OFFSHORE ISLANDS IN AUSTRALIA OFFSHORE ISLANDS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: QUESTIONS OF AND NEW ZEALAND: QUESTIONS OF
TOURISM AND CONSERVATION TOURISM AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT
Rebecca Jackson, PhD Candidate, University of Rebecca Jackson, PhD Candidate, University of TasmaniaTasmaniaAustraliaAustralia
Primary Supervisor: Dr Elaine StratfordPrimary Supervisor: Dr Elaine StratfordResearch Supervisor: Dr Arthur DahlResearch Supervisor: Dr Arthur Dahl
Consultant Supervisor: Professor Jamie KirkpatrickConsultant Supervisor: Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick
Rationale for current study
• Focus in the literature on nation states and island regions
• Islands offshore from major cities need attention
• Island insularity and vulnerability
• Differentiation from mainland
• Innovation
• Social cohesion
Island Governance
• Australian offshore islands generally part of mainland jurisdiction
• Limitations when managed by different agencies
• Are offshore islands distinct enough from their mainlands to warrant special management attention?
Current Study
• Australian coastline approx. 60,000km – 40% island coasts
• New Zealand coastline approx.15,000km; over 500 offshore islands
• Increasing urbanisation and tourism
pressures for real estate and tourism development
impacts on environment and heritage of
metropolitan islands
Current study
• Review of island literature
• Case studies
• NZ islands – focus on conservation vs Australian islands – tourism and recreation
• But increasingly multi-purpose
Land-use conflict and management issues
Australian Study Sites
Granite Island
Phillip Island
Scotland Island
St Helena Island
Rottnest Island
Bruny Island
New Zealand Study Sites
Source: CIA World Factbook 2003
Waiheke Island
Kapiti IslandMatiu/Somes
Island
Quail Island
Case Studies – Inhabited Islands
Island City Governance
Bruny Hobart Local Council and State Government
Phillip Melbourne Local Council and
State Government
Scotland Sydney Local Council
Rottnest Perth Statutory government authority
Waiheke Auckland City Council
Kapiti Wellington Department of Conservation/ Maori ownership
Case Studies – Uninhabited Islands
Island City Governance
St Helena Brisbane Qld Parks and Wildlife Service
Granite Adelaide SA Parks and Wildlife Service
Matiu/Somes Wellington Department of Conservation
Quail Christchurch Department of Conservation
Roles of Offshore Islands
• Value & perception of offshore islands
• Indigenous use
• Island mystique
• Prisons
• Quarantine stations
• Continued exploitation
Island Tourism
• Isolation a positive feature for tourists • Offshore islands close to major cities • Domestic holidaymakers • Appeal of offshore islands • Outdoor museums?• Conflict between tourism and the
environment
Lessons to the world…
• Natural laboratories
• Act as ‘canaries’
• Vulnerable ecosystems impacts of humans and introduced species more readily apparent than on mainlands
Conservation Reserves
• Refuges• NZ Department of Conservation • Why conservation, not tourism? • Conflicts over access, land use, pest
eradication
Island Management
• Managing tourism and conservation• Middle path between tourism promotion
and environmental conservation?• Limiting visitor numbers • Public consultation• Applying continental solutions to island-
specific problems
Island Management
• National level policies• Integrated management• Comparative studies• Mainland ‘islands’
Next steps
• Interview key stakeholders
• Focus on key issue for each island
• Can management experiences be shared between islands to facilitate sustainability?
• Island network?
Questions?Questions?