In search of northern vision

There are many fine examples of eco-tourism projects securing benefits both for the environment, local tourism, and creating meaningful employment for Indigenous communities.

One of the best recent examples I have experienced is the Mossman Gorge Centre. This iconic indigenous staffed eco-tourism Centre north of Cairns offers visitors to the World Heritage listed rainforest environment a unique point of genuine engagement with Indigenous culture, as well as providing training for future employment for local Indigenous people. This is an example of the types of trailblazing initiatives that policy makers should note.

Sustainable long term development opportunities in the north means boosting investment in nature and culture based tourism, carbon farming and expansion of the renewable energy industry, land and sea management services, and the creative arts – including Indigenous arts and crafts – and are vital to maintaining the health of iconic national landscapes, from the Kimberley to Cape York.

Sustainable economic vision for the north needs to match the nature of the country and capitalise on its natural assets in the long term, not focus on a short term quarry vision that will merely repeat the costly mistakes make down south.

Politicians from all sides need to listen more carefully to people living in Australia’s north who know the true values and limitations of Australia's precious northern landscapes.