Travel Responsibly, Impact Positively
At Cooee Tours, we believe that exploring Australia's breathtaking landscapes comes with a responsibility to protect them. Sustainability isn't a marketing slogan for us — it's woven into every tour we plan, every supplier we choose, and every experience we create.
From carbon offset travel to zero single-use plastics, from Indigenous cultural partnerships to ethical wildlife encounters, we're working to ensure that the places we visit today are preserved for future generations of travellers to enjoy.
Sustainability at a Glance
Carbon Offset Travel & Fleet Transition
Every Cooee Tours tour is fully carbon offset through certified Australian reforestation and renewable energy projects. We calculate the emissions from each tour — including coach fuel, accommodation energy, and activity footprints — and invest in verified offset programs that plant native trees and restore degraded land.
We're also transitioning our fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles, targeting 50% low-emission coaches by 2027. Our modern Euro 6 coaches already produce significantly lower emissions than the industry standard for touring transport in Australia.
Indigenous Cultural Respect & Partnership
We acknowledge that the lands we tour are the traditional territories of Australia's First Nations peoples. We partner with Indigenous tour operators, cultural custodians, and community elders to deliver authentic, respectful cultural experiences that go well beyond surface-level tourism.
A portion of tour revenue from culturally significant destinations is directed to Indigenous-led conservation and cultural preservation programs. All guides receive cultural awareness training to ensure every interaction is conducted with respect, understanding, and genuine acknowledgement of country.
Wildlife Conservation & Ethical Viewing
Australia is home to some of the world's most unique and vulnerable wildlife. Our tours follow strict ethical guidelines for all wildlife encounters:
- Safe viewing distances maintained at all times — no touching, feeding, or disturbing animals
- We avoid sensitive habitats during breeding and nesting seasons
- We support wildlife sanctuaries and rehabilitation centres through tour partnerships
- Guides educate guests on conservation challenges facing native species
- We only partner with wildlife experiences that meet ethical accreditation standards
Our Six Sustainability Pillars
Carbon Offset Travel
All tours are 100% carbon offset through verified Australian reforestation projects. We track and transparently report our emissions footprint in our annual sustainability summary.
Community Partnership
Over 85% of our suppliers are locally owned businesses and Indigenous operators, keeping tourism revenue in the communities we visit and supporting regional economies.
Wildlife Conservation
Ethical wildlife viewing, habitat protection, and active support for Australian wildlife sanctuaries and rehabilitation programs across Queensland and beyond.
Zero Waste Operations
We've eliminated all single-use plastics from our tours. Guests receive reusable water bottles, coaches have refill stations, and we partner with zero-waste accommodation providers.
Education & Awareness
Every tour is an opportunity to inspire environmental stewardship — teaching travellers about ecosystems, conservation challenges, and practical steps they can take to help.
Continuous Improvement
We audit our environmental impact annually, invest in cleaner vehicle technology, seek guest feedback on our sustainability practices, and publish our progress publicly each year.
Sustainability in Detail
We calculate the total carbon footprint of each tour — including coach fuel consumption, accommodation energy use, and activity-related emissions. These are then offset through certified Australian carbon offset providers who invest in native tree planting, land restoration, and renewable energy projects.
We're transparent about our process and publish an annual sustainability summary detailing our total emissions and offset investments. Ask us for a copy.
We work directly with Indigenous tour operators, Traditional Owners, and cultural custodians across the regions we visit. This includes employing Indigenous guides, purchasing from Indigenous-owned businesses, and directing a portion of revenue from culturally significant tours to community-led programs.
All guides complete cultural awareness training, and we follow protocols established by local Indigenous communities for visiting sacred or significant sites.
We've removed all disposable plastic items from our tours. In practice, this means:
- Every guest receives a complimentary reusable water bottle on their first Cooee tour
- Coaches are equipped with water refill stations
- All snacks and provisions use compostable or recyclable packaging
- We partner with accommodation providers that share our zero-waste commitment
- Recycling and composting facilities are provided at all coach stops
Over 85% of our suppliers — including accommodation, restaurants, activity providers, and souvenir shops — are locally owned and operated. We prioritise small and family-run businesses in regional areas where tourism dollars have the greatest positive impact.
By keeping spending local, we help sustain jobs, support regional economies, and ensure that the communities who host our tours benefit directly from every trip.
We adhere to strict ethical guidelines for all wildlife encounters: maintaining safe distances, never feeding or touching wild animals, avoiding sensitive habitats during breeding seasons, and only partnering with ethically accredited wildlife experiences.
We also contribute to wildlife conservation research and rehabilitation through direct partnerships with sanctuaries and conservation organisations across Queensland and New South Wales.
Our current fleet already meets Euro 6 emission standards — the strictest currently in Australia for touring transport. We're progressively transitioning to hybrid and electric vehicles as they become available for touring applications, targeting 50% low-emission vehicles by 2027.
In the meantime, all remaining fuel emissions are fully offset through our carbon program. We also optimise tour routes to minimise unnecessary driving and reduce overall fuel consumption on every itinerary.
🌿 The Cooee Tours Sustainability Pledge
When you travel with us, you're actively supporting responsible tourism. Here's what we commit to on every single tour — no exceptions:
- Offset 100% of carbon emissions from your tour through certified Australian programs
- Use zero single-use plastics on coaches and at all stops
- Prioritise local and Indigenous-owned suppliers for every booking
- Follow ethical wildlife viewing guidelines at all times
- Educate and inspire environmental awareness on every tour
- Reinvest in conservation and community programmes
- Publicly report our sustainability progress annually
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Join Us in Protecting Australia
When you travel with Cooee Tours, you're not just seeing Australia — you're actively helping preserve it for future generations of travellers to enjoy.
Acknowledgement of Country. Cooee Tours acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways on which we operate and travel, and pays deep respect to their Elders past, present, and emerging. We recognise the continuing cultural connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country, and commit to ongoing respectful engagement and support of Indigenous communities across Australia.