Emocean Eco Tours

After exploring Fort Nepean as a child in 1981, Emocean Eco Tours owner Dean Saunders returned to his heartland in the Mornington Peninsula in the early 2000s.

After noticing the increasing number of visitors to the Fort Nepean park, Dean decided he wanted to share his love of the area in a way that encouraged people to use the area responsibly. The idea of e-bike tours by the ocean (EMOCEAN) was born.

Now working with Parks Victoria as a Licensed Tour Operator, Emocean Eco Tours take guests to explore iconic historical landmarks, including Quarantine Station, Gunners Cottage and Cemetery, Cheviot Hill, Fort Pearce and Fort Nepean. On their tours, guests can learn about the history of Fort Nepean and its role in protecting Victoria’s gold reserves, see wildlife in its natural habitat and witness the breath-taking beauty of the ocean and bay.

As part of their commitment to ongoing improvement of their sustainability practices, Emocean Eco Tours completed the Strive 4 Sustainability Scoreboard to assess their practices against the four pillars of sustainability in their operation.

“Emocean Eco Tours wanted to make sure that the word Eco in our company name really meant something; and that it wasn’t just something we said, it was something we believed in and practiced”, said Dean.

For them, they valued the comprehensiveness of the Scorecard assessment to serve as a business development tool.

“When we discovered Ecotourism Australia, we liked their approach in that it wasn’t just a ‘tick and flick’ road to sustainability, but an ongoing program where we’re constantly working on different parts of our business, be it cultural, environmental, social or otherwise. There are gaps we hadn’t even considered in some cases that can make you a better company, providing better experiences for your customers.”

Completing the Scorecard gave their business some unexpected benefits too.

“It’s made us look differently at who we partner with as well and to see who we trade with through a different lens. It also makes your staff feel proud about their work knowing that you work for a socially conscious company,” said Dean.

After completing the Scorecard, they realised there were some areas of sustainability where they were performing better in than others. Dean said their score now serves as a baseline and focus to determine where they can improve for future.

Completing the Scorecard has inspired Emocean Eco Tours to continue on their sustainability journey.

“The program has motivated us to reach out to access further services and recognition, such as working towards our NDIS status, and undertaking cultural sensitivity and heritage training. We’re also reviewing our e-bike fleet to ensure they meet our own standards and creating a future roadmap to improve our scorecard,” shared Dean.

Emocean Eco Tours completed their Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard on 5 October 2023 and is a snapshot of their current sustainability practices. The scorecard is not a certification and is valid for 12 months upon completion.

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