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Sustainable Destination

Townsville City Council has been working towards building and maintaining a Sustainable Destination, in line with Council’s Corporate Plan goal of creating a sustainable destination that embraces and participates in the arts, sports, events and recreational activities and maintaining Eco-Certified Sustainable Destination status. This supports Council’s vision of a globally connected community driven by lifestyle and nature and Council’s purpose – to grow Townsville.

Local initiatives are building:

tourism that benefits the environment and attracts visitors
experiences and interactions with visitors that contribute to restorative and regenerative practices across our region
building an interconnected web of business, community and industry participating in authentic sustainability
a shift in perspective of tourism as part of a greater “living system” in Townsville.

We’re a certified ECO Destination

In April 2024, Townsville was awarded ECO Destination certification at Nature Tourism Level by Ecotourism Australia. This incredible feat could not have been achieved without the long list of community-led programs and businesses that are taking big (and small) steps toward progressing Townsville into a world-leading sustainable destination (featured in the Top 100 worldwide).

Townsville is the third destination in Queensland and the ninth in Australia to become an ECO Destination, solidifying the region as a sustainability and ecotourism leader. Council was a recipient of the Queensland Government Department of Tourism and Sport’s Eco-Certified Tourism Destination Grant in 2022 to expand their destination sustainability certification.

ECO Destination Certification assesses 73 criteria centred on the four pillars of sustainability: sustainable management, environmental, socio-economic and cultural. The Certification is adapted from the Green Destinations standard, which is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. By becoming an ECO Destination, Townsville joins a network of more than 200 international destinations promoting sustainable management, responsible tourism, and positive socio-economic, environmental and cultural impacts.

Caption: Townsville has achieved ECO Destination Certification from Ecotourism Australia. TEL Director of Visitor Economy & Marketing Lisa Woolfe, Mayor Troy Thompson, TCC Chief Sustainability Officer Greg Bruce and Ecotourism Australia Head of Destinations Alyssa Sanders at the ECO Destination Certification event at Jezzine Barracks. — Caption: Townsville has achieved ECO Destination Certification from Ecotourism Australia. TEL Director of Visitor Economy & Marketing Lisa Woolfe, Mayor Troy Thompson, TCC Chief Sustainability Officer Greg Bruce and Ecotourism Australia Head of Destinations Alyssa Sanders at the ECO Destination Certification event at Jezzine Barracks on 19 April 2024.

Townsville’s local ecotourism operators

The region is committed to boosting the sustainability of its tourism product and eight local businesses are Certified through Ecotourism Australia’s globally recognised business programs. One of Townsville’s top attractions, Billabong Sanctuary, holds Advanced Ecotourism Certification and is part of Ecotourism Australia’s Hall of Fame for more than 20 years of continuous ECO Certification. Additionally, Council operates the Advanced Ecotourism Certified Eco Catchment Tours, providing educational and interactive tours to enhance the local community’s connection to the area’s diverse land and coastalscapes.

See a list of Townsville’s current eco-certified businesses via the green travel guide including:

Eco Catchment Tours (Advanced Ecocertified)

Council offers free Eco-Catchment Education Tours to schools, TAFE, university groups, businesses and the community. The tours provide a chance to follow the water cycle from creek to coral, including essential infrastructure that integrates with the local natural environment. Discover the hidden world of energy flows in Townsville and the wonders of our biodiversity hot spots. In addition to tours, we also offer classroom visits and curriculum-linked educational resources.

Sustainability Tours

Ecodestination Framework

The Ecodestination Framework (EF) reflects the vision and goals of the Townsville City Council Corporate Plan and mission to grow Townsville. The EF has been developed to provide insight, support and opportunity for community, tourism and business for the local sustainable management, development and marketing of tourism across Townsville City and Surrounds. The EF promotes Ecodestination leadership in connection and support with regional tourism operators. It is a supportive framework that accommodates existing regional development and marketing campaigns and plans. Additionally, it provides a snapshot of the unique natural and social landscape of Townsville as well as existing and proposed sustainable management methods, ecotourism infrastructure and growing ecotourism opportunities and sustainable experiences.

A strong focus of Council is creating opportunities for community that are:

low cost
socially acceptable
and that grow Townsville.

Our Journey so Far

The City continues to grow environmentally along with modern industries, information technology and sustainability initiatives. Council is working to amplify the opportunities available for nature-based, regenerative tourism experiences that integrate global best practices.

25+ Years of Sustainability Practice

Council held its first ecotourism workshops in 1998 and produced an ecotourism strategy in 2000. Innovative environmental projects continue to be embedded in the foundation of Townsville.

Environmental Planning, Interpretation and Strategy

Council has supported management and conservation plans across decades. In the last few years, Sustainable Destination has been incorporated into:

TCC Corporate Plan (20-24)
TCC Annual Operating Plan (22-23)
TSV Reef Guardian Plan (20-24)
TCC Environmental Policy

Green Travel Leader and Featured in the Green Travel Guide

Operating for 16 years, local school students and community have discovered Learnscapes across our region through TCC Sustainability Tours. Council was awarded Green Travel Leader by Ecotourism Australia for providing Advanced Ecocertification products for 10 years. This is featured along with other tourism operators in Townsville under Ecotourism Australia.

Learnscape Education and Interpretation

The City is a Learnscape

Spread across Townsville is a network of educational and interpretative facilities and people utilising world-leading thematic communication methods based on cognitive psychology, which is about how the human brain works.

This includes visual, audio and sensory signage along boardwalks, viewing platforms and sites of significance. Building on Townsville’s credentials as a training hub for thematic communications, Townsville educators utilise behavioural science techniques to create engaging content that influences and inspires people to think more deeply about the places they visit. This leads to enhanced environmental stewardship and positive environmental behaviours as well as increased likelihood of sharing this knowledge with others.
Townsville City Council is committed to providing an infrastructure base that supports more sustainable and equitable choices, addresses the needs of residents and visitors, engages local business and Indigenous owned business to grow Townsville, and improves accessibility for all.

We are Reef People that Connect Through Environmental Stewardship

Learnscapes are scattered across the catchment from Creek To Coral. The network of learnscape communications - from the upper catchment down to the lower catchment and out to the Reef - educate visitors on the many ecosystem services that our diverse landscapes provide.

Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre

The Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre (Google map) is a hub of environmental education and interpretation experience built over 20 years ago and the hub of many tours and workshops to learn about sustainable living and discover the hidden secrets of Townsville’s wetlands. The Centre teaches people how to save water and energy and utilise natural resources available on site. The Rowes Bay Wetland and Boardwalk enables people to discover how wetlands are important for protecting our precious reefs and gain knowledge and appreciation of native plants and trees.

Riverway EcoActive Centre

The EcoActive Centre (Google map) is an educational hub connected to the Learnscapes network and Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre. It is an interpretative point located at Riverway Lagoon and provides scenic views across Ross River and river ecosystems. The centre is a gathering place to learn about stories of energy, waste and water from Creek To Coral, and habitats full of biodiverse life located along the Ross including wetland birds, frogs, and reptiles.

We are a Training Hub for Thematic Communications

Townsville has secured a license to deliver Thematic Interpretation educational training and learning experiences in Townsville that are accessible to all.

Sam H. Ham is a professor emeritus of communication psychology and conservation social sciences. He has delivered comprehensive training for professionals and change makers in Townsville, transforming the communications space over the past 15 years.