NATURE-BASED TOURING
Dharug-Gundungurra country / mt wilson
Completed the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard
From wildflower walks to canyon abseils, Wollemi Wanders ensures its adventures tread lightly.
Wollemi Wanders is a boutique, family-run adventure company inviting travellers to step off the beaten track and immerse themselves in the wild beauty of Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Whether it’s a gentle wildflower walk through sunlit valleys or an exhilarating canyon abseil deep into sandstone gorges, every experience is guided by passionate biologists who love nothing more than sharing the hidden stories of Australia’s extraordinary flora and fauna.
At the heart of Wollemi Wanders lies a simple philosophy: slow down, look around, and truly connect with the landscapes you’re moving through. Even the company’s name embodies this spirit. “Wollemi” comes from the Aboriginal word meaning “look around you, pay attention” – a gentle call to notice the rugged beauty of country. It also honours the ancient Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis), a rare and resilient living fossil found only in a single canyon system, standing as a powerful symbol of survival and deep time.
Wollemi Wanders recently took an important step in its sustainability journey by completing Ecotourism Australia’s Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard. With support from Destination NSW, the family-run operator joined a growing network of tourism businesses assessing how their practices measure up across four key areas: Sustainable Management, Environmental Impacts, Socio-Economic Impacts, and Cultural Impacts.
For founder Andrew Mitchell, completing the Scorecard was about putting assumptions to the test.
“Our business is all about getting people into nature to experience the untamed beauty of the Sydney and Blue Mountains regions. One would expect that for any business such as ours, sustainable practices would be core business. But, as in science, you have to test your assumptions! I really wanted to know how we were doing, and how we could improve.”
Developed in collaboration with Tourism Australia, the Scorecard serves as a practical entry point, enabling operators to benchmark their efforts, recognise achievements and uncover new opportunities to strengthen their sustainability practices. For Mitchell, it became much more than a benchmarking tool – it offered clarity and direction.
“The program provides a clear path forward through a jungle of issues, some of which I had not considered previously. It offers a detailed and independent assessment of where you are and what you can do to improve across many different areas of your business.”
Among the most valuable insights was the importance of communication and collaboration.
“Some of Wollemi Wanders’ sustainability measures are known only to us. Communicating these measures would set an example and spread awareness of the issues and the solutions. Another insight was the advantage of linkages with other local businesses in promoting regional areas and drawing tourists in. A rising tide raises all the ships.”
Andrew admits that, without the grant support, the process may have been postponed.
“I had briefly considered [completing the Scorecard], but given the amount of work required it was something I had been putting off. The Destination NSW grant focused my mind on getting it done within the timeframe.”
Looking ahead, Andrew sees certification as the natural next step.
“In a growing nature tourism market, one needs evidence that one is doing the hard yards to be sustainable. I think it will become increasingly important as a means for customers to distinguish sustainable business from others (and hopefully to vote with their feet!).”
For Wollemi Wanders, completing the Scorecard wasn’t about meeting requirements or chasing recognition. It was about deepening their promise to lead with authenticity, care for the land they operate on, and spark a lasting appreciation in visitors for the fragile beauty of Australia’s wild places.
Click here to learn more about Wollemi Wander’s sustainable efforts, and book your stay: https://www.wollemiwanders.com.au/
Wollemi Wanders completed their Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard on 11 August 2025 and is a snapshot of their current sustainability practices. The scorecard is not a certification and is valid for 12 months upon completion.
