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GeoparksA powerful new development vehicle for regional Australia

Professor Ross Dowling OAM

Chair, Great South West Edge

National Landscape

Spotlight 7 – Regional Tourism

and Geotourism

Thursday 27 October

Australia’s National Landscapes

A conservation and tourism partnership

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Australia’s National Landscapes Program

A partnership between tourism and conservation that:

• Promotes world class, high quality visitor experiences• Increases the value of tourism to regional economies• Enhances the role of protected areas in those economies• Builds support for protecting our natural and cultural

assets

A long term

strategic approach

To differentiate Australia’s

iconic natural and cultural

destinations from anything

else available in the world4

Australia’s National Landscapes

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1. Australia’s National Landscape Program is no longer supported by the Australian Govt

2. It never gained traction because it was a ‘top-down’ program

3. In addition, no one outside of Australia knew what a National Landscape was

4. At the same time we were establishing NLs the rest of the world was setting up Geoparks

5. Australia is now ready for Geoparks

National Landscapes & Geoparks

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Founded in 1945 - 193 member states

UNESCO

Man and the Biosphere

World Heritage

UNESCO Global Geoparks

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UNESCO Programs

Program Sites Countries

World Heritage 1052 165

Man and the

Biosphere669 120

UNESCO Global

Geoparks120 33

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Australia’s UNESCO Sites

Program Sites

World Heritage 22

Man and the Biosphere 14

UNESCO Global Geoparks 010

Geoparks

• A Geopark is an area with a geologicalheritage of significance, with a coherent andstrong management structure and where asustainable economic development strategy isin place

• They are either national or global

• There are 120 global geoparks in 33 countrieson five continents

• Europe - 69 North America - 2

• Asia - 46 [China has 33] South America - 2

• Africa - 1 Australia - 0

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Global Geoparks

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European Geoparks

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China’s Global Geoparks

33

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Are Geoparks only about Geology?

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1. Geopark are not the same as National Parks

2. Instead they are vehicles for fostering community-based, sustainable, regional economic development

Geoparks vs National Parks

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UNESCO Global Geoparks

are single, unified

geographical areas where

sites and landscapes of

international geological

significance are managed

with a holistic concept of

protection, education and

sustainable development

UNESCO Global Geoparks

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Geoparks

Geoparks are both a

development concept

as well as a branding

tool. They achieve

these goals through:

1. Conservation

2. Education

3. Geotourism18

Geoparks

Geoparks are sites of significant

geological heritage with:

1. Geo-conservation activities

2. Sustainable tourism activities

3. Educational activities

4. Community involvement

5. Strong management structures

6. A secure financial basis

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21 22

23 24

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25 26

27 28

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Levels of Geoparks

No Level Appellation

1 Local Aspiring

2 National National

3 Regional eg. European

4 Global Global

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The Geoparks Brand

• In China in the first decade there were over 1.1

billion visitors to geoparks (over 100 million

visitors per annum)

• Entry fees were RMB 7 Billion ($1.5B)

• The geoparks generated 75 000 permanent full

time jobs and 470 000 part time jobs

• In the United Kingdom the contribution of

seven geoparks is £18.84m ($37m)

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• The total income brought about by tourism is

RMB 2291 million (AUD$470 million)

• This accounts for 32% of the local GDP

• The number of jobs generated by the geopark is

25 300

• The geopark has lifted the county out of poverty

to become relatively well off

Yuntaishan Geopark, ChinaEconomic Benefits

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Maybe Australia’s GSWE Geopark?

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The Great South West Edge Attractions

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• International ready experiences from Bunbury to Esperance

• Promoted by Tourism Australia, RTO’s, Tourism WA

• Development of packages targeted at international visitors

• Education of operators on meeting market expectations

The Great South West Edge Touring Route

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GSWE National Landscape• The Longest National Landscape in Australia

• Australia’s GSWE Geopark would need to be more compact

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Australia’s GSWE Geopark?

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The Granite Skywalk, Castle RockPorongurup National Park

Photo: Andrew Halsall, DPAW

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The Gap, Albany

Photo: Peter Nicholas, DPAW 42

1. Geoparks are the new National Landscapes

2. They have a well established global network

3. Chinese and European visitors know geoparks

4. Geoparks foster community-based, sustainable, regional, economic development

5. Australia needs geoparks – they are the only continent without them

Conclusions

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The Boom in Chinese Tourism

Uluru

Kakadu

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GeoparksA powerful new development vehicle for regional Australia

THE END

Professor Ross Dowling OAM

Edith Cowan University

r.dowling@ecu.edu.au