The Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association (WCBIA) is a not-for-profit membership-based organisation that, through advocacy and education, represents the interests and values of its Members to all levels of Government and Industry.
Post COVID, the Whitsundays have surpassed Far North Queensland as the number one destination for Great Barrier Reef Marine Park visitation. This is confirmed through GBRMPA Environmental Management Charge (EMC) collection data. The Whitsundays surpassed one million EMC collections for 2024, representing 44% of all commercial and scientific visitation to the Great Barrier Reef.
Marine Tourism directly contributes an estimated $205.5 million to the Whitsundays economy annually (close to 23% of Whitsundays gross regional product) and directly supports 5,800 jobs.
- That’s 40% of all employment on the Whitsunday Coast.
- One in four people in Airlie are directly employed in the tourism industry.
- That figure rises to one in three, when factoring in supply chains.
- The Whitsundays sleep aboard fleet hosts approximately 734,000 bed nights per year.
- Often, there are as many people sleeping aboard boats as there are in commercial accommodation.
- Day tour & ferry operators carry an average of 21,000 people to the Reef and Islands every week.
WCBIA Members operate 68 Charter vessels in the Whitsundays, representing 87% of the Whitsunday Coast & Islands Marine Tourism fleet.
The Voice of the Whitsunday Marine Tourism Industry
The increasing cost of doing business in Australia, coupled with the ever-changing compliance landscape, requires consistent monitoring and strong advocacy. WCBIA works consistently to push back on proposed Government legislation changes that have the potential to increase costs or complexities for Marine Tourism Operators and actively participates in a range of consultative processes. What follows are examples of actions and initiatives implemented by the WCBIA to affect these objectives.
Employment & Training
WCBIA recognises the challenges facing Members in relation to finding, training and retaining Skippers, Crew and shore-based Staff. For the past four years, we have actively participated in a wide range of committees and consultation processes, all working toward solutions to the challenges shared by all industries, including Tourism. In 2023, WCBIA researched and created a spreadsheet consolidating and simplifying the accessible range of Training and Traineeship subsidies. In 2024, WCBIA successfully advocated for an increase in funding for Traineeship subsidies. The next step involves an expansion of the User Choice Funding Program. The sea time requirements for the entry-level AMSA qualifications do not justify an apprenticeship structure for the Marine Tourism industry. WCBIA is advocating for staged Traineeship subsidies allowing transition from Coxswain (Cert 11) to Master <24 (Cert III) and MED 2 (Cert III) followed by transition from Master <24 (Cert III) and MED 2 (Cert III) to Master <45 (Cert IV). WCBIA is also advocating for more Traineeship subsidies paired with user choice course subsidies to bring down the cost of training skippers & crew. WCBIA will then be able to develop a single communication piece mapping the available career development support packages that would simplify the process for Employers, ATO’s and Students.
P&I Insurance Costs
No-win no-fee legal representation has been identified as the primary cause of the growing claims epidemic for Adventure Tourism Operators. WCBIA is leading the charge, demanding legislative change to cap claims amounts in line with the New Zealand Adventure Tourism insurance model. Work in this area has the potential to significantly reduce Members’ premiums. WCBIA will continue to work towards this goal with politicians and all Operators & peak industry bodies. WCBIA has increased its Membership level to “Advocacy” with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC), thus ensuring a seat on the QTIC Insurance Action Plan Committee. WCBIA has also solicited written advice from the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) confirming that if the Government considers statutory caps, then the ICA would be keen to engage.
Severe Weather Reinsurance Pool
WCBIA continues to advocate for the inclusion of Marine Tourism Businesses in the Federal Government Cyclone Reinsurance Pool. If successful, this has the potential to reduce hull and rig premiums. WCBIA has also solicited written advice from the Insurance Council of Australia, confirming that the Council would be willing to engage with the Government on the extension of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool to include Marine Business. WCBIA continues to advocate for the inclusion of Marine Tourism Businesses in the Federal Government Cyclone Reinsurance Pool. If successful, this has the potential to reduce hull and rig premiums. WCBIA has also solicited written advice from the Insurance Council of Australia, confirming that the Council would be willing to engage with the Government on the extension of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool to include Marine Business.
GBRMPA Plan of Management Reviews
GBRMPA, in association with Traditional Owners, is developing a new Plan of Management for the Southern Great Barrier Reef. It has been proposed that outcomes from this process will be rolled out in other regions of the Marine Park. WCBIA has made a submission making clear the position of our Industry that any changes to commercial Permissions, including access to specific areas both land and sea and the cost of that access, may directly impact the viability of Marine Park Tourism Operators’ business models, employment in the Region and the regional economy. WCBIA also made clear the expectation that any review of the Whitsunday POM must be carried out as a separate exercise, in consultation with the WCBIA. WCBIA further submitted that Grandfathering arrangements and agreed transition periods for existing active Permittees would be fundamental to any process of change to POMs.
GBRMPA EMC Collection & Education
We are still no closer to an update of outcomes from the EMC Review carried out in 2022/23, which defined the need for EMC payments from “all Park users”. WCBIA has been advocating for the introduction of a more equitable system of cost recovery and asked GBRMPA to consider a system whereby the Authority promotes, collects and administers EMC collections. WCBIA suggested that this could be facilitated online via a QR code with links included in overnight and day tour booking confirmations and at check-in. The onus should rest upon the client to ensure that their “Marine Park Entry Fees” have been paid, and a lookup system should be available to check-in staff to facilitate confirmation of EMC payments. WCBIA is seeking the release of the EMC Charging Review Report completed in 2023, and a number of WCBIA submissions have been made directly to GBRMPA, via the Tourism Reef Advisory Council (TRAC) and in partnership with the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO).
GBRMP Special Management Areas
WCBIA has been working with GBRMPA to explore pathways that could lead to a separation of in-water recreational activities from recreational fishing. Current Zoning arrangements see the potential and indeed the occurrence of these conflicting use activities in Yellow and Blue Zones. WCBIA understands that amendments to Zoning require significant consultation and changes to legislation. We also understand that the Authority has other, more expedient tools that may be used to address conflicts of use in specific areas. One of these tools is the declaration of Special Management Areas in specific locations. Following consultation with our Members, these sites have been identified as warranting GBRMPA “Special Management Area” consideration: Chalkies Beach; Black Island SE corner; Northwest Hook Passage; Cockatoo Point; The Keyhole in the south end of Stonehaven and Saba or Mackerel Bay.
WCBIA will continue advocating for GBRMPA to use its Special Management tool to effect change.
Deepening Tongue Bay Access Channel
WCBIA has made a submission to QPWS requesting the deepening of the Tongue Bay landing beach channel to allow all tides access. Currently, the channel is only deep enough to allow passengers to be ferried ashore in small tenders when the tide measures a minimum of 0.8 of a meter above datum. The average day tour vessel requires 1.5 meters. As a result, access hours are limited by tides, resulting in intense usage during accessible periods and governing the operation of tours throughout the Whitsundays. Crowding on walking tracks and lookouts could be significantly decreased if operators could visit over a wider range of tides. On many days of the year, day tour and overnight vessel skippers have no choice but to move in convoy. Overnight tour vessels are herded into anchorages to facilitate timing for arrival and departure from Tongue Bay in line with tidal access restrictions. The result is a less-than-perfect experience for visitors, left with the impression that Hill Inlet Lookout is a crowded holiday destination. Deepening the existing Tongue Bay tender channel will free up operators to spread out their visiting times, avoid congestion and lessen the impact on QPWS infrastructure. Constructing a permanent fixed jetty would bring this iconic destination experience up to world-class expectations.
MEDIVAC Stretcher for Hill Inlet Lookout
Along with the growing number of visitors to the Lookout, there has also been a notable increase in the number of older tourists, often taking tours from visiting cruise ships. Whilst the access path is no challenge to the young and adventurous, those with lesser constitutions have been known to find it a challenge.
In response to a series of incidents requiring medivacs, WCBIA made the decision, following the suggestion by one of its Members, to invest in a folding stretcher that could be stored at the Hill Inlet Lookout and available to all Operators as required. This was achieved through consultation and cooperation with members of the local Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service.
Independent Review of DCV Safety Standards
Review recommendations may affect Member Operators if adopted by AMSA, the rollback of Grandfathering being the most significant. In short, the Review recommends the establishment of “Baseline Standards” and “Gateway Surveys” for all grandfathered vessels. Areas of focus being stability, fire and electrical safety, in line with current “Surveyed” vessel requirements have already been applied. WCBIA is monitoring the progress of the Grandfathering rollback proposal and future consultation opportunities.
AMSA Cost & Charging Review
The Cost and Charging Review component of the Independent Review has been referred to the Australian Transport Safety Investigation Bodies Financial Sustainability Review (ATSIBF) Committee. WCBIA has developed and contributed a submission to the ATSIBF Review. In essence, the Review was considering a potential charging structure based on the fees schedule applied to oceangoing foreign-flagged vessels. If implemented, some local Operators would be facing massive increases in AMSA scheduled fees. A copy of the WCBIA Submission can be provided to Members upon request. No determination had been announced by AMSA at the time of writing this summary.
AMSA Certification Processing Delays
Following advocacy from WCBIA and other affected parties, AMSA’s Seafarer Certification Department recognised that significant delays were being experienced and implemented a series of actions to rectify the situation. A detailed list of these actions can be provided to Members on request, and Member Operators are encouraged to advise WCBIA if further unreasonable delays are experienced by applicants.
Exemption Renewal for Lifejackets in Tenders
The WCBIA Special Exemption renewal proposal was accepted by AMSA, saving Operators the inconvenience and additional expense of purchasing and maintaining lifejackets for carriage in tenders. A copy of the exemption confirmation has been distributed to Members, and further copies can be provided to Members upon request.
AMSA Regional Safety Committee
WCBIA has a seat on the RSA and, at the last meeting, asserted that caps should be placed on hydrogen fuel exports to provide for DCV consumption. The challenges of ever-expanding crew SMS induction requirements were also placed on the table, pointing out that AMSA regulations were primarily designed for shipping and were overly burdensome on small vessel operators. RSC meetings are structured and require early action to get topics on the Agenda. The next RSC Meeting is scheduled for September 4. WCBIA Members are encouraged to submit issues and suggestions for the Agenda.
Decarbonization Pathway
WCBIA has been investigating alternative engines and fuel sources for the past three years. Although inboard electric motors are now available with sufficient horsepower for many marine tourism applications, the size and weight of batteries are a significant limiting factor. WCBIA has encouraged AMPTO in its application for a $1m grant to carry out a survey of available technologies and define a pathway to decarbonization. WCBIA has also opened a dialogue with ARK Energy, which is currently on track to commence Green Hydrogen production at Abbott Point within this decade.
Fuel Rebate Scheme
The spectre of extinguishing or reducing the off-road fuel rebate reappeared as a political football once again in 2025. WCBIA joined forces with the Australian Minerals Council and AMPTO to successfully push back vigorously against this.
Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce & Industry Advisory Group
WCBIA has a seat on this Advisory Group to ensure that WCBIA Member interests are represented. Developing Higher Education Facilities and Services was cited as a way to encourage retention of young locals in the local economy. WCBIA suggested that the first step toward Universities committing to the Region required a focus on Sustainable Coastal Development and Reef Research programs. To date, Cairns and Townsville have been the major beneficiaries of funding, with AIMS, Reef HQ and university annexes well established. WCBIA suggested the establishment of a Cooperative Research Centre, possibly attached to a Reef Discovery Centre. The WCC&I Steering Committee endorsed this strategy.
The WCBIA represents the interests of its Members on the following committees and working groups to ensure that our Industry voice is heard and Member interests are placed front and centre:
- Queensland Tourism Industry Council Advocacy (QTIC)
- Association of Marine Park Operators (AMPTO)
- Tourism Reef Advisory Council; GBRMPA (TRAC)
- Local Marine Advisory Council (LMAC)
- AMSA Regional Safety Committee;
- Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce & Industry Advisory Committee
- Whitsunday Marine Risk Management Group (insurance)
- Marine Tourism Workforce, Skills and Training Committee.
- Port of Hay Point Dredging – Tourism Advisory Committee
- Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership
- Whitsunday Blueprint Water Quality Monitoring Project
- Reef Islands Initiative Advisory Group
- Boats 4 Coral
- Coral Nurture Program
- Seagrass Propagation Program
- Whitsundays Shark Control Group