MANAGING WILDLIFE TOURISM ON AUSTRALIA’S SUB-ANTARCTIC MACQUARIE ISLAND

Macquarie Island’s unique and hostile sub-Antarctic environment is home to an abundance of spectacular wildlife such as the elephant seal and the endemic royal penguin. This Tasmanian sub-Antarctic island is becoming increasingly attractive to tourists seeking a nature based experience. The way in which tourists are managed has implications for resource management and conservation objectives. This paper begins with a summary of the international significance of Macquarie Island, including its listing as a World Heritage Area along with the legal and administrative framework for managing tourism. The existing level of wildlife tourism on Macquarie Island is examined by assessing the number of tourists visiting the island, the reasons tourists visit and the type of product tourism operators provide. The types of impacts associated with wildlife tourism are discussed and the ability of the environment to cope with an increase in tourist numbers assessed. The existing application of entry fees and quota restrictions is presented. The paper concludes by discussing the potential for a sustainable increase in tourist numbers on Macquarie Island and requirements for long term monitoring to assess those impacts