GREEN GETAWAYS IN THE MEDIA
Media articles: Green Getaways Australia
Green Getaways features in a number of media, including blogs, magazines and newspaper articles.
Here are just a few of the items which mention Green Getaways from the media which have caught our eye.
How Green Getaways champions Sustainable Accommodation
February 7, 2022
by Emma Levett for News.com.au
Holidays are a time to relax but, for anyone with an environmental conscience, the very places they stay in can be far from calming.
The little plastic tubes that adorn the bathroom, single-use towels, plastic bottles of water, not to mention the enormous amount of energy and water hotels consume mean the tourism sector has a raft of sustainability issues.
It’s something Amanda Lambert tackled during the eight years of running holiday accommodation in the Hunter Valley, NSW.
“It gave me a deep-seated understanding of sustainable tourism,” she said.
Holidays are a time to relax but, for anyone with an environmental conscience, the very places they stay in can be far from calming.
The little plastic tubes that adorn the bathroom, single-use towels, plastic bottles of water, not to mention the enormous amount of energy and water hotels consume mean the tourism sector has a raft of sustainability issues.
It’s something Amanda Lambert tackled during the eight years of running holiday accommodation in the Hunter Valley, NSW.
“It gave me a deep-seated understanding of sustainable tourism,” she said.
Amanda’s accommodation was one of the first properties in the area to be certified with the EcoTourism Australia stamp. But she wanted to do more.
“I felt that there was a need to promote and support the work being done by Australian accommodation providers to minimise their environmental impact,” she said. And so she decided to create a platform specifically for holiday destinations focused on being eco-friendly.
In 2014 the tourist accommodation directory Green Getaways was born.
“We started out with 20 listings,’ Ms Lambert said. “This has now grown to around 200 listings and is growing weekly.”
It’s an area she says is becoming important to people when choosing their holiday.
“Sustainability is now increasingly mainstream – partly because social responsibility and the environment are becoming more of a focus area within both the tourism sector and the corporate world,” she said.
“Younger consumers [particularly] are becoming increasingly concerned about sustainability issues and prefer to go places that share their environmental values.
“To my mind, a hotel’s approach to sustainability must be more than just the token ‘box-ticking’ of green issues, which travellers can see through. We are a long way past not washing your towels every day. Sustainability needs to be a core value of a hotel’s vision.”
Ms Lambert points to replacing single-use plastic with refillable toiletries like The Lake House in Daylesford, Victoria.
The Lake House in Daylesford is making steps to be more sustainable.
Recycling is also a hugely important area as is infrastructure like solar panels, water recycling systems, electric car recharging station, and energy star-rated heating or cooling.
“One of our favourites is Kestrel Nest Eco Hut (NSW) where the owners live and breathe sustainability,” Ms Lambert said, adding that Thala Beach Nature Reserve, Queensland is also a great example of eco-tourism, where the owner has turned a rundown sugar plantation into a wildlife area.
“Sustainable travel can mean many things such as leaving a smaller environmental footprint, consideration for natural resources, respect for Indigenous communities and coexistence with animals and nature,” she said.
Article from Smarter Travel – The Best places to Stay in Australia
Lodging Tips Travellers need to Know
Original reporting by Caroline Gladstone. Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story.
March, 2020
Not sure where to stay in Australia? The country’s superb natural assets are on display in an array of accommodations from wilderness lodges and boutique sandstone hotels to stunning steel and glass edifices overlooking the sea.
Australia accommodation choices are numerous. Eco-friendly hostels in prime positions suit the young and budget-conscious, while luxury retreats and island resorts cater to the well-heeled and those who like their adventure mixed with comfort. Those who want something to write home about can snuggle into lighthouse keepers’ cottages or bunker down in shearers’ quarters in Outback cattle stations. Read on to learn where to stay in Australia….
…Other stylish lodges, several of which are self-catering, are located in rain forests and national parks; the more expensive will have spas and top-notch eateries.
See Green Getaways to find many of them.
Article from Monster Children
By Monique Penning
February 25, 2021
Green Getaways does pretty much what it says on the label, and helps link you to the most eco-friendly accommodation options around Australia. They’ve made sure that every listing on their site isn’t just greenwashing their business and actually qualify as a genuine eco-friendly property that’s engaged in sustainable practices.
One of the best things about this site is it’s not exclusive to one particular type of stay or budget; they’ve got farm stays, backpacker stays, treehouses, tiny house, cottages, luxe stays, camping, you name it.
Article from Traveller: SMH
February 22, 2019
Top 5 tips for sustainable travel
Simon Webster
Tourism can be a force for good, preserving cultures and the environment.
Travel more sustainably with these top tips for making your next journey a force for good.
Just about everyone loves to travel. Which can be a bit of a problem. Untouched landscapes and authentic cultures tend not to stay that way for long, once they have been ‘discovered’.
And it’s not like people are about to change their minds and stay home instead. Tourism is one of the world’s fastest growing industries. There were 1.3 billion international tourist arrivals around the world in 2017, with 1.8 billion expected by 2030, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
But tourism needn’t be a bad thing. It can also be a force for good, preserving cultures and the environment while providing prosperity, peace and security for local communities.
Tourism is responsible for 10 per cent of the world’s GDP, and provides 1 in 10 of the world’s jobs. The UNWTO believes tourism can play a role in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. And travel doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge contributor to global warming (which, let’s face it, has the potential to ruin a lot of holidays if it gets out of hand).
Sustainable travel is a bit more involved than ‘take only pictures and leave only footprints’ (though that is a part of it). It protects the environment, respects local cultures, and distributes profits fairly.
1. Book eco accommodation and tours
Eco accommodation comes in many forms: from treehouses to glamping sites; island resorts to jungle lodges. So don’t worry: roughing it is entirely optional. As well as recycled timbers, solar panels and a commitment to giving back to the local community, your eco accommodation may well come with organic chocolates on organic cotton pillows and views that will remind you why saving the world is such a good idea.
When choosing a tour, look for one that states how it manages its impact on the local environment and culture (and doesn’t just call itself an eco tour because it includes a ride on an elephant). If you want to see a certification stamp of approval, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council approves eco certification bodies around the world (including Eco Tourism Australia, which lists tours and accommodation in its Green Travel Guide). You can also find a nice eco roof to put over your head through specialist booking sites such as Green Getaways.
Article from This Weekend.com.au
The Essential Guide To Sustainable Travel
by BRIANA SAMPSON
August 22, 2019
Many of us have now started to consider our impact on the environment at home and in our day-to-day lives, but how about the consequences of our travel habits?
When it comes time to planning your next vacay, it probably more convenient to make exceptions (or excuses!) rather than stopping to consider if your holiday is as green as it could be. “Don’t worry, we’re on holidays”, you might hear your travel buddy say. After all, it’s supposed to be an escape from responsibility, an opportunity to switch off and unwind.
We’ve put together a simple guide to help you reduce your carbon footprint when you travel, so you can take a guilt-free holiday that’s good for the planet.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels.
When choosing a sustainable hotel, you will need to do your research as there is no universal green rating system. Green Getaways is a great resource for narrowing down the selection though, featuring Australian hotels making a genuine effort to minimise their environmental impact.
The Clean Energy Council contacted Green Getaways for insights and examples of excellence in sustainable accommodation in Australia:
Article from 23 MAY, 2018 Clean Energy Council:
Recharge your batteries with a clean energy getaway
Whether you’re planning a two week vacation or a quick weekend getaway, we all deserve a little RNR. But there’s nothing to say we can’t get the break we need in an amazing natural location powered by the latest renewable energy technology. From off-grid glamping to eco resorts, energy efficient CBD hotels and B&Bs with views of the local wind farm, there is a host of options to help you recharge your batteries – often at a clean energy getaway which comes with batteries of its own.
Time for a sea change
With louvre windows and doors boosting the flow of fresh ocean breezes and high ceilings, Eco Beach Resort in Western Australia pulls out all the stops to help you get away from it all in comfort. Located south of Broome, you’ll find amazing natural cooling at this multi award-winning coastal gem. The retreat runs off solar power, with a system that allows guests to monitor their own energy usage as they relax by the pool, do a complimentary yoga class or make the most of its Eco Villas and Eco Tents.
If you really want to get away from it all, Queensland’s Lady Elliot Island Eco Resortis 80km from the Australian mainland. The emphasis here is on the pristine natural environment, with the resort promoting close encounters with the reef, including the local turtles, fish, birdlife and more. The resort provides enough power for the entire island through a state-of-the-art hybrid solar power station with gel batteries and hundreds of solar panels. The clean energy system has cut the island’s diesel fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 90 per cent and are now considered an Ecotourism Australia Climate Action Leader.
Article from January 2018 NRMA The Hub:
If you love the great outdoors but don’t love to rough it, glamping is for you.
Glamping is camping with luxurious accommodation and facilities.
It’s about getting back to nature without getting back to basics; taking a break from the daily grind and feeling the earth under your feet without roughing it in a sleeping bag on the floor of a tent.
Glamping accommodation could be be a tipi, a geodesic dome, tree house, a resort tent or an Airstream caravan.
Comfort levels and prices can range widely, so shop around and choose carefully.
Here are some of our favourite examples of glamping holidays that offer a unique getaway to recharge the batteries.
Green getaways
Love is in The Airstream is an iconic 1966 Airstream, which has had a complete retro 1960’s fit-out and comes with designer furniture, queen size bed and separate ensuite.
To add to the glamping experience your stay includes an outside fire, a big deck and landscaped gardens.
It’s in the beautiful South West region of Victoria, near the Greater Otway National Park – a perfect base for touring the Otway Ranges, The Great Ocean Road or a romantic short break getaway.
Green Travel Resources June 19, 2017
by Sarah Schlicter
Carbon offset companies, ecotour operators, green hotels, hybrid rental car agencies … with so many eco-friendly resources on the Net, where’s a would-be green traveler to start? We’ve cut the confusion by gathering our favorite green travel resources in one convenient spot — so whether you’re interested in renting a hybrid car or offsetting the pollution from your last flight, you can find the info you need right here….
Eco Friendly Lodging
Best Green Hotels: Hotels worldwide, rated for eco-friendliness
BnBFinder.com: Eco-friendly B&B’s
Couples Resorts: Green Globe-certified resorts in Jamaica
EcoBusinessLinks: Wide variety of eco-friendly lodging worldwide
ECOCLUB: Ecolodges across the world
Element Hotels: LEED-certified hotels in the U.S. and Canada
Green Getaways Australia: Eco-friendly lodging in Australia
GreenHotels.gr: Green hotels in Greece
Green Hotels Association: Eco-friendly hotels in the U.S. and worldwide
Green Vacation Hub: Green hotels and vacation rentals around the world
IndependentTraveler.com: 10 favorite ecolodges and green hotels
ResponsibleTravel.com: Green lodging worldwide
Editor’s Note: IndependentTraveler.com is published by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a member of the TripAdvisor Media Network, which also owns SeatGuru.com.
Green Getaways
by Nina Hill,
If you’re into the great outdoors, love and respect the environment but don’t want to leave anything but footprints behind then Green Getaways is your one stop site for Australia’s best online directory of unique accommodation, green travel, luxury eco lodges and eco tourism resorts.
With the magnitude of eco holiday ideas and accommodation available on this website it is hard to not be inspired to make your next trip an eco Australian getaway.
Above: ‘Glamping’ accommodation at Nightfall Wilderness Park.
With everything from treehouses, tipis, tents, luxury cottages, romantic escapes, backpacker hostels, eco resorts and active getaways. Find all you need to know about the location from property description, rates, features, activities and environmental initiatives.
With all of the options available on the site the standouts were the Eco Tents, Tree houses and luxury eco camping in Australia and the remarkable locations that Green Getaways have listed.
If you love the great outdoors but don’t want to get too down and dirty with nature than what is often referred to as ‘glamping’ (which is really luxury camping with tents) may be for you. Green Getaways have a great selection of these getaways within Australia, a must do for every keen traveller.
You can choose from camping under the stars in some of Australia’s most superb settings. From the middle of the desert, to the ocean or the rainforest or even the middle of Sydney, once you take the time to check out the selection on the Green Getaway website you will spoiled for choice.
Some of the standouts featured on the site include The Nightfall Wilderness Camp located in the Gold Coast Hinterland with availability for only 6 guests at any given time. This boutique luxury getaway has luxury hand made eco tents with king size beds and flushing toilets!
Another favourite on the Green Getaways luxury eco camping, eco tents and tree houses list is the Bamarru Plains an Australian outback safari experience just west of Kakadu National Park.
Bamarru Plains is luxury accommodation made up of 9 bungalows with no TV, telephones or stereos the focus is solely on the surrounding environment. With the floodplains just a short distance from your bed, wake up to the sounds of buffalo splashing through at dawn and the blue-winged kookaburras taking flight and singing the day in.
For a complete list of “glamping” options plus all other eco accommodation possibilities head to the Green Getaways website.
READY, CLICK, GO! 20 Must-Visit Holiday websites
Article excerpt from The Australian
SUSAN KUROSAWA, TheAustralian November 5, 2013
IT’S a jungle out there in website world. Travel is one of the most sought-after online categories and there are hundreds of thousands of sites spruiking deals, discoveries and so-called bargains of a lifetime.
While frequent travellers are well aware of the major sites offering last-minute holidays and discount flights, cheapie house swaps and homestays, other niche providers are less well known.
Here is a selection of some tried-and-true options.
IT isn’t easy being green – or finding out who is. Two official not-for-profit ecotourism sites identify properly accredited operators and guides whose products and services are the real deal. ecotourism.org (international); ecotourism.org.au (local).
GREEN Getaways Australia (formerly ecohotel.com.au) lists environmentally conscious and sustainably run retreats and resorts across the country and there’s a booking function for all options, from safari tents and bush cabins to cubby-style treehouses.
greengetawaysaustralia.com.au
Best Airbnb Alternatives for Your Next Trip
By Monique Penning
February 25, 2021
Green Getaways
Green Getaways does pretty much what it says on the label, and helps link you to the most eco-friendly accommodation options around Australia. They’ve made sure that every listing on their site isn’t just greenwashing their business and actually qualify as a genuine eco-friendly property that’s engaged in sustainable practices. One of the best things about this site is it’s not exclusive to one particular type of stay or budget; they’ve got farm stays, backpacker stays, treehouses, tiny house, cottages, luxe stays, camping, you name it.
Article from Monster Children
Article from Travel Magazine, USA
Great to see all the author has discovered Australia’s best eco properties through Green Getaways with a number of links to the environmental initiatives of the properties listed on Green Getaways.
The 8 Best Luxury Eco-Friendly Resorts in Australia
by Jaclyn Kaiser 2021
“Eco-Tourism is a highly sought after style of vacationing, and few countries do it better than Australia.
I have been on a quest to find the best luxury eco-friendly resorts around the world, which started with my post on Africa, which you can find here. As I was finishing up Africa, my attention turned to Australia because I knew, if any country could do eco-friendly right, it was here!
Article from Escape.com
January 12, 2020
These 50 ways to travel change everything
Amanda Woods
2020 is the year of travel, but more than that, it’s the year of conscious travel. Here’s how you can see as much as possible, as often as possible, while doing your part…..
STAY GREEN
Look for eco-friendly accommodation.
In Australia, Green Getaways is a directory of eco resorts and green hotels, TripAdvisor has a badge for GreenLeaders while Bookdifferent shares eco-certified hotels around the world.
Article from Sanctuary Magazine Issue 41:
Make your next getaway a stay in an eco home and pick up valuable ideas for your own green renovation or build…
Green Getaways Australia
Australia’s first eco-accommodation website directory aiming to recognise operators who take environmental sustainability seriously. Listing on the site is by selection only. Properties include: the Yondah Beach House on the Yorke Peninsula (SA), which is fully self-sufficient and registered as a butterfly site; the Trig (Tasmania), a recycled shipping container; Permanent Camping in Mudgee (NSW), a self-sufficient recycled timber mini tower; and the rammed-earth Wompoo Eco Retreat in the Daintree (QLD), air-con free and designed to catch breezes.
The Trig is one of the varied sustainable offerings on the Green Getaways Australia website. On the slopes of Mt Arthur, just outside Launceston in northern Tasmania, the one-bedroom house is built around a recycled shipping container and features local materials and locally-crafted fittings and furnishings. Solar and micro-hydro systems help provide guests’ electricity needs. Image: Scott Gelston
Article from The Guardian
Sat 24 Feb 2018
Koren Helbig
Travelling is one of life’s great joys but the environmental impact is harsh. Our new series Life Swaps looks at ways to explore more sustainably“
Think carefully about where to stay. Look for leading eco certification badges, such as the non-profit Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Denmark’s Green Key program now operates in 56 countries (France has the most awarded sites), while Los Angeles-based Green Globe measures businesses in 90 countries against 44 criteria. Beware TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders program, though; it’s a self-reporting system that gives hotels room to make claims with little external verification.”
“For closer-to-home holidays, non-profit Ecotourism Australia represents 500-plus environmentally responsible ecotourism operators across Australia, while Green Getaways lists Australian eco resorts, luxury eco cottages and green hotels.”
Article from IOL, Cape Town, South Africa
Four eco-friendly Hotels, Retreats and Lodges in Australia
TRAVEL / 20 JULY 2017, 7:00PM / MASEGO PANYANE
Photo: Green Getaways
Global warming has made travelers more alert of their own habits, and the impact these behaviours have on the environment. This has pushed more and more establishments to be green in how they operate. Here’s a list of (with some of their best features) some green establishments in Australia.
1. Hotel Hotel in Canberra
Located in Australia’s inland Capital, the hotel is part of a building that’s considered the most sustainable building within the arts and culture precinct, NewActon. Some of it’s green features include: The hotel’s gardens are irrigated with rain water, all paint used in the hotel is low VOC (volatile organic compounds so carcinogenic chemicals are omitted), the public lounge has been finished with recycled timber floor boards.
and its grand stair is made from recycled timber collected from a demolished house; a basketball court; from the Nishi’s construction site itself; and from off cuts of Nishi’s own Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) façade.
2. Radisson Blu Hotel, Sydney
The Radisson Blu has been certified by EarthCheck Australia (Sliver Status) as a green establishment. In addition to their commitment to empowering and employing local staff, the Radisson Blu hotel states proudly its commitment to participating in local green events such as Clean Up Australia, Earth Hour, Club Red (Blood Donation) and the World Childhood Foundation. The hotel also donates it’s reject linens and unused amenities to Clothes Line, a charity for the homeless and disadvantaged.
3. Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat, Queensland
The Wilderness retreat became certified a nature refuge in 2007 which means by Australian law, no trees can be removed. It is registered with the Queensland Governement Environmental Protection Agency. The buildings of the retreat are all built on previously degraded areas. In construction phases, it was ensured that no trees were removed. There has been 25 000 trees replanted in the retreat since 1995. The retreat uses 240 volt mains to operate lights and appliances. Gas powers the instantaneous hot water services and cook tops. The heating in the retreat’s buildings is achieved through slow combustion fireplaces.
4. Eco Beach Resort, Western Australia
Besides views to die for, the eco beach resort boasts solar panels on top of it’s facilities which also powers the resort’s energy monitoring systems. This allows guests to check their own energy usage. It also offers energy efficient LED lights for guests. The floor boards are made of bamboo, while the louvre (each of a set of angled slats fixed or hung at regular intervals in a door, shutter, or screen to allow air or light to pass through) windows have been positioned to improve the flow of fresh ocean breezes and high ceilings provide natural cooling efficiency.
Solar panels on the Eco Beach resort’s roofs. Photo: Green Getaways
These places are perfect for your next international #greengetaway. Which one will you pick?
Article from Tree Hugga 2013:
GLAMPING: The rise of eco-tourism
Glamping (glamorous camping) is a growing global trend that combines camping with the luxury and amenities of a home or hotel such as electricity, running water, even a bed with 300 thread-count sheets! One of the best things about most glamping options across Australia is that they are also eco-friendly and part of the growing eco-tourism community. There are more than 1000 certified eco-tourism businesses within Australia which is fabulous to know!
During a typical glamping trip, your tent might have bright designer colours and appliances, be rigged with foxtel, climate control or your own luxurious bath. This is a far cry from the camping we grew up with, but sure is a nice spin and definitely our preference to staying in a large hotel chain, as we know that sustainability is at top of mind for these operators.
Glamping is ideal for those who love being close to nature, but appreciate life’s little luxuries, not to mention wonderful food usually prepared daily by chefs using local produce.
Paperbark Camp located at Jervis Bay, on the NSW South Coast has had so many raving reviews that it definitely deserves a mention here and is on our bucket list for sometime very soon!
Architect designed with both the environment and guest in mind, Paperbark Camp luxury camping is ecotourism at its best, managing to provide a beautiful and comfortable base from which to explore the local area and to enjoy the tranquillity of this natural Australian bushland setting.
The objective of Paperbark Camp like many other eco-tourism camps and accommodation establishments is to provide a unique and genuine Australian bush experience that is both ecologically and financially sustainable. The sustainable nature of the development was something that evolved naturally out of a desire to maintain the natural peace and beauty of the pristine environment chosen for the camp. After a full Environmental Impact Study was conducted as part of the planning approval process, many stringent requirements had to be met to satisfy concerns of various authorities, an arduous but ultimately worthwhile process that took four years.
Measures taken to reduce the environmental impact include:
• Architect designed buildings in sympathy with the landscape.
• Tents have solar powered electric 12 volt lighting.
• Only natural ventilation is used, no air conditioning.
• No large trees have been removed.
• Shower heads are low flow.
• Toilets are dual flush.
• Hot water heated on demand only, by gas
• Light sensitive timer switches for public lighting.
• Low energy use compact fluorescent bulbs
• Revegetation of areas affected by the development.
• No fencing to maintain the wildlife corridor.
• Driven piles and shallow foundations only- all buildings are built off the ground
• Continuous removal of exotic species – inc. blackberry and asparagus fern
• Guest vehicles kept away from the camp,
• Use of electric powered buggy
• Strict adherence to the local Council recycling programs.
• Use of recycled paper products where possible.
• Rainwater used when possible
• To protect the fragile wetland ecosystem, wastewater is pumped 900 metres from the site and processed by Council treatment works. The pumping system is protected by no-flow and level alarms.
• Biodegradable cleaning agents are used.
• Canoes, kayaks and bicycles are provided free for guest use.
• No intentional feeding of wildlife
Looking for a glamping or eco-friendly holiday option which supports organic and sustainable holiday experiences? Try visiting Green Getaways Australia!
