserie Le Peche Gourmand. The Farmers Arms has been a much-loved local institution since 1857.

Playing there

Creswick State Forest has a variety of hiking trails, including a section of the 210-kilometre-long Goldfields Track. Miss Northcotts Garden is a quaint garden store with tea room.

The Central Coast and Margaret River become certified ECO Destinations

The NSW Central Coast and Western Australia’s Margaret River region are Australia’s newest ECO Destinations after receiving certification with Ecotourism Australia.

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