OFFSHORE ISLANDS IN AUSTRALIA OFFSHORE ISLANDS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: QUESTIONS OF AND NEW ZEALAND: QUESTIONS OF

TOURISM AND CONSERVATION TOURISM AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

Rebecca Jackson, PhD Candidate, University of Rebecca Jackson, PhD Candidate, University of TasmaniaTasmaniaAustraliaAustralia

Primary Supervisor: Dr Elaine StratfordPrimary Supervisor: Dr Elaine StratfordResearch Supervisor: Dr Arthur DahlResearch Supervisor: Dr Arthur Dahl

Consultant Supervisor: Professor Jamie KirkpatrickConsultant Supervisor: Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick

Rationale for current study

• Focus in the literature on nation states and island regions

• Islands offshore from major cities need attention

• Island insularity and vulnerability

• Differentiation from mainland

• Innovation

• Social cohesion

Island Governance

• Australian offshore islands generally part of mainland jurisdiction

• Limitations when managed by different agencies

• Are offshore islands distinct enough from their mainlands to warrant special management attention?

Current Study

• Australian coastline approx. 60,000km – 40% island coasts

• New Zealand coastline approx.15,000km; over 500 offshore islands

• Increasing urbanisation and tourism

pressures for real estate and tourism development

impacts on environment and heritage of

metropolitan islands

Current study

• Review of island literature

• Case studies

• NZ islands – focus on conservation vs Australian islands – tourism and recreation

• But increasingly multi-purpose

Land-use conflict and management issues

Australian Study Sites

Granite Island

Phillip Island

Scotland Island

St Helena Island

Rottnest Island

Bruny Island

New Zealand Study Sites

Source: CIA World Factbook 2003

Waiheke Island

Kapiti IslandMatiu/Somes

Island

Quail Island

Case Studies – Inhabited Islands

Island City Governance

Bruny Hobart Local Council and State Government

Phillip Melbourne Local Council and

State Government

Scotland Sydney Local Council

Rottnest Perth Statutory government authority

Waiheke Auckland City Council

Kapiti Wellington Department of Conservation/ Maori ownership

Case Studies – Uninhabited Islands

Island City Governance

St Helena Brisbane Qld Parks and Wildlife Service

Granite Adelaide SA Parks and Wildlife Service

Matiu/Somes Wellington Department of Conservation

Quail Christchurch Department of Conservation

Roles of Offshore Islands

• Value & perception of offshore islands

• Indigenous use

• Island mystique

• Prisons

• Quarantine stations

• Continued exploitation

Island Tourism

• Isolation a positive feature for tourists • Offshore islands close to major cities • Domestic holidaymakers • Appeal of offshore islands • Outdoor museums?• Conflict between tourism and the

environment

Lessons to the world…

• Natural laboratories

• Act as ‘canaries’

• Vulnerable ecosystems impacts of humans and introduced species more readily apparent than on mainlands

Conservation Reserves

• Refuges• NZ Department of Conservation • Why conservation, not tourism? • Conflicts over access, land use, pest

eradication

Island Management

• Managing tourism and conservation• Middle path between tourism promotion

and environmental conservation?• Limiting visitor numbers • Public consultation• Applying continental solutions to island-

specific problems

Island Management

• National level policies• Integrated management• Comparative studies• Mainland ‘islands’

Next steps

• Interview key stakeholders

• Focus on key issue for each island

• Can management experiences be shared between islands to facilitate sustainability?

• Island network?

Questions?Questions?