Program for “Wild Tails”
Tuesday 5th to Thursday 7th November
Day 1. Tuesday 5 November 2024
Major sub-theme: inspiring interest and imparting memorable information
9.15am Welcome, opening Ronda Green (Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia).
9.20am Official opening of Conference. Chris Cherry, Mayor of Tweed Shore Council
Session 1. Chair: Ronda Green
9.30am Design of participative environmental interpretation in White Sands New Mexico, USA Manuel Ramon Gonzalez Herrera (Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico) (online)
9.45am Together, writers and scientists make magic Sarah Pye (University of Sunshine Coast) and Maree Treadwell Kerr (Bats and Trees Society of Cairns, Vice-chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)
10.00am From nature connection to wellbeing: Promoting wellbeing experience through wildlife storytelling Aise Kim (University of South Australia, secretary Wildlife Tourism Australia) online.
10.15am Interpreting Cape York Wildlife Greg Clancy (Councillor, Clarence Valley, retired ecologist)
10.30am Enhancing Geotourism through Engagement with Wildlife Angus M. Robinson (Leisure Solutions)
10.45 Morning Tea
10.45 Morning Tea
Session 2. Chair: Angus Robinson
11.05 am Beyond the Tour: The Role of Interpretive Training in Enhancing Wildlife Tourism (keynote) Jennifer Waithman (Interpretation Australia)
11.45am Invert Interp – promoting our smallest natural wonders Colleen Foelz (eye4insects)
12 noon The Gowonda project: a story of dolphins, marine life conservation and cultural knowledge. Liz Hawkins (Dolphin Research Australia)
12.15 Twisting a tale (or tails) with Dr Sarah Pye (interactive discussion) Sarah Pye (University of Sunshine Coast)
12.55 Poster introduction
- Reaching different audiences: an example from signage in a Wildlife Ecology Centre Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Green Publications, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)
- Erth: Leading the way in storytelling for conservation Scott Wright, Erth Visual & Physical Incorporated
- The Cassowary Trail: interpreting wildlife through stories and art for conservation Maree Treadwell Kerr. Mareeba Shire Local Tourism Hub, Vice-chair Wildlife Tourism Australia
1.00pm Lunch, poster session and puppet show
Session 3. Chair: Sera Steves
2.00pm Interpretation through Flow Learning. Dale Treadwell (Naturally wild)
2.15pm Telling tales: Wildlife interpretation in Visitor Centres – a case study from Far North Queensland. Maree Treadwell Kerr (Vice-chair Wildlife Tourism Australia, Kuranda Visitor Centre, Mareeba Shire Local Tourism Organisation)
2.30pm Moonlit Sanctuary’s story to storytelling Sian Mulhall (Moonlit Sanctuary)
2.45pm Workshop. Interactions with animals: Exploitation or valuable conservation and interpretive tool. (interactive discussion) Led by Ronda Green (Chair, Wildlife Tourism Australia)
3.20pm Afternoon tea
3.40pm Tour of Marine Discovery Centre
Session 4. Chair: Darren Green
4.25pm Mind the gap: Animals, guiding, storytelling and you (keynote) Jonathon Spring (Independent researcher) online
5.10pm Sentient shark tourism: Story-telling about the affectionate nature of sharks. Tony Isaacson (Marine Life Society of South Australia: Founding President and Life Member) and Jim Abernethy (Abernathy’s Scuba Adventures)
5.40 Close of presentations
6.00pm Informal get-together
Day 2. Wednesday 6 November 2024
Morning excursion focussing on quality wildlife interpretation in wild and captive settings, and Afternoon session focussing on projects in Asia.
7.20am Mid-conference excursion
- 7.20am Catch bus for field excursion
- 8.00am Interpretive forest walk at Bangalow with experienced Aboriginal tour guide Delta Kay
- 9.00am Interpretive visit to flying-fox colony at Bangalow with Claudia Caliari (Byron Bay Council)
- 9.30am Visit to Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Explore Sanctuary with its collection of native mammals, birds, frogs and reptiles in a lovely forest setting. Staff will explain their interpretation philosophy. which includes emphasis on seeing each wildlife species as part of a functioning ecosystem. Also hear about the work of the adjacent wildlife hospital.
- 12.00 noon Lunch Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Includes options involving the indigenous macadamia nuts )
- 1.00pm Return to Hastings Point via Arakwal NP, one of the few Australian sites on IUCN’s Green List
Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Afternoon Session: Wildlife Tourism in Asia
Session 1. Chair: Ronda Green
2.15pm Explaining the blue economy to wildlife guides and tourists in Sri Lanka. Madura Thivanka Pathirana (Edith Cowan University, Sri Lanka)
2.30pm Wildlife guiding workshops, Kinabatangan, Sabah (Borneo) Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)
2.45pm Interpreting the Wld: Enhancing Visitor Experiences in Sabah’sWildlife Tourism Albert Teo, Borneo Ecotours
3.00pm Teaching “Wildlife Tourism” in Japan: Reflections from a new practicum Thomas Jones (Asia-Pacific University, Japan)
3.15pm Afternoon tea
Session 2. Chair: Leah Burns
3.45pm Developing effective interpretation design for communicating animal welfare messages to tourists in free-ranging settings in Japan: A preliminary investigation Rie Usui, (Asia-Pacific University, Japan), Remi Suga2 andMeng Qu
4.00pm Interpretative signs at Iruka jima dolphinarium in Tsukumi City Higashi Miku Sheli Kawazoe, Isogai Kurisu (Asia-Pacific University, Japan) online
4.15pm An exploratory study of snake cafes in Japan: From the perspective of animal welfare. Dai Ikeya (Bangor University, UK) online
4.30pm Proposed Japanese chapter of WTA and other possible expansions, Rie Usui (Asia-Pacific University, Japan), Thomas Jones (Asia-Pacific University, Japan) Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)
4.45pm *Poster viewing session*
(The posters themselves can be viewed at other times, but this session will facilitate questions for the authors). For details see “Poster Introduction” session, Day One.
6.00pm Conferencedinner Asian buffet, Ripples Restaurant, North Star Holiday Resort, Hastings Point (conference venue)
Dinner Presentation: John Pastorelli (Interpretation Australia): A story-filled journey into the world of interpretation.
Day 3. Thursday 7 November 2024
Major sub-theme: imparting conservation messages
7.45am Breakfast and AGM, Ripples Restaurant (North Star Holiday Resort, Hastings Point)
(all welcome to attend and join discussions, but only financial members can vote)
Session 1. Chair: Noel Scott?
9.00 am Is interpretation effective? Glen Hvenegaard (University of Alberta) online
9.15am Positive ecotour experiences: Enhancing conservation outcomes by encouraging pro-environmental behaviour. Georgette Leah Burns, Wade Hadwen and Rafaela Barbosa de Andrade Aragao (Griffith University, WTA).
9.30am Best practices for designing interpretive experiences Keynote Mike and Bill (Experiential Interpretive Design) online
10.10am Inclusive citizen science. Vikki Schaffer (University of Sunshine Coast)
10. 25am Shark Dive and Hologram Zoo. Rebecca Scollen (Univeristy of Southern Queensland)
10.40 Morning Tea
Session 2. Chair: Maree Kerr
11.00am Kangaroos Alive – Building the Kangaroo Walks & Talks Program. Ric Allport and Craig Thompson (Kangaroos Alive)
11.15am Koala Guardians: Empowering tourists to protect an Australian icon. Katrin Hohwieler, Romane Cristescu, Liz Foote, Cathryn Dexter, Elizabeth Brunton, Kye McDonald, Andrew Hoskins and Sharyn Rundle-Thiele (University of the Sunshine Coast, Griffith University, Redland City Council, CSIRO)
11.30am A flying-fox roost as the destination. Matthew Mo, Maree Treadwell Kerr, Sera Steves, Nicholas Colman. (Department of Climate Change, Energy and the Environment and Water, NSW, Australasian Bat Society, Bats and Trees Society of Cairns)
11.45 “Learning to give a flying fox about bats”: Exploring ways to affect positive behaviour change towards a maligned species. Tyron de Kauwe (Sunshine Coast Council)
12.00 – Q and A panel
12.15pm Lunch
Session 3. Chair: Leah Burns
1.15 pm Crafting Inclusive Interpretive Experiences: Engaging Diverse Audiences in Wildlife Tourism Education. Pawas Chaturvedi and Akhilesh Kumar Singh ( Sikkim University, India)
1.30pm Workshop: Interpreting roadkill Elleke Leurs (University of Tasmania)
2.15pm Afternoon tea
Session 4. Chair: Simin Maleknia
2.35pm An introduction to World Forest ID and timber trafficking Simin Maleknia(Tetratherix Medical Devices, treasurer Wildlife Tourism Australia)
2.45pm Transforming the lives of African elephants in human care to improve welfare, conservation, education and human wildlife coexistence Jake Rendle-Worthington (We are all mammals)
3.00pm EcoTraining: The Value of Good Wildlife Interpretation and Guide Training (keynote) Anton Lategan(Ecotraining, South Africa) online
3.45pm Plenary discussion: Where to from here?
4.20 pm Close of conference
Friday 8th – Sunday 10th November
Friday 8th November
Field trip with bird ecologist Greg Clancy.
Morning tour, ending in time for delegates to driver catch public transport for early afternoon flights from Coolangatta Airport. $35.00per person
You can also do your own exploring.
Byron Bay is a short drive away, where you can see Cape Byron (the most easterly part of Australia), beautiful beaches, a variety of restaurants, and the nearby Arawkal National Park : “Arakwal was the first protected area in the world to be IUCN Green Listed. Achieving Green List certification means the protected area has good governance, sound design and planning and effective management. Together these factors support successful conservation outcomes.” Cape Cape Byron State Conservation Area is also part of IUCN’s Green List .
There are many other great places in the district to explore: national parks, Tropical Fruit World, art galleries featuring wildlife art, river cruises, horse-riding, kayaking, snorkelling…
Posters presented at the conference
