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Growing its stable of nature-based tourism destinations and experiences, NRMA Parks and Resorts has announced its acquisition of the Turtle Sands Camping and Holiday Park at Mon Repos.

Set adjacent to Bundaberg’s Mon Repos Conservation Park, the Mon Repos Turtle Centre and Mon Repos Beach, Turtle Sands has been operating as a beachside family holiday park since the 1970s and is home to a significant concentration of nesting marine turtles. 

A planned new Mon Repos Turtle Sands Nature Retreat is expected to open in mid-2024 and will be the only mainland tourism accommodation experience celebrating the conservation of marine turtles in their natural environment, designed and managed by the NRMA, Australia’s largest member-owned mutual organisation.

Through the acquisition of the property, NRMA Parks and Resorts is committed to the creation of a new visitor eco-tourism experience designed to enhance the guest experience of this environmentally significant location whilst safeguarding its precious marine residents. 

The NRMA continues to undertake extensive consultation with relevant Government Departments, local community groups, the region’s Traditional Owners and environmental groups in the rollout of the development. Ongoing monitoring of the health of the turtle community and is essential to the plans.

Advising that the preservation of this unique natural location, a critical nesting ground for one of Australia’s most important marine animals, was key to the future operation of the NRMA property, NRMA Parks and Resorts Chief Executive, Paul Davies stated “the new Turtle Sands will offer an immersive accommodation tourism experience celebrating and supporting the conservation of marine turtles in their natural environment.

“The NRMA recognises the responsibility in working adjacent to the environmentally sensitive Mon Repos Conservation Park and a comprehensive set of Federal, state and local government environmental and design approvals guidelines are in place for the development.

“The design and operation of the Turtle Sands Holiday Park will adopt best practice environmental standards to protect this unique location, especially during the nesting season for turtles, including night-time light controls and restricted beach access.”

The NRMA will work alongside community groups and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) to carefully create a visitor experience complementing the existing turtle night tours, which are run by QPWS rangers between November to April.

The overarching vision is to create a tourism experience that is both a great year-round holiday destination and an intrinsically linked nature and cultural experience, also working closely with the region’s Traditional Owners. Included in the plan is an interactive education program and guest activities that encourage participation in hands-on conservation initiatives. Essential to the plan for the destination to have year-round appeal for guests is the consistent protection of the dunes and rookeries where the turtles nest.

Images: The Turtle Sands Camping and Holiday Park at Mon Repos (top) and a juvenile turtle on the beach (below).

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