Scenic Rim joins the world’s best with global ECO Destination Certification

Scenic Rim joins the world’s best with global ECO Destination Certification
Edited by Travel Weekly


Queensland’s Scenic Rim region has achieved ECO Destination Certification with Ecotourism Australia, a result of meeting global best-practice standards in ecotourism, responsible travel and environmental conservation.

It’s the first destination to achieve certification in 2025 and is only the 12th in Australia to earn this prestigious recognition.

Just an hour from Brisbane and 30 minutes from the Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim stretches from Canungra to The Lost World, Beaudesert to Boonah, Tamborine Mountain to Kalbar and is home to the ancient World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests, six historic national parks, charming towns and villages, adventure parks, farm stays, craft breweries, boutique wineries, ecolodges, gourmet experiences, camping and glamping and breathtaking spaces in between.

The Scenic Rim region covers more than 4,200 square kilometres of rich volcanic soil surrounded by ancient mountains and home to thousands of farmers and food creators, more than 30,000ha of parkland, plus three dams – Lake Moogerah, Lake Maroon, and Wyaralong Dam.

To achieve the ECO Destination certification level, the region was rigorously assessed on more than 90 sustainable management criteria ranging from waste and water management and resource recovery, energy consumption and emissions, nature and conservation, visitor management and monitoring, cultural heritage and community wellbeing, to business and communication practices for managing and promoting sustainability for both tourism and living in the region.

The region now joins a global network of more than 160 destinations in 60 countries through Ecotourism Australia’s partnership with Green Destinations.

A number of Scenic Rim accommodation destinations are Ecotourism Certified with Ecotourism Australia.

Visitors to the Scenic Rim region benefit from the services of over a dozen tourism operators who are Ecotourism Certified with Ecotourism Australia, including Araucaria Ecotours, Binna Burra Lodge, Horizon Guides, Leisure Solutions, Mt Barney Lodge, O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, ParkTours, Southern Cross Tours, Spicers Scenic Rim Trail, Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves, Tamborine Mountain Distillery, Tamborine Mountain Glades, Thunderbird Park and the TreeTop Challenge.

Sustainable travel is more than simply choosing a destination, and the activities visitors are there – it’s also about how they travel and what they pack, plus taking the time to slow down to fully appreciate and learn about the place they are visiting.

Travelling sustainably also means supporting local businesses, and the Scenic Rim is brimming with fantastic spots.

Scenic Rim is brimming with fantastic spots.

Scenic Rim ecotourism-certified activities

These ecotourism certified experience providers celebrate the natural beauty of the region and educate on how to preserve these delicate ecosystems.

Explore the ancient rainforests and natural landscapes of the region with Southern Cross Tours for a day, with tour guides sharing the history, culture and stories of the places and unique natural environments throughout.

Take a tour with Leisure Solutions or learn about the region’s fantastic native wildlife including koalas, birds and platypus on a tour with wildlife experts, Araucaria Ecotours or experience the magic of glow worms at Tamborine Mountain’s Glow Worm Caves.

Families can get their share of outdoor excitement with minimal environmental impact at Thunderbird Park, which has embedded sustainable practices throughout their operations. Home to the Tree Top Challenge, an awesome high ropes course and Australia’s largest zipline, there’s hours of entertainment across 112ha on Tamborine Mountain.

If hiking through the wilderness is your style, lace up your boots with local legends ParkTours and Horizon Guides and join a guided bush walk through ancient Gondwana rainforests. Or challenge yourself to scale cliffs in Mount Barney National Park with the help of the ecotourism-certified rock climbing guides at Mt Barney Lodge, where you can also join Kruze Summers, a local Ugarapul man, on the Yarriba Dreaming First Nations immersion experience.

For those who want a little luxe, Spicers Scenic Rim Trail offer multi-night adventures through lush rainforests and along the Great Dividing Range, ending each day with gourmet meals and a peaceful night in a private eco-cabin.

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