The Socioeconomic Importance of Eco-Resort ManagementPractices

Christine Lim

School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Griffith University(christine.lim@mailbox.gu.edu.au)

Abstract: In recent years, ecotourism has become an increasingly important alternative form of sustainabletourism. Couran Cove Island Resort, which is located on South Stradbroke Island off the Gold Coast in Queensland,Australia, is an eco-resort on one of the world's few naturally occurring sand islands. As an ecotourism-based resort,Couran Cove is active in implementing a range of initiatives for sustainable management of its environment, whichis particularly important as it is home to a wide variety of plant communities. Consequently, the resort has a nichemarket of ecotourists. This paper examines how Couran Cove Island Resort applies the principles of ecotourism inits environmental management and marketing practices.

Keywords: Ecotourism-based resort; Couran Cove; Conservation; Environmental education

1. INTRODUCTION

Ecotourism is often regarded as a form of nature-basedtourism and has become an important alternativesource of tourists. In addition to providing thetraditional resort-leisure product, it has been arguedthat ecotourism resort management should have aparticular focus on best-practice environmentalmanagement, an educational and interpretivecomponent, and direct and indirect contributions to theconservation of the natural and cultural environment(Ayala, 1996). The purpose of this paper is to examinecritically the practices, problems and challenges facedby Couran Cove Island Resort, which is a largeintegrated ecotourism-based resort located south ofBrisbane on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia(see Figure 1). As the world’s population becomesincreasingly urbanised, the demand for touristattractions which are environmentally friendly, serene

and offer amenities of a unique nature, has grownrapidly. Couran Cove Resort, which is one suchtourist attractions, is located on South StradbrokeIsland, occupying approximately 150 hectares of theisland. South Stradbroke Island is separated from themainland by the Broadwater, a stretch of sea 3kilometers wide

More than a century ago, there was only oneStradbroke Island, and there were at least fourAboriginal (including the Kombamerri, Noonuckle,Goenpul and Quandamooka) tribes living and huntingon the island. Regrettably, most of the original islanddwellers were eventually killed by diseases such astuberculosis, smallpox and influenza by the end of the19th century. The second shipwreak on the island in1894, and the subsequent destruction of the ship (theCambus Wallace) because it contained dynamite,caused a large crater in the sandhills on Stradbroke

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Island. Eventually, the ocean broke through theweakened land form and Stradbroke became twoislands. ‘Couran’ to the Kombamerri people meansthe Moreton Bay ash tree.

Couran Cove Island Resort is built on one of theworld’s few naturally-occurring sand lands, which ishome to a wide range of plant communities and one ofthe largest remaining remnants of the rare Livistona

rainforest left on the Gold Coast. Many mangrove andrainforest areas, and Malaleuca Wetlands on SouthStradbroke Island (and in Queensland), have beencleared, drained or filled for residential, industrial,agricultural or urban development in the first half ofthe 20th century. Farmers and graziers finallyabandoned South Stradbroke Island in 1939 becausethe vegetation and the soil conditions there were notsuitable for agricultural activities.

Figure 1. Couran Cove Island Resort, Queensland, Australia.

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2. SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES OF COURANCOVE RESORT

Being located on an offshore island, the resort is onlyaccessible by means of water transportation. Theresort provides hourly ferry service from the marina onthe mainland to and from the island (see Figure 1).Within the resort, transport modes include walkingtrails, bicycle tracks and the beach train. As anecotourism-based resort, most of the planning anddevelopment of the attraction has been concentrated onthe need to co-exist with the fragile naturalenvironment of South Stradbroke Island to achievesustainable development. Planning initiatives take intoaccount the building of accommodation, water andenergy supply, liquid and solid waste disposal, pest

management, community involvement andenvironmental education.

3. CONSERVATION

European settlement in Australia for the past 200 yearshas depleted many plant and animal species on SouthStradbroke Island. Its ecosystems have already beenmodified substantially through cattle grazing,agriculture, fire, logging and extensive sand mining.Couran Cove Island Resort has implemented anextensive revegetation and rehabilitation program tohelp restore and preserve a wide range of valuableplant species, such as the many varieties of ferns,swamp orchids, epiphytes and rainforest trees (seeFigure 2). This program is also intended for bringingawareness to the community about the essential roleplayed by these habitats in the ecosystem of the island.

Figure 2. Vegetation Within Couran Cove Area.

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After its construction, native vegetation was replantedaround the resort to blend in with the environmentaesthetically. For instance, all accommodationconstruction (eco-cabins), designs, materials used andcolours are chosen to blend in with the existinglandscape of the environment. Given the warm andhumid climate for 9 months of the year, the cabins arebuilt on stumps which allow air circulation under thebuildings and the screened verandahs keep out insects.This type of cabin is built throughout the eucalyptwoodlands, which allows the visitors to view thehabitats of the woodlands undisturbed from theiraccommodation. Accommodation has also been builton the lagoon overlooking the water.

Walkways have been installed for conservationpurposes. While not restricting access to view thenatural environment, these walkways quarantinevisitors from the more fragile areas. The walkwaysthrough the Livistona rainforest are raised above theground to keep people off the delicate forest floor sothat the cycle of decomposition, which is vital for theirrejuvenation in a relatively nutrient poor sand, is notinterrupted. Part of the walkways include a raisedtower for visitors to view and appreciate the wholeLivistona community from the canopy to the forestfloor.

4. WATER AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT

South Stradbroke Island has groundwater at the centreof the island, which has a maximum height of 3 metresabove sea level. The water supply is recharged byrainfall and is commonly known as an unconfinedfreshwater aquifer. Couran Cove Island Resort obtainsits water supply by tapping into this aquifer andextracting it via a bore system. Some of the problemswhich have threatened the island’s freshwater supplyinclude pollution, contamination and over-consumption. In order to minimise some of theseproblems, all laundry activities are carried out on themainland. The resort considers washing machines asonerous to the island’s freshwater supply, and that thedetergents contain a high level of phosphates whichare a major source of water pollution.

The resort uses LPG-power generation rather than adiesel-powered plant for its energy supply,supplemented by wind turbine, which has reducedgreenhouse emissions by 70% of diesel-equivalentgeneration methods. Excess heat recovered from thegenerator is used to heat the swimming pool. Hotwater in the eco-cabins and for some of the resort’s

vehicles are solar-powered. Water efficient fittings arealso installed in showers and toilets. However, not allthe appliances used by the resort are energy efficient,such as refrigerators. Visitors who stay at the resortare encouraged to monitor their water and energyusage via the in-house television systems, and arerewarded with prizes (such as a free return trip to theresort) accordingly if their usage level is low.

5. WASTE MANAGEMENT

Couran Cove has incorporated the waste managementhierarchy into practical applications to minimise theimpacts of waste on the environment. The hierarchyincludes avoid, re-use, re-cycle and disposal of wasteappropriately. In order to ‘avoid’ waste, the resorttries to bulk purchase to reduce excessive packaging.Organic waste, such as food scraps and cuttings, gothrough a much longer recycling process, whereby it issorted, weighed, pureed, aerated, composted, andfinally fed to worms. A vermiculture processing plant(also known as worm farming) has been established tore-use organic waste and the by-product, known asvermicast or worm castings, are used as soilconditioner and fertiliser in the resort’s landscapingand revegetation projects. Treated waste water is re-injected into the natural environment through aspecially-built artesian system.

Recycling is achieved through an extensive programwhich ensures that all recyclable materials arecollected, sorted, compacted and shipped to themainland for recycling. Non-recyclable wastes arealso sent to the mainland for disposal. Around theresort, including the cabins, three different types of binare installed for disposal of organic, recyclable andnon-recyclable waste accordingly.

State-of-the-art techniques are used for seweragetreatment by the Couran Cove Island Resort to ensuremaximum treatment and minimum impact of wastes.Couran Cove uses the following processes in itssewerage treatment:• Collection of sewerage - vacuum sewer pipes areused to collect and transport sewerage from housing tocentral collection areas along shallow trenches (thelatter minimises potential negative environmentalimpacts on the forest and bushland areas).• Treatment of sewerage – from primary to tertiary,with an added polishing stage which involvesultraviolet disinfection.

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• Disposal of sewerage – involves the treated effluentbeing used for irrigation, as well as being injected intothe ground via a series of underground drippers.

6. PEST MANAGEMENT AND OTHERCHALLENGES

Pest management is an important part of conservation.Couran Cove has adopted a holistic approach to pestmanagement (for example, mosquito and cane toadmanagement), which includes identifying pest species,researching the availability of natural predators, andinvestigating environmental friendly solutions. Thisapproach was widely practised at the beginning, butthe added pressures of increased visitors has resultedin the use of short-term expensive chemical treatments.However, the resort has incurred high financial andenvironmental costs through the use of fertilizers andpesticides.

Acid sulphate soils are common on the south-eastcoastal region of Queensland, and contain pyrites (oriron sulfide). When the soil is exposed to the air,sulphuric acid is produced, which can pollutewatertables, waterways and wetlands, and damageaquatic life. At the Couran Cove Island Resort, theacid sulphate soils have been found in the seabed ofthe proposed site for the resort’s dock. Theconstruction of Couran Cove has been challenged bythis problem, which is overcome by separating thepyrites from the dredged sand. An airtight pipingsystem is used to transport the sand to the soiltreatment site where the sand is washed out and theacidic silt sinks to the bottom of the settling ponds.Eventually, the pyrites are buried under the water.

7. EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ANDINTERPRETATION

Couran Cove has implemented a range ofenvironmental and cultural educational initiatives. Theinterpretive centre at the resort serves as a hub forinformation on all activities, including advice as towhat visitors should and should not. Development andhuman settlement have had negative impacts on somewildlife. For instance, there is evidence that wallabieshave become accustomed to being fed by islandvisitors, which has caused the potentially fatal “lumpyjaws” syndrome. Consequently, signage and verbaleducation are used throughout the resort to discouragethe feeding of native animals.

In addition, the centre is an environmental hub forlearning about the natural environmental systems ofSouth Stradbroke Island, its rich, diverse and delicateecosystem, the island’s maritime history, originaloccupants, and fauna communities. Guided nocturnaland rainfall walks, interpretative beach walks andastronomy tours are conducted by the centre. TheAboriginal bush tucker walk enables visitors toexplore the cultural heritage of South StradbrokeIsland. Throughout the walk, there are interpretivesigns which focus on Aboriginal history and culture(dance and folklore), and recent Europeancolonisation.

The ecotourism management strategies of CouranCove Island Resort also include encouraging visitorsto play an active role in contributing to the health andviability of the environment. With an increasingnumber of visitors involved in planting nativeseedlings on the resort, the arduous task ofreforestation and conservation is lightened.Employees are also provided with training to increasetheir awareness of the resort’s natural and culturalheritage, and its eco-initiatives. However, theproposed training has been reduced from two weeks tothree days due to staffing pressures since the openingof the resort. Couran Cove Island Resort alsoorganises special educational activities for schools, aspart of community education on sustainable tourism

An Environmental Research Trust has been establishedto promote and fund research at Couran Cove IslandResort. Some of the projects initiated include koalahabitat surveys, flora surveys, frog breeding,revegetation, and microbat detection andidentification. Couran Cove Resort also providesenvironmental data and research findings to theEnvironmental Protection Agency.

8. CONCLUDING REMARKS

This paper examined a case study of goodmanagement practice and a pro-active sustainabletourism stance of an eco-resort. In three years ofoperation, Couran Cove Island Resort has won 23international and national awards, including the 2001Australian Tourism Award in the 4-StarAccommodation category. The resort has embracedand has effectively implemented contemporaryenvironmental management practices. It has beenargued that the successful implementation of theprinciples of sustainability should promote long-termsocial, economic and environmental benefits, while

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ensuring and enhancing the prospects of continuedviability for the tourism enterprise (Brown and Essex,1997).

Couran Cove Island Resort does not conform to thecharacteristics of the Resort Development Spectrum,as proposed by Prideaux (2000). According toPrideaux, the resort should be at least at Phase 3 of themodel (the National tourism phase), which describesan integrated resort providing 3-4 star hotel-typeaccommodation. The primary tourist market in Phase3 of the model consists mainly of interstate visitors.However, the number of interstate and internationaltourists visiting the resort is small, with the principalvisitor markets comprising locals and residents fromnearby towns and the Gold Coast region.

The carrying capacity of Couran Cove does not seemto be of any concern to the Resort management. Giventhat it is a private commercial ecotourist enterprise,regulating the number of visitors to the resort tominimize damage done to the natural environment onSouth Stradbroke Island is not a binding constraint.However, the Resort’s growth will eventually beconstrained by its carrying capacity, and quantitycontrol should be incorporated in the managementstrategy of the resort.

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Michael McAleer for helpfulcomments, and wishes to acknowledge the financialsupport of the Australian Research Council and theUniversity of Western Australia.

REFERENCES

Ayala, H., Resort Ecotourism: A Paradigm for the 21st

Century, Cornell Hotel and RestaurantAdministration Quarterly, 37, 46-53, 1996.

Brown, G. and Essex, S., Sustainable TourismManagement: Lessons from The Edge ofAustralia, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 5(4),294-305, 1997.

Couran Cove Island Resort, Retrieved March 5, 2002f r o m t h e W o r l d W i d e W e b :http://www.courancove.com, 2001.

Prideaux, B., The Resort Development Spectrum – ANew Approach to Modeling ResortDevelopment, Tourism Management, 21, 225-240, 2000.

The State of Queensland (Department of Education),Eco-Online Couran Cove, Retrieved March 5,2002 from the World Wide Web:http://www.eco-online.qld.com.au, 2000.

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