Our Promise of Greater Good is about continually improving as an industry and region, as well as introducing how our community has been making efforts in sustainable business (tourism) practices to limit our footprint and proactively give back through research, conservation, and regeneration projects.
The latest sustainable industry news
Welcome this month to all our new members.
From employing solar energy on a rainforest covered island to innovative waste management practices turning food waste into organic fertiliser, Green Island Resort has taken out top honours for “Best Environment and Energy Efficiency Practise” in the 2024 Queensland Hotel Association Awards for Excellence.
Australia faces a pressing waste management issue, impacting every sector including the tourism and hospitality sectors. Annually, our nation produces 2.5 million tonnes of plastic with up to 5% of this leaking into marine environments.
Does your business hold Sustainable Tourism Accreditation Business (STAB) through the Quality Tourism Framework? The Tourism Emissions Reduction program is now available and currently free of charge for STAB operators!
Tropic Wings Cairns Tours & Charters have constantly been striving towards greener and more eco-friendly tours, a focus they have had at the core of their business ethos since they launched in 1981! With a mission to foster passion for nature and deliver transformational experiences, multi-award-winning, Tropic Wings has recently been awarded the Environmental Innovation Award at the 2024 Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC) Industry Awards.
In the current landscape, there’s an abundance of resources aimed at supporting businesses in enhancing their sustainability practices, whether it’s through upskilling, certification, or gaining valuable data-based insights. TTNQ’s Sustainability Hub serves as a centralised and regularly updated online resource for our members, offering a wealth of tools, resources, grants, and opportunities tailored to our destination.
It’s no secret that no one really likes cleaning out our office compost bin. It’s full of limp vegetables, bruised bits of fruit, and the remnants of last Tuesday’s lunch. Guides are also not thrilled about picking the forbidden piece of salami out of a pile of food destined for our big compost bin (where meat doesn’t belong). Despite this, each week the team at Small World Journeys carefully sorts not only our food scraps but our recyclables, landfill waste and soft plastics.
This month our EDM is all about data! It’s a topic that some of us love and some of us are a little nervous about, but in the sustainability space it’s a wonderful way to look at the position of a business in order to set meaningful goals, to benchmark and to utilise information to tell the good stories of achievement as they are met.
Twinsition is a Cairns-based Sustainability advisory firm providing sustainability data systems and carbon accounting consulting services. We help organisations optimise systems, empower people, and streamline processes for the collection, management, visualisation, and reporting of energy, carbon, water, and waste data.
Cairns Airport is half way through a five-year Environment Strategy focusing on climate change, waste reduction, water efficiency, biodiversity protection, pollution prevention, and working with the local community. These initiatives led to Cairns Airport being crowned Airport of the Year twice in 2023, winning the Major Airport of the Year category at the Australian Airports Association (AAA) National Airport Industry Awards and being named Airport of the Year at the Australian Aviation Awards. Cairns Airport also took out the Airport Excellence Award for Sustainability for their Australia-first Sustainability Linked Loan agreement, which features a unique target committing to regenerating threatened species.
TTNQ’s vision is for Tropical North Queensland to be the leader in ecotourism in Australia. Our mission is for every visitor to leave our destination as a custodian of the region’s stories. We recognise you as one of the operators with the greatest commitment to sustainable tourism who takes the time to share the stories of how we are looking after TNQ’s unique natural and cultural places and I would like to welcome you to TTNQ’s new Sustainability Leaders Group. Each of you has made a significant commitment to sustainable tourism through the accreditation or certification of your business and you have been working for many years in engaging our visitors with the region’s story.
TTNQ has delivered the destinations first Sustainability Report.
These storytellers are champions of our industry and allow you to learn more about the sustainable practices that they approach and how you can participate or achieve a similar outcome.
Over the 30 years that Alan Wallish has been revealing the underwater wonders of the Great Barrier Reef to visitors, he’s seen an evolution: guests now want to play an active part in reef conservation.
Skyrail’s gondolas connect thousands of passengers per week with the world’s oldest tropical rainforest via one of the longest cableways on the planet – without leaving a footprint.
Sailaway describes how the company’s four luxury catamarans take advantage of the prevailing south-east trade winds to carry passengers to the Low Isles and outer Great Barrier Reef on a range of sailing eco-adventures.
Our Promise of Greater Good embodies our commitment to continuous improvement as an industry and as a region. We proudly spotlight the efforts of our community in adopting sustainable tourism practices that not only minimise our environmental footprint but also proactively contribute to research, conservation, and regeneration initiatives.
Together, as a united region, we invite you to share our Promise of Greater Good by utilising the following creative assets.
Learn how to adopt sustainable business practices and plan your journey towards the greater good.
A wide variety of Federal and State Government support, assistance, and grant programs are available to allow businesses to plan for a more sustainable future.
Queensland Department of Environment and Science
Australian Department of Agriculture, Water & Environment
Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water
Incentives for businesses to reduce their carbon emissions
Financial benefits for businesses that recycle oil
Assistance programs, grants, incentives, awards and subsidies for individuals, groups, community networks and businesses
A new program to support communities in seizing industry development opportunities presented by global decarbonisation
This guided search will help you find grants, funding and support programs from across the government
Businesses can significantly reduce their carbon footprint by tracking emissions and identifying areas that contribute the most to their emissions. This helps in identifying areas of operations that contribute the most to their carbon footprint, thereby mitigating climate change’s impact on the environment and communities served while also generating financial savings.
By measuring your footprint with these calculators, you will understand your carbon footprint, manage it, and reduce your emissions more effectively than ever before.
1. Sign-up for a free calculator
2. Enter your energy, water and waste data through the online system
3. See how you compare to others in your sector and region and determine where your efforts can sit to reduce your impact
1. Sign-up for a free calculator
2. Enter your business details and information
3. Find out how much your business can save with sustainability and the most common recommendations given to businesses in your industry
The Tourism Emissions Reduction program provides businesses with an emissions estimate and a tailored emissions reduction plan. Businesses can demonstrate their waste and emission reduction measures to visitors via a unique link and QR code.
Actions your business can take to increase profitability, capitalise on future opportunities, become more sustainable and manage climate risk
This program provides personal coaching, site surveys, training and tools to small and medium-sized businesses to help them improve resource efficiency and environmental sustainability and reduce operating costs
Explore the latest waste and recycling policies
Find out how you can reduce the amount of energy, water and waste your business uses to help save money and the environment
This strategy details the commitment to growing the economy for all regions and communities by delivering sustainable economic growth and future-facing industry development
Prepare your organisation for climate change by learning the knowledge and skills to not only transition to a net zero economy but take advantage of the opportunities it presents.
Sustainable tourism certifications are voluntary assessments and monitoring of the environmental and social impacts of tourism operators or organisations that facilitate tourism activities. Programs available for business certification are listed below.
The following Australian organisations are actively working towards achieving sustainable goals and providing significant resources and support to businesses for sustainability.
Food Waste Matters – Find out how to turn waste into profit
Reduce Food Waste at Your Business – For businesses in the food service industry, consider these steps to help you reduce food waste
Stop Food Wate Australia – Help businesses fight food waste and build a more sustainable, resilient and profitable food system
Boomerang Alliance – Plastic Free project that works with communities to help reduce single-use plastic packaging
Rethink Business Waste – Business Waste Incentives aimed at halving waste to landfill
Queensland Tourism Industry Council – Best Practice Guide for Working with First Nations Tourism
Queensland’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Strategy – 10-year strategy and plan to accelerate Queensland towards a cleaner, greener transport future while making sure the energy networks support the transition to zero-emission vehicles
Queensland’s Electric Super Highway – Connects electric vehicle drivers across our state and includes fast charging locations at a range of coastal and inland locations
Climate Council of Australia – Australia’s own independent, evidence-based organisation on climate science, impacts and solutions. View the latest reports, podcasts, infographics and myth-busting guides about the climate
Take 3 for the Sea – An award-winning Australian charity on a mission to rid the oceans of plastic pollution
Tangaroa Blue Foundation – An Australia-wide not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the removal and prevention of marine debris: one of the major environmental issues worldwide
Parley for the Oceans – Based in Cairns, the team operates along the Great Barrier Reef and beyond to conduct cleanups, conservation and education
Rainforest Rescue – Their projects include re-establish rainforests through planting, maintenance, and restoration programs, as well as purchasing and protecting high conservation value rainforests and preserving their biodiversity
Envirocare – Is involved with many different projects with multiple organisations, all of whom are working towards the protection & regeneration of rainforests
Terrain National Resource Management – An environmental management organisation working in Australia’s Wet Tropics region of Tropical North Queensland
Reforest – Helping businesses and events take authentic climate action by planting trees in local reforestation projects through our web platform
Aboriginal Carbon Foundation – Aims to achieve economic independence and social and emotional health and wellbeing for First Nations people through carbon farming and cultural fire credits
Green Collar – Reef Credits is a voluntary environmental market that addresses the issue of poor water quality at the Great Barrier Reef by paying land managers for improved water quality resulting from their on-farm actions without compromising the productivity of their land.
This is what a workweek looks like when your office is the world’s largest coral reef system. Who’s ready to swap their desk for the #GreatBarrierReef? 🎥 @puresnorkelling
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID An underwater montage that depicts five days of working on the Great Barrier Reef. Each day reveals a different marine scene from colourful coral gardens, schools of tropical fish and snorkellers exploring the reef. The reel ends with “See you soon”.
Sunrise magic at Ellis Beach. 🌅🌴 There’s no better way to start the day than with swaying palms and a sky painted in shades of pink and gold. Who’s watching the sunrise from here next? 👇✨
📸 @stl_caption
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID Sunrise at Ellis Beach, with shades of pink, purple and orange painting the sky. Silhouetted palm trees lean toward the shore, framing the view, while a hammock hangs between them. The ocean stretches toward the horizon, reflecting the morning light.
Just taking it all in at #LakeEacham on the @athertontablelands. 🌿💙 This stunning volcanic crater lake is located in #craterlakesnationalpark and offers day-trippers the perfect place to picnic, swim, or explore the surrounding rainforest walking tracks.
📸 @rachelsholliday
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia #athertontablelands
ID An aerial view of Lake Eacham, a deep blue volcanic crater lake surrounded by dense tropical rainforest. A woman stands on a wooden viewing platform gazing out at the clear water. Submerged logs can be seen beneath the crystal-clear surface, adding to the lake’s beauty.
Lil dude’s caught in a riptide of determination... 🤙🐢🏄♂️ First stop ☝ #FranklandIslands, next stop the EAC 😉 . 🎥 @franklandislands #exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID A Green Sea Turtle hatchling is making its way from the nest to the ocean, a critical part of its life cycle. After hatching from the sand, it instinctively follows the natural light reflecting off the water to find its way to the sea.
Barefoot bliss on Green Island. 🌴👣. This gorgeous #coralcay on the #GreatBarrierReef isn`t just for day-trippers, it’s also home to @greenislandgbr, a luxury eco-resort where you can wake up to the sound of the ocean and explore the reef straight from your doorstep. 🏝️💙 📸 @_letsescapetogether_
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID A woman in a bikini and sun hat walks along the pristine shoreline of Green Island, leaving footprints in the soft golden sand. The turquoise water gently laps at the shore, while lush green foliage lines the beach under a clear blue sky.
Forget roses and chocolates 💘 Nothing says romance like a Victoria’s Riflebird pulling out all the moves. ✨ This dazzling display is the ultimate Valentine’s flex, as he fans out his glossy wings and shimmies his way into her heart. Who else is bringing this energy 😉 to their Valentine’s plans? 📍 Lake Eacham @athertontablelands
🎥 @naidu_kumpatla
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID A male Victoria’s Riflebird performs an elaborate courtship display on a tree stump in the rainforest. He fans out his glossy black wings, revealing iridescent blue and purple hues, and moves rhythmically in a dance-like motion.
Looking for the perfect match? 💘 Swipe left on @tropicalnorthqueensland Whether you are into heart-racing adventures or rainforest retreats, #exploreTNQ is ready to sweep you off your feet. Which one are you saying YES to? Drop your match below! 👇
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia_com @cooktowntnq @cassowarycoastaustralia @athertontablelands @rokopearls @paronellapark @skyparkcairns @talaroohotsprings #riverbendsunsettour @silkyoakslodge @badfishyjetboating
ID A collection of Tropical North Queensland experiences, from heart-pounding adventures like white-water rafting, bungee jumping and jet boating to quieter moments including rainforest escapes, romantic sunset cruises and beachfront dining.
🍦 ‘Eat more ice cream’ - well, if you insist! 🤤 Come grab your happiness in a cone at @numi.icecreamery. Which flavour are you scooping up today?
📸 @food_vixen
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @visitpalmcove
ID This image features a scoop of ice cream with vanilla on top and a berry mix on the bottom, served in a classic cone. The backdrop highlights a neon sign that reads “EAT MORE ICE CREAM” in pink.
✨🌅🧡 Dreaming of a unique Valentine’s getaway? Why settle for ordinary when you can experience extraordinary? From treetop houses to reef sleepovers, Tropical North Queensland offers some of the quirkiest accommodations that promise an unforgettable retreat. Perfect for adventure-loving couples or those seeking a one-of-a-kind escape. 🔗 in bio 👆
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia
ID This photo carousel features a compilation of photos of unique accommodation in Tropical North Queensland, from treehouse stays perched among the rainforest to luxurious outback glamping spots, each offering a distinct and immersive experience in the natural beauty of the region.
*Some accommodations may be seasonally closed.
Have you even visited #Port Douglas if you don’t have this view in your camera roll of #FourMileBeach?
📸 @allaussiefolettas
ID This image showcases the view from the top of Flagstaff Hill, overlooking a long stretch of beach. The foreground features tropical foliage, framing the expansive seascape below.
#exploreTNQ #explorecairnsGBR #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia @queensland @australia @portdouglasdaintree #portdouglasdaintree
