Congratulations to Sunreef Mooloolaba for achieving Ecotourism Certification!
Congratulations to Sunreef Mooloolaba for achieving Ecotourism Certification for their tours- Sunreef Swimming with Whales, Sunreef HMAS Brisbane Scuba Diving, and Sunreef Flinders Reef Scuba Diving and Snorkelling.
Sunreef Mooloolaba, located on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, is a PADI 5 Star Dive Facility operating internationally recognised scuba dive courses as well as snorkelling and whale swimming tours. It provides opportunities for tourists to explore marine ecosystems in a variety of ways whilst promoting environmental and cultural sustainable tourism.
Sunreef offers the chance to dive around the Ex-HMAS Brisbane, a decommissioned guided missile destroyer that now offers the perfect spot for scuba diving. Divers can explore around and inside the wrecks which are inhabited by a variety of aquatic life it an even more impressive experience.
Sunreef Mooloolaba ensure that a ‘no trace’ approach is always taken around the Ex-HMAS Brisbane, to protect the wrecks and the marine life that inhabit them. They also educate passengers on how to reduce their environmental impact and highlight the importance of appreciating and protecting the region’s biodiversity.
Sunreef Mooloolaba also offer snorkelling and scuba diving tours to Flinders Reef; a beautiful area of coral reef that has the highest number of coral species of any sub-tropical reef system along Australia’s East Coast. Green Sea Turtles are abundant in the area and various species of shark including Black and White Tip Reef sharks, Tawny and Grey Nurse sharks, Wobbegongs and Leopard Sharks have been sighted. Rays, Manta Rays and Humpback Whales can also be found around the reef, making this area spectacularly diverse in marine life.
To ensure responsible tourism on the reef, tours are limited to small groups and passengers are educated about interacting with marine life and not touching or damaging coral with their flippers. Pre-planned routes and trails are followed and swimmers are supervised in the water at all times to minimise environmental impact.
Sunreef Mooloolaba also offers the rare and unique experience of swimming with Humpback Whales, offering tours during which, once whales have been sighted, passengers are able to hop in and swim near these enormous and graceful mammals.
This experience is on the whale’s terms, which means it is non-disruptive and embraces the whales’ natural curiosity whilst respecting their space. It minimises the potential impacts on whales by complying with approach distances, having no more than three vessels out at a time, and practising careful radio communication for safe navigation near whales.
Sunreef Mooloolaba implement necessary management strategies, to ensure environmental sustainability, by contributing to conservation objectives of ex-HMAS Brisbane Marine Park and monitoring and recording their impact. They also aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, actively collect any litter found in the water and monitor and remove waste collected on the vessel.
We are very happy to welcome Sunreef Mooloolaba to Ecotourism Australia. If you would like to find out more, please visit their website or Facebook page.