Sailaway Low Isles - Great Barrier Reef

The below interview with Steve Edmondson, owner of Sailaway Port Douglas, was published in the 'Travelling in Australia' magazine as a case study on Low Isles Sailaway.

You live and work in one of the world’s most fragile environments; the Great Barrier Reef. Why is it so special, and what actions does your company take to help preserve this World Herritage-listed area?

Sailaway visits the unspoilt Low Isles where the first coral research was undertaken back in 1928. The lagoon is home to a large number of turtles
that have little fear of snorkellers, as they know it’s a safe area. The protection of surrounding waters has changed the resident turtles’ behaviour and now close-up, passive encounters occur daily. We gain great satisfaction from witnessing an increasing level of guest appreciation of the value of the reef and encourage this through first-hand encounters and education. We’ve also invested in a new Lagoon 500 luxury catamaran, which was chosen because it has the highest-quality equipment and meets the desired standard of our environmental values.

What makes the Low Isles one of the unique sites to visit on the Great Barrier Reef?

Firstly, the Low Isles are really close at just 8.5 nautical miles off the Queensland coast, allowing visitors maximum time there. Second, the Low Isles have a unique history and are a natural iconic landmark.This highly protected and unspoilt environment has recently achieved carbon-neutral status. This is done thanks to investment in a reworked solar-power system, battery banks and use of BioDiesel.

You feel strongly that interpretive experiences are the best way to change visitor behaviour. How do they set Sailaway apart from its competition?

Sailaway employs qualified marine biologists and makes daily records that are sent back to GBRMPA to help with a program called “Eye on the reef”. Our tourism experience has credibility; accurate interpretation from the crew is imperative to guest interaction. This expertise helps us pass on a better level of knowledge to guests who may be experiencing the underwater environment for the first time, and even for those who consider themselves to be knowledgeable already.

Many large tourism operators are still struggling to justify the costs of going green. You’ve invested in things such as on-board wastewater treatment systems even before legislation required it. Why?

As an owner/operator, I’m in a privileged position to be innovative and proactive when it comes to climate change action. Being green and smart
is a successful path for the future as before legislation requires it, we can initiate bigger changes in thinking if we are prepared to absorb increased
investment and risk. We’re proud to be one of the first operators to install waste water treatment onboard, and have switched to recycled Bio Diesel and low emission outboards.

It’s vitally important to preserve our natural assets for future generations and encourage more environmental ambassadors. The goal is for around
2 million visitors to the GBR annually to take up their own climate change action and reduce their individual impacts.