Australia’s Orpheus Island Aiming To Increase Dive Tourism

A diving oasis off the Hinchinbrook coast in Australia is drawing high-profile comparison’s to Fiji, with plans to market its untapped potential to the world.

Orpheus Island dive sites are believed to be home to more than 1,000 of the Great Barrier Reef’s 1,500 species of fish, 340 of the 359 varieties of hard coral and one of the region’s largest collections of soft corals.

The ‘marine wonderland’ is also home to green turtle, reef sharks, bull rays, pipefish, manta rays, and a giant clam nursery located at Pioneer Bay, with the added appearances of humpback whales on their yearly migration.

Orpheus Island sales and marketing manager Rachel Hoy said since renovating the island’s accommodation in 2011, guest bookings have grown season-on-season.

“Two years ago we saw 80 percent domestic bookings, 20 per cent international and now the split is 60-40,” said Ms Hoy. She went on to say that the island currently engaged with Townsville Enterprises for local marketing initiatives, and also collaborated closely with the State and National Tourism Organisations.

“The dive sites around Orpheus seem to be overlooked compared to other locations on the Great Barrier Reef”, she said. “The region’s climatic conditions are also similar to Fiji, a nation who have built a successful tourism industry off the back of diving and tropical retreats.”

Ms Hoy said it is hoped a new partnership with Orpheus and Gold Coast based dive business, Dive Trekkerz, would help lure more local and international tourists and put the island on the map.

Dive Trekkerz owner Glen Thompson said “for whatever reason, Orpheus has been continually overlooked by the dive and tourism community, but it has serious untapped potential.”

“It’s a great opportunity to expose the area in general,” he continued. “Plus we would not be putting resources into it if there wasn’t an opportunity there.”

Mr. Thompson said he was surprised Tourism and Events Queensland were not already pushing Orpheus as a tourism and dive hot spot. “TEQ and other people and organisations up there really should get their heads together because the dive industry around the world is a massive market.”

Access to Orpheus Island is currently via helicopter journey from either Townsville or Cains.

For more information go to www.divetrekkerz.com.