5 WAYS AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

1. Pitch in for Australia’s wildlife

Near Cairns in Queensland, groups can help to rehabilitate the rainforest as part of a visit to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures. Located within the World Heritage Wet Tropics Area, up to 36 guests at a time can take a guided rainforest walk to learn how the threatened notophyll vine forest is an important habitat for tropical birds and wildlife, then pitch in by planting trees as part of the restoration project. For larger groups, rotate tree planting with a croc-spotting cruise through the tranquil tropical wetlands of Hartley’s Lagoon. Alternatively, groups can cruise over to nearby Fitzroy Island to visit the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. After meeting the resident turtles and learning about this not-for-profit organisation’s mission, guests can roll up their sleeves and help to clean turtle tanks to ensure the rehabilitating turtles have a safe and healthy environment for recovery. Staggered activities such as beach cleanups can be arranged for larger groups, and if they’re lucky, guests may get to witness the magical moment that a rehabilitated turtle is released back into the ocean.  Near Hobart/nipaluna in Tasmania, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary operates a social enterprise tourism business which enables them to run a Tasmania-wide wildlife rescue service, as well as a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation centre. Corporate volunteer groups can assist with day-to-day tasks and special projects which can include building enclosures, gardening and general maintenance around the sanctuary. Incorporate a sneak peek of the wildlife hospital or a guided night tour into a volunteering visit so guests can experience the thrill of feeding nocturnal creatures like sugar gliders and Tasmanian devils.

2. Enjoy ethical cuisine

In the heart of Sydney/Warrane, Song Kitchen dishes up fresh Mediterranean fare from which 100 per cent of the profits go towards domestic violence support, women’s refuges, mentoring for young women and financial literacy projects. With a wine list curated by leading sommelier and wine consultant Sophie Otton, this stylish restaurant is available for exclusive use for up to 80 seated guests or 160 standing, or smaller spaces like the intimate ‘Chef’s Table’ are available. In Melbourne/Narrm,  Free to Feed is a not-for-profit social enterprise that was founded in 2015 with the goal of assisting people seeking asylum to find meaningful employment opportunities using their existing skills and experience.  Best known for their signature grazing tables, Free to Feed’s advocacy is delivered through several food-oriented initiatives including workshops, catering for events and even speaking engagements; all of which help to fund training and professional development programs. With a beautifully refurbished space in North Fitzroy, groups of up to 60 guests can enjoy a hands-on culinary workshop, or the space suits up to 60 for a seated event of 150 for a standing soirée.  Dining at Heart Café in Sydney/Warrane Bondi Beach is not only a delicious affair; it helps to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth. The kitchen serves fresh, wholesome, locally sourced cuisine, with each dish reflecting the unique flavours, colours and lifestyle of the famous Bondi Beach. Profits are directed back into Wayside Chapel’s Wingspan Project – an innovative program that aims to positively impact youth unemployment. Bathed in natural light and adorned with gorgeous hanging plants, the space is a blank canvas for private events for up to 40 seated guests or 120 standing, or alternatively, offsite catering is available.

3. Make a difference to Aussie lives

In the Northern Territory’s tropical capital of Darwin/Gulumerrdgen, event organisers can engage The Youth Mill which supports young Indigenous people to develop practical skills and employment pathways through creative arts. By engaging The Youth Mill for a Welcome to Country or performance, visiting groups can gain a better understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures which in turn, encourages young people to explore their cultural and linguistic heritage and build pride in their cultural identity. The Youth Mill can also create bespoke programs that deliver enriching and mutually beneficial outcomes. Sydney-based company Team Building with Purpose works with companies and charities to create mutually rewarding corporate volunteering experiences that strive to make the world a better place. A range of experiences are available in any location around Australia, including the ‘Drought Angels Rainmakers Program’, which celebrates and supports Aussie farmers and farming culture. Teams learn about the impact of natural disasters on farming communities and mental health, engage in quizzes about life in the country and the origin of Aussie slang terms, and undertake a challenge where they’ll work together to shop for long-life food items which are then packed into hampers and sent out to struggling farmers. Alternatively, for a taste of Australia’s coastal lifestyle, Team Building with Purpose has partnered with Surf Life Saving NSW to create a ‘Community Lifesavers’ program which is available in several Australian states. Groups learn valuable surf lifesaving techniques like how to spot a rip, and work together in team challenges to generate ideas and solutions to help Surf Life Saving NSW toward their goal of keeping New South Wales beaches safe.

4. Rest assured at a conservation retreat

Near Queensland’s capital of Brisbane/Meeanjin, Spicers Hidden Vale is an elegant country retreat offering 34 luxurious rooms set on 4,856 hectares (12,000 acres) of beautiful native bushland, which happens to be a haven for one of Australia’s well-known native wildlife species – the koala. To help conserve the local koala population, the Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre at Spicers Hidden Vale opened in 2017 in partnership with the University of Queensland. Groups can go behind the scenes at this purpose-built facility, where they’ll learn how the Centre is working to protect the koala population on the property and in the surrounding landscape, before going ‘out bush’ to spot koalas in the wild. All proceeds go towards the wildlife centre’s research projects. In South Australia, a four hour drive from Adelaide, a stay at Arkaba Conservancy helps to give back to the ancient landscape of the Flinders Ranges. Thanks to the efforts of the dedicated team at Wild Bush Luxury, this ecologically degraded former sheep station has been transformed into a flourishing private wildlife conservancy. Groups staying at the stylish Arkaba Homestead – one of the Luxury Lodges of Australia – can join the mission to restore Arkaba’s biodiversity with a range of rewarding hands-on conservation activities including joining a biologist on land surveys.

5. Give a gift that gives back

Western Australian skincare company SunButter is the creator of Australia’s first reef safe sunscreen, which is packaged in stylish reusable and recyclable tins. The environmentally ethical brand was founded by a marine biologist and an ecologist, who identified the need for a high protection sunscreen suited to the Australian outdoor lifestyle that didn’t contain harsh chemicals or have adverse effects on Australia’s precious marine life and coral reefs. The company’s mantra – ‘Protecting people and the planet’ – shines through in their beautiful range of sunscreens and after-sun care products which are ideal for including in a welcome pack for your group. Also based in Western Australia, Mettle Women Inc is an Australian gift delivery service that employs women who are experiencing homelessness due to domestic and family violence. The company provides paid employment and training to make displaced women’s transition into the workforce an empowering and supported journey. All orders are manufactured, fulfilled, and dispatched by women who have been referred to Mettle Women by partner crisis shelters. Gift box inclusions range from locally sourced artisan products like ethically produced chocolate and organic wine, to in-house ‘Made by Mettle’ body products, room diffusers and scented candles, which can be white labelled for custom branding. The team are experts at curating gifts for corporate clients, and bespoke packaging is available. Based in South Australia’s Clare Valley near Adelaide/Tarntanya, Warndu is an Indigenous-owned native produce company whose goal is to benefit Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities by creating a sustainable native food industry. Warndu – which means ‘good’ in the local Adnyamathanha language – has created a range of sustainable products that are ‘good’ in many ways – good for cooking, good for health, good for the environment and, most importantly, good for providing Indigenous Australians with jobs and training within the horticulture and food industries. The company works in partnership with Indigenous communities, harvesters, and growers across Australia, and each product – from loose-leaf lemon myrtle tea to freeze dried finger lime - contains at least one native ingredient.

Published: 25 August 2022