❓ Mr. Blayney asks the Minister for Environment about the progress of the humpback whale swimming tourism initiative. The Minister responds positively, highlighting its economic and conservation benefits, and the monitoring in place.
AnsweredQoN 385Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM — HUMPBACK WHALES
385. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for
Environment:
At the end of last year, the
minister approved swimming with humpback whales as a major new nature–based
tourism initiative for our state. Could the minister please update the house on
this initiative?
385. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for
Environment:
At the end of last year, the
minister approved swimming with humpback whales as a major new nature–based
tourism initiative for our state. Could the minister please update the house on
this initiative?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for
the question.
Throughout our term, this government
has been committed to looking for opportunities to expand people's
opportunity to experience nature in Western Australia, particularly within our
marine and national parks. We have a very strong focus, particularly in this
period of transition for the WA economy, on enhancing tourism experiences in Western
Australia. We recognise that, first and foremost, many of our tourism
experiences are based around the unique nature experiences that can be had here
in Western Australia. Indeed, ''innovation'' is a bit of a buzzword
at the moment, and often —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the first time and I call
the member for West Swan for the first time. Member for Cannington, you have
been called twice.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : The opportunity to swim with humpback whales in Western Australia,
which will open from next month, is a great example, I believe, of innovative
ecotourism, and, indeed, innovation that government can undertake to expand
economic and tourism opportunities in this state in a way that does not cost
government money. Sometimes it is simply looking at the opportunities there are
and allowing for things to happen. I will start off by saying that to the best
of my knowledge, Western Australia will be only the fourth place in the world
that will offer tourists the opportunity to swim with this iconic species—the
humpback whale. It will build on the already successful whale shark swimming
tourism that has built up around Ningaloo Marine Park and Exmouth, and also the
whale tourism experiences. Importantly, it segues in very well with the end of
the current whale shark season, which ran this year from late February but is
slowly coming to an end. The humpback whale swim tourism opportunity will
extend that tourism opportunity up on our Ningaloo coast for anywhere up to
three months. We chose Ningaloo in the first instance because an industry has
already built up around that whale shark and whale-watching tourism experience.
Ningaloo's international brand has already been built around the whale
shark experience, and we think to now be only the fourth place in the world
that can offer a whale swim will sit very well with that brand that Exmouth,
Coral Bay and Ningaloo have built up for themselves. The trial will start in
July and will use knowledge that has been gained from the whale shark programs.
That will now provide what will be an extraordinary thrill of swimming with some
of the world's largest mammals. Importantly, a very good conservation
message sits within this program as well.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time.
Quick answer, please, minister.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I am trying, Mr Speaker.
This will not only open up another ecotourism opportunity,
but also tell an important part of the WA conservation message. The whale shark
was delisted from our endangered list only late last year, and Western Australia
has seen the humpback whale population recover to somewhere around its
pre-whaling levels. The trial will be very closely monitored and evaluated,
including through real-time electronic monitoring systems. That will assist us
in determining how we can continue to, hopefully, roll out these tours in the
future, and even potentially open up the opportunity for such tours into other
parts of the state.
the question.
Throughout our term, this government
has been committed to looking for opportunities to expand people's
opportunity to experience nature in Western Australia, particularly within our
marine and national parks. We have a very strong focus, particularly in this
period of transition for the WA economy, on enhancing tourism experiences in Western
Australia. We recognise that, first and foremost, many of our tourism
experiences are based around the unique nature experiences that can be had here
in Western Australia. Indeed, ''innovation'' is a bit of a buzzword
at the moment, and often —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the first time and I call
the member for West Swan for the first time. Member for Cannington, you have
been called twice.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : The opportunity to swim with humpback whales in Western Australia,
which will open from next month, is a great example, I believe, of innovative
ecotourism, and, indeed, innovation that government can undertake to expand
economic and tourism opportunities in this state in a way that does not cost
government money. Sometimes it is simply looking at the opportunities there are
and allowing for things to happen. I will start off by saying that to the best
of my knowledge, Western Australia will be only the fourth place in the world
that will offer tourists the opportunity to swim with this iconic species—the
humpback whale. It will build on the already successful whale shark swimming
tourism that has built up around Ningaloo Marine Park and Exmouth, and also the
whale tourism experiences. Importantly, it segues in very well with the end of
the current whale shark season, which ran this year from late February but is
slowly coming to an end. The humpback whale swim tourism opportunity will
extend that tourism opportunity up on our Ningaloo coast for anywhere up to
three months. We chose Ningaloo in the first instance because an industry has
already built up around that whale shark and whale-watching tourism experience.
Ningaloo's international brand has already been built around the whale
shark experience, and we think to now be only the fourth place in the world
that can offer a whale swim will sit very well with that brand that Exmouth,
Coral Bay and Ningaloo have built up for themselves. The trial will start in
July and will use knowledge that has been gained from the whale shark programs.
That will now provide what will be an extraordinary thrill of swimming with some
of the world's largest mammals. Importantly, a very good conservation
message sits within this program as well.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the first time.
Quick answer, please, minister.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I am trying, Mr Speaker.
This will not only open up another ecotourism opportunity,
but also tell an important part of the WA conservation message. The whale shark
was delisted from our endangered list only late last year, and Western Australia
has seen the humpback whale population recover to somewhere around its
pre-whaling levels. The trial will be very closely monitored and evaluated,
including through real-time electronic monitoring systems. That will assist us
in determining how we can continue to, hopefully, roll out these tours in the
future, and even potentially open up the opportunity for such tours into other
parts of the state.
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