Director of National Parks
Booderee best for Indigenous tourism in NSW
Media release
21 November 2008
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Booderee National Park last night won the prestigious 2008 NSW Indigenous Tourism award.
The award was presented at a gala ceremony in Sydney last night before 700 people representing the cream of the NSW Tourism industry.
Booderee is owned by Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community and jointly managed with the Australian Government.
Traditional owners Bernie McLeod and Lorraine Ardler accepted the award on behalf of their community and the park.
"Today is one of the proudest days of my life," Bernie McLeod said. "It makes me so proud of my Aboriginality.
It is a great honour not only for us modern Kooris, but for my people past and present who have worked so hard to protect the land and keep our culture alive. We are saltwater people here on the south coast but we have a strong connection with the land too.
We love to share our knowledge and culture with visitors. Knowledge of important places - and the land, sea, plants, animals, food and natural medicines - is still being passed on to new generations. It's all here for visitors to see."
Booderee employs 34 staff - more than half of them Indigenous Koori staff are the park's frontline ambassadors, managing Australia's only Aboriginal-owned botanic gardens and working in every area of the park, from park rangers to visitor guides.
Federal Environment and Heritage Minister Peter Garrett congratulated Booderee on its great achievement.
"This award recognises the huge effort the Wreck Bay community and Booderee staff have put in over many years to make joint management work," Mr Garrett said.
"Booderee's Koori community have helped park managers understand how to properly manage and live with the environment. The community's vision is to become economically independent, building Indigenous tourism enterprises and park work contracts.
This award recognises how far they've come to achieving their goal. It is an award which should inspire us all in what modern Aboriginal people are achieving.'
Booderee National Park is located on the NSW south coast on Jervis Bay. It is a vital contributor to the regional economy, with more than 400,000 visitors each year enjoying the dazzling white sands, exceptionally clear water and rich wildlife, from whales and fairy penguins to a stunning array of native birds.
For more information on Booderee National Park visit booderee.gov.au
Media Contact: Booderee National Park Visitor Services Manager John Harvey on (02) 4442 2213.
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