The Mon Repos Turtle Centre's dedication to turtle conservation and research has been rewarded, with the centre being recognised as one of Australia's best ecotourism experiences.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the centre had received Advanced Ecotourism, Respecting Our Culture and Climate Action certifications by Ecotourism Australia – an organisation that recognised Australia's best environmentally sustainable and culturally responsible tourism operators.
"These certifications recognise the Mon Repos Turtle Centre's commitment to turtle conservation, support for the local community, promotion of the cultural values of the area's First Nations People and visitor education," Minister Scanlon said.
"Only 20 tourism businesses Australian-wide have achieved all three certifications, and Mon Repos joins the Daintree Discovery Centre and Townsville's Reef HQ Aquarium as the only Queensland attractions on this exclusive list.
"An auditor of the accreditation process described Mon Repos has "a jewel in the crown of Queensland's ecotourism experiences" and applauded the centre's ability to successfully combine conservation, research and its presentation of natural and cultural values."
The Palaszczuk Government has invested $750,000 to install 446 new solar panels and battery storage to power the Mon Repos turtle centre and conservation park.
"When operational in January 2022, the solar system will produce 170kW of solar power with 400kWh of battery storage to cover 97 per cent of the centre's electricity consumption," Minister Scanlon said.
"We have also purchased an additional 42 hectares of land to double the size of the conservation area to more than 80 hectares.
"As well as protecting our turtles, Mon Repos' renewable energy is also protecting our environment."
Ms Scanlon said the re-developed Mon Repos Turtle Centre was opened in late 2019 and offered visitors a state-of-the art ecotourism experience that allowed them to fully immerse themselves in marine turtle research and conservation.
"The design of the centre was carefully considered to ensure the building is ecologically sustainable, long-lasting and had minimal impact on the surrounding environment," she said.
"More than 30,000 people visit the centre each year to experience the wonder of seeing a turtle lay her eggs, or to watch hundreds of tiny hatchlings emerging from their nests."
Nightly turtle tours run from November to March each year. Tickets, when available, can be purchased from Bundaberg Region - Bundaberg Turtle Season.
