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Australia, like most parts of the world, is affected by extreme weather conditions from time to time. Recent heavy rainfalls in some parts of Australia, most notably in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, have caused river levels to rise and severe localised flooding. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected.
The Australian Government is providing assistance to communities affected by the floods and will continue to work with the Queensland Government in providing support.
While visitors are urged to avoid the flood affected areas of Queensland and other states, Australia remains open for business and continues to welcome travellers.
The Australian continent is very large and whilst the floods are widespread, they are in fact restricted to a relatively small part of the country. The vast majority of the major international travel destinations in Australia, including Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, Melbourne and Uluru are all completely unaffected.
Below is some up to date detailed information from Queensland and New South Wales. Please feel free to provide this to your industry partners and clients.
Customers should also be advised to contact their travel agent, accommodation or tour provider directly if they have any concerns about any current bookings, or before considering changing their travel plans.
Tourism Australia is providing daily updates and links to official Queensland Government information on its consumer website www.australia.com, as well as its trade and corporate websites. Our international offices are also providing this information to consumer, media and trade enquiries.
Queensland Flood update
Access to parts of Queensland is currently affected by flooding. If you are planning to visit southern Queensland in the immediate future you should check official sources for up to date information about access to those areas.
Parts of Brisbane, Central Queensland, the Queensland Outback, Southern Downs and Granite Belt, Toowoomba and Darling Downs, Western Downs, South Burnett and the Lockyer Valley are currently affected by flooding and access is restricted in these areas. For information on latest conditions visit www.qld.gov.au/floods or http://131940.qld.gov.au for the latest road updates.
Most tourism businesses in Bundaberg, Gladstone, Agnes Water and 1770, Bargara beaches, Lady Elliot Island and Lady Musgrave Island, are now open and returning to normal business operation. There may however be some limited local road access.
The Gold Coast, Whitsundays, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, Port Douglas and Tropical North Queensland are currently accessible and most tourism operations in these regions are open for business. This includes beaches, island resorts, accommodation providers, tours and attractions.
Most tourism operations on the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast are currently open; however localised flooding has affected road access in some of these areas. For latest road conditions visit http://131940.qld.gov.au/
With the exception of Rockhampton Airport, all Queensland airports are currently open. For those travelling by road, please visit http://131940.qld.gov.au/ for the latest updates on road closures and travel information.
Please contact your travel agent, accommodation, attraction or tour provider directly for concerns about any current or upcoming bookings you may have or before considering changing your travel plans.
For the latest flood news and updates Tourism Queensland recommends visiting the Queensland Government’s official Queensland floods webpage: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/ or visit the Bureau of Meteorology http://www.bom.gov.au/ to check weather forecasts for your holiday destination.
Sail away! Escaping the European winter for a bit I was very happy to come to the beautiful Whitsundays and experience a Whitsundays Sailing Adventures Sail & Dive Outer Reef and Islands 3 day cruise aboard Pacific Sunrise. Sailing through crystal clear water passing stunning bays, beaches and islands was just magnificent – the landscape took my breath away. But not enough – the underwater world that can be discovered by snorkeling or diving is fascinating! I felt like swimming in an aquarium amongst all the colorful fish, corals and even turtles.
 Pacifc Sunrise Back on board the crew did a great job to make the guests feel relaxed. Starting with a nice sunset drink, stories from the captain and a superb meals that everybody enjoyed. For the last night, nature even put on dolphin show on for us – a dolphin came around chasing fish just next to the boat, unbelievable!
All in all sailing with Whitsunday Sailing Adventures is a unique experience and a great way to see the Whitsundays in style!
Viola Ehrig
Market Development Manager – Europe
Tourism Whitsundays
Viola Ehrig, WSA’s recently appointed European In-Market Representative took the plunge in December to rediscover the Wonders of the Whitsunday Region of the Great Barrier Reef. She is pictured here diving in Blue Pearl Bay. Viola, from her base in Munich, will be working with the European Travel Trade to build market share for a cooperative of Whitsundays Operators. Namely Tourism Whitsundays, Coral Sea Resort, Cruise Whitsundays, Daydream Island Resort and Whitsundays Sailing Adventures.
 Whitsundays Diving
This was Viola’s third visit to the region. She first discovered the Whitsundays as a backpacker six years ago then returned some years later with her family. Viola, who is a German national, studied Tourism Business Management in Australia at Victoria University and has spent time in the employ of one of the largest Australian specialist wholesale travel agencies in Germany.
Welcome to the Whitsundays Team Viola!
Adventurous European Travellers now top the list of visitors to the Whitsunday Islands’ Region of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, now surpassing UK visitor numbers.
According to the regional tourism authority’s Vice Chairman, Adrian Bram, who is also Managing Director of the Regions’ most diverse sailing & diving operation, Whitsundays Sailing Adventures.com, as many as 45% of all International arrivals into the Whitsundays were visitors from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, France, Italy, Belgium and Scandinavia.
“Over the past 12 months European travellers have outnumbered our traditional primary market, visitors from the UK, by over 30,000*. That is 64,000* from the UK and 95,000* travellers from Europe to June 30, 2010. Total International visitor arrivals for the same period were 213,000*.
“We attribute the growth in tourist numbers from the ‘Continent’ to the Adventurous nature of European travellers being satisfied by the awesome unspoilt beauty of the 74 Islands and vast stretches of little visited Great Barrier Reef that make up this spectacular region”, Mr Bram said.
Only a handful of the 74 Islands in the Whitsundays Group have resort developments. These include Hayman Island, Hamilton Island, Daydream Island, Long Island, South Mole and Club Med Lindeman Island Resort. Most of the other Islands are protected National Parks.
A significant form of visitation to the Islands is via waterborne day tours and overnight, live-aboard sailing and diving adventure tours. Whitsundays Sailing Adventures.com operates a fleet of 15 live-aboard Sailing and diving vessels catering for a range of travellers’ budget options, from backpacker to four star.
Guests can choose from a range of itineraries including two day one night, two day two night, three day two night, three day three night and six day and six nights cruise options.
“We have multiple vessels leaving every day of the week from our base in Airlie Beach on the Queensland Central Coast. And in the last 12 months we have carried over 24,000 guests, most of whom were European and many of whom experienced snorkelling and diving for the first time, here in Australia’s underwater wonderland”, Mr Bram said.
Sailing, diving, bushwalking, beach activities, kayaking and award winning eco interpretive tours add the range of experiences that Whitsundays Sailing Adventures’ guests can choose from. But probably the most significant difference that makes this particular operation stand out in the crowd is that each and every vessel is owner operated resulting in a focus on vessel and crew standards, fantastic food, personalised service and a truly individual and unique experience.
*Source International Visitor Survey from Tourism Research Australia.
Since Skipper Ian Thompson (Thommo) joined Whitsundays Sailing Adventures Islandive, he has always valued the company policy in helping protect and preserve our Great Barrier Reef Park and the marine life within.
Over the years, Islandive’s Company Directors Keith Roberts and Mike Keyte have avidly supported and been pro-active within local committees in the prevention of waste infiltrating our ocean. Islandive and its staff continually works in conjunction with the Queensland Marine Park and its environmental program.
Ian is a participator in Islandive’s Eye on the Reef Program and is well informed and knowledgable on the natural heritage, conservation and the colossal eco-system of the Great Barrier Reef and its environmental threats.
We are proud he is actively going out on his own in April 2010 in his quest to sail around Australia to raise awareness of plastic bags polluting our ocean, and the devastating effect this has on our marine environment. Ian has Islandive’s full support and we are pleased to be able to contribute to his campaign.
Plastic bags are a true menace to our marine ecosystem. Non- recyclable, the Australian Government is working with the industry and the community to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bags. Everyone shares some responsibility for this problem as nearly half a million plastic bags are collected on clean up Australia Day each year. It takes only four grocery shopping trips for an average Australian family to accumulate 60 plastic bags. Many people are starting to use reusable bags such as the ‘green bags” you buy at supermarkets.
Plastic bags which are made from natural gas or oil, are especially dangerous to turtles who mistake them for jellyfish, their main food source. 86% of all known species of turtles have had reported problems of entanglement or ingestion of marine debris. ,
Our marine creatures are dying and they need our help. We ask you to support Ian in his determination to break the record of the fastest person to sail solo around Australia, and to be the voice of our endangered marine creatures.
Islandive has put on every vessel a tin can in the hope that passengers touring on an Islandive vessel will donate a gold coin to contribute towards Ian’s food bill over the 50 days he is at sea. This donation will go directly towards his expenses and his voyage around Australia to save our wonderful marine creatures.
Anyone wishing to support his campaign should visit the campaigns website at www.sosoceanracing.com
Its the Whitsundays Green Season again and that means cascading waterfalls and spectacularly green island scenes as the backdrop for Whitsundays Sailing Adventures.
If it’s raining on the mainland, that does not necessarily mean it’s raining on the Islands. In fact it is often clear out to sea when the mainland is drenched. That’s because the clouds generally hold their rain until they hit the costal ranges. Anyway, it tends to rain in showers and these can clear quite quickly.
The rain won’t stop you diving, swimming, sailing, bush and beach walking or kayaking! It won’t stop our chefs and hosts preparing and serving great meals, nor will it dampen the experience of nights aboard in magnificent, quiet anchorages.
To make your experience even better most of the Whitsundays Sailing Adventures fleet feature air-conditioned cabins and permanent protection from the elements. If they haven’t got permanent deck awnings then they have roll outs and in every case there’s plenty of room for everyone to sit down, whether it be below or above decks to enjoy their meals and social times in comfort. Most of our vessels also have entertainment systems and flat screen HD TV’s so there is always fun to be had, no matter what the weather dishes up.
It’s important to consider your comfort when choosing a Whitsundays Green Season Cruise…Whitsundays Sailing Adventures Owner Operation guarantees quality cruising in comfort come rain or shine!
Dear Lisette,
Thank you very much for all of your help booking the Kiana for my family and me for the sailing on December 25th. We had an absolutely amazing time. It was actually the highlight of our 3 1/2 week trip for me. I was sad to not be able to meet you in person when we checked in for the sailing or when we returned so that I could properly thank you in person for all of your help, but I hope you also had a wonderful vacation over Christmas.
My family and I very much enjoyed the Kiana. The ship was perfect for us, as were our sleeping arrangements. The crew (Brent, Paul, and Paul) was absolutely phenomenal. I can’t say enough about how wonderful they were making us feel welcome with their outgoing personalities. The food that Paul cooked was excellent. The other Paul did a great job with teaching my family how to scuba dive and snorkel and Brent always greeted us with a cheery smile and was more than willing to teach us something new. I doubt if Brent ever has a bad day, he is such a positive and uplifting person.
Anyway, thank you very much for all of your help deciding upon and booking Kiana. I greatly appreciate it and will definitely share this excellent experience with all of my clients travelling to Australia and encourage them to include the Kiana in their vacation as well. Thank you again for all of your help!
Sincerely,
Christina Plesha
STA Travel
The above was received by Lisette in the WSA Reservations Office after Christina’s recent trip on Kiana.
When most of us first start scuba diving it’s the “awesome” stuff that strikes us and dominates our diving stories. Sharks, Manta-rays, Sea Turtles, Maori Wrasse are the centres of our conversations.
But as our diving experience matures we start to notice that the small creatures are much more extensive, diverse and interesting.
One of the most interesting, cute, and often overlooked is the humble Goby. Gobies are the largest group of marine fishes, fresh and salt combined, and the dominant element in small-fish bottom fauna on tropical reefs.
 Goby at Bait Reef This little guy was photographed by the dive instructor from Kiana at Bait Reef. He has made himself a home in the coral and curiously watches as the photographer approaches.
Just another night in Paradise with Whitsundays Sailing Adventures.
 Sailing the S.V. Whitehaven with Whitsundays Sailing Adventures This picture was taken on December 20th by Kristian Pletten, a guest who travelled aboard the Eco Tallship sailing safari vessel SV Whitehaven.
Whitsundays Sailing Adventures’ Eco Tallship Safaris was recently awarded the Whitsundays Tourism Steve Irwin Award for best Eco Tour in the Region.
Eco Tallship Adventures operates two and three day live aboard sailing safaris in the Whitsunday Islands Region of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. They are the only sailing charter operator in the Region that offers tours with a focus on reef, rainforest and wildlife eco interpretation by formally trained crew.
Eco Tallship Adventure Crew have received formal specialised training from Queensland Parks and Wildlife and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, qualifying them to lead these interpretive tours.
 Eco Tallship Adventure Crew have received formal specialised training from Queensland Parks and Wildlife and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, qualifying them to lead these interpretive tours Warren & Jo Ladd are the owner operators of this multi award winning Adventure and Eco Tourism operation. A feature of these cruises is a high level of reef, rainforest and wildlife eco interpretation by formally trained crew. A commitment to sustainable practices and minimal impact on the pristine areas visited helps ensure that the spectacular beauty of the Whitsunday Islands and The Great Barrier Reef can be enjoyed by generations to come.
Captain Ladd has owned and operated charter vessels in the Whitsundays for the last 15 years.
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