Fascinated by the blooming corals and the array of marine life in the world-renowned Ningaloo Reef, Murray Pattison and Sonia Beckwith founded Live Ningaloo in 2016 to offer guests an intimate swimming experience in the majestic ocean with whale sharks and humpback whales alike.
Regenerative Tourism – leaving a place better than you found it.
Since Sonia introduced this idea to Murray in 2019, Live Ningaloo have been trying their best to make up for their impacts and safeguard the environment they love.
“Constant development and improvement when it comes to sustainability and regeneration are at the heart of everything we do, and to be able to communicate to our audience in a way that encapsulates our efforts in a format like the scorecard felt necessary,” stated Live Ningaloo Operations Manager, Gigi McKercher.
As proof of Live Ningaloo’s willingness to constantly improve the sustainability of their business, not only have they achieved Advanced Ecotourism Certification with Ecotourism Australia in 2017, but they also completed their Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard in 2023 with an outstanding performance. They were also the gold winner of the Australian Tourism Award ecotourism category for two consecutive years since 2021.
By addressing each criterion, the scorecard is a great tool for operators to reflect and seek improvements annually.
“It was a reflective moment as a business to ensure that we are on the pathway that we aspire to be, and therefore we are proud of our accomplishments as we were able to meet most of the criteria. There is, however, always room for improvement and this acts as a driver for us to reach our potential and score even higher next year.”
The comprehensive report that comes with the scorecard provides Live Ningaloo with customised feedback, assuring them of their current effort in sustainability and delivering insights into how they can improve.
“Being recognised as contributing actively to our region, environment and local culture was a real ‘pat on the back’ moment. But also learning that we still have space to grow to unlock our full potential and be pioneers of sustainability within our industry sparks ideas and movements that we will work on within this fiscal year to improve.”
They believe completing the scorecard not only benefits Live Ningaloo, but will also have a profound impact on the industry, the community, and their guests.
“Not just for Live Ningaloo, but for all businesses, this program highlights and celebrates the environmental successes that have been achieved, big or small, and presents them in a format in which the eco-conscious tourist can choose thoughtfully whether the experience is right for them. We feel that this program will provide another pathway for us to connect with and enrich our guests’ experience with us.”
So, what is the next step for Live Ningaloo?
“We have just developed a new website which we are extremely proud of and will be ensuring that our scorecard is a centrepiece for our audience. We additionally hope to encourage other businesses within our industry to follow our lead and look forward to this program being a part of our annual review.”
Read more about Live Ningaloo’s Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism initiatives.
Live Ningaloo completed their Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard on 7 July 2023 and is a snapshot of their current sustainability practices. The scorecard is not a certification and is valid for 12 months upon completion.
- Introduce a balanced structure of member-elected Directors (maximum 5) and Board-appointed Directors (maximum 4)
- Update Director terms from 2 years to 3 years, with a maximum of two terms (6 years total)
- Meet current regulatory requirements for a Company Limited by Guarantee
- Be modernised and contemporary to meet Ecotourism Australia’s strategic imperatives and our objectives
- Provide a streamlined and concise governance framework.
