Published Monday, 10 November, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
Turtle tours start at Mon Repos
Book now for a night tour at the famous Mon Repos Conservation Park turtle rookery near Bundaberg, and experience the thrill of watching nesting and hatching marine turtles.
Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Minister, Andrew McNamara, said people can now book online, by phone or in person for the nightly tours which this year begin on Friday 7 November and run until the end of March.
“Every summer around 30,000 visitors book on a turtle watching tour at Mon Repos, to see one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles,” Mr McNamara said.
“Mon Repos Conservation Park supports the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the east Australian mainland and the largest loggerhead turtle rookery in the South Pacific.
“Visitor numbers each night are limited, so bookings are essential to secure a place on these increasingly popular tours.
“Environmental Protection Agency rangers and highly trained volunteers are the tour guides. They’re keen and ready for another busy season of turtles and human visitors, and have seen a number of turtles nesting early this year.
“Last year 324 turtles nested at Mon Repos, and thousands of hatchlings successfully emerged.”
Mr McNamara said the endangered loggerhead turtle made up 95 percent of all the turtles that came ashore to nest on the 1.5km sandy beach of Mon Repos.
“Lucky visitors may also see vulnerable flatback or green turtles nesting.
“Marine turtles are an important part of our Woongarra coast.
“Local residents and businesses have enthusiastically embraced the EPA’s Cut the Glow to Help Turtles Go campaign aimed at reducing the glow of coastal lights.
“Bright artificial lights disturb and disorient both the nesting and hatching turtles, so cutting the glow will ensure turtles breed along our coast for many more generations to come.”
Ranger guided tours operate seven nights a week from 7pm until late from November to late March, excluding 24, 25 and 31 December.
Bookings can be made online at www.bookbundabergregion.com.au or by calling (07) 4153 8888. Tickets cost $4.95 for a child or senior and $9.35 for an adult. A family ticket for one or two parents and their children costs $22.20.
Media contact: Emma Parnell 3336 8002
Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Minister, Andrew McNamara, said people can now book online, by phone or in person for the nightly tours which this year begin on Friday 7 November and run until the end of March.
“Every summer around 30,000 visitors book on a turtle watching tour at Mon Repos, to see one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles,” Mr McNamara said.
“Mon Repos Conservation Park supports the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the east Australian mainland and the largest loggerhead turtle rookery in the South Pacific.
“Visitor numbers each night are limited, so bookings are essential to secure a place on these increasingly popular tours.
“Environmental Protection Agency rangers and highly trained volunteers are the tour guides. They’re keen and ready for another busy season of turtles and human visitors, and have seen a number of turtles nesting early this year.
“Last year 324 turtles nested at Mon Repos, and thousands of hatchlings successfully emerged.”
Mr McNamara said the endangered loggerhead turtle made up 95 percent of all the turtles that came ashore to nest on the 1.5km sandy beach of Mon Repos.
“Lucky visitors may also see vulnerable flatback or green turtles nesting.
“Marine turtles are an important part of our Woongarra coast.
“Local residents and businesses have enthusiastically embraced the EPA’s Cut the Glow to Help Turtles Go campaign aimed at reducing the glow of coastal lights.
“Bright artificial lights disturb and disorient both the nesting and hatching turtles, so cutting the glow will ensure turtles breed along our coast for many more generations to come.”
Ranger guided tours operate seven nights a week from 7pm until late from November to late March, excluding 24, 25 and 31 December.
Bookings can be made online at www.bookbundabergregion.com.au or by calling (07) 4153 8888. Tickets cost $4.95 for a child or senior and $9.35 for an adult. A family ticket for one or two parents and their children costs $22.20.
Media contact: Emma Parnell 3336 8002