THE BUCKET LIST FILES | VOL 5 Naturewise Eco Escapes (Conservation Volunteers Australia) | Advanced Ecotourism Certified
THE EXPERIENCE | CONTRIBUTING FIRST-HAND TO TURTLE CONSERVATION
You’ve always loved travelling. You’ve been to quite a lot of places by now actually, so you feel pretty lucky. The world – even Australia – is so unique, and each place you’ve visited has its own wonders.
One thing you’ve noticed, the more you travel, is that you’ve become increasingly aware of the world around you - of its challenges and its fragility. Humans (including travellers) visibly have an impact on the environment, and sometimes this impact isn’t all that great.
Happily, you’ve also noticed that there are more and more travellers out there who – like you – want to do the right thing by the places they visit. Not just in terms of minimising their rubbish and reducing their carbon footprint, but in terms of going above and beyond and giving back to the destinations they travel to.
In a nutshell, that’s basically how you came across this turtle tour. You’d been looking for a holiday that would also allow you to get your hands stuck into something practical and meaningful and well, to be honest, it was hardly a challenge to convince yourself that 5 days on the breathtaking Kimberley Coast of Western Australia assisting with turtle research was the right holiday for you.
You’ve always loved Australia’s marine animals, and Flatback Turtles, the only sea turtle species endemic to Australian waters, have always held a little bit of mystery for you. This tour – which includes close encounters with the turtles, citizen science research work including data collection on nesting activities and a stay at the award-winning Eco Beach Resort – sounded downright amazing.
So there you are, on an uncrowded beach, having just been on a 3.5-hour catamaran eco cruise on Roebuck Bay, searching for marine life, shorebirds and Snubfin dolphins. Your expert naturalist guides have already outlined the next day’s activities, including hands-on work that will contribute to the organisation’s long-term research project. You were just enjoying a quiet moment on your own, breathing deeply the fresh breeze coming up off the ocean and feeling a profound sense of connection to nature.
It was a good idea, this holiday – you think with a smile. It feels good to be able to give something back.
Alas, the evening beckons, so with the wind at your back and the sand between your toes, you make your way back up the beach to your accommodation. They’re giving a talk tonight about the turtles and their monitoring program, and after dinner you get to experience your first turtle-search walk along the beach. Already you’re absolutely loving this holiday – and there are still four whole days to go! This is definitely going to be a trip to remember – a trip that will have a lasting positive impact on you – and the environment.
THE HOST | WHO RUNS THIS BUCKET LIST EXPERIENCE?
Conservation Volunteers is Australasia’s leading not for profit conservation organisation and their Naturewise Eco Escapes are Advanced Ecotourism Certified through Ecotourism Australia.
A Green Travel Leader, Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) offer quality, small group volunteer experiences in which people get to make a real difference, helping to protect Australia’s special places and threatened wildlife. Naturewise Eco Escapes are carefully designed to take travellers off the beaten track and behind the scenes, showcasing some of Australia’s best nature and wildlife, as well as giving them opportunities to contribute to real conservation outcomes, like the turtle conservation project at Eco Beach.
THE DETAILS | MORE INFO
For more info about Naturewise Eco Escapes’ Eco Beach Sea Turtle Experience, check out the tour outline on the Naturewise Eco Escapes website. For more information about other Naturewise experiences, visit the Naturewise website, Facebook page or check out Conservation Volunteers Australia for more ways to get involved.
THE BUCKET LIST FILES | SHARING YOUR MAGIC
Are you an Ecotourism Australia certified operator? We want to share your little piece of paradise. Visit this page to read what we mean by “bucket list experiences” and answer a quick survey to go in the draw to be featured in the next volume of the Bucket List Files.
For more info, please email us.
[Photos: Conservation Volunteers Australia]