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Magnetic Island Tourism Proposal

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Magnetic Island Tourism Proposal

A community group on Magnetic Island (Yunbenun), Queensland, wants tourism to support local livelihoods without damaging the island’s natural and cultural values. Use the information and data on this worksheet to assess the choices and create a realistic proposal. There is no single correct proposal: support your decisions with evidence and explain trade-offs.

Island setting

Magnetic Island lies off the coast of Townsville in the Great Barrier Reef region. Its landscapes include rocky headlands, beaches, dry eucalypt woodland and coral reef habitats. The island is part of the traditional Country of the Wulgurukaba people. Visitors come for walking, swimming, wildlife watching and boating. Tourism can bring jobs and income, but poorly managed visits can add rubbish, disturb wildlife, damage tracks and increase pressure on water and transport. Sustainable tourism plans consider environmental, social, cultural and economic effects—not just visitor numbers.

A — Guided low-impact walks Adds 12 local jobs Estimated extra visitors: 80 per week Cost: $40,000 Habitat risk: low Includes small-group walks on existing tracks and local interpretation.

B — New beachfront attraction Adds 24 local jobs Estimated extra visitors: 300 per week Cost: $220,000 Habitat risk: high Requires construction close to a sensitive coastal habitat.

C — Reef and beach care program Adds 8 local jobs Estimated extra visitors: 30 per week Cost: $65,000 Habitat risk: very low Funds visitor education, rubbish reduction and monitoring with local partners.

Investigate the choices

Answer using the brief, the proposal table and your own geographical reasoning.

1.Which proposal has the highest estimated weekly increase in visitors? Select one.

A — Guided low-impact walks
B — New beachfront attraction
C — Reef and beach care program

2.Which proposal has the lowest stated habitat risk? Select one and give one reason from the table.

3.Explain one way tourism could benefit people on Magnetic Island and one way it could put pressure on the environment.

4.A small-group walk stays on an existing track and shares information about local ecology and Wulgurukaba connections to Country. Is this automatically sustainable? Explain why or why not.

5.Compare proposals A and B. Which creates more jobs, and what trade-off does its higher visitor estimate bring?

6.The community has a maximum budget of $70,000 and will not accept high habitat risk. Which proposals meet both limits?

A only
B only
A and C
A, B and C

7.Identify one important group or perspective that should be consulted before a tourism plan is approved. State one question the planners should ask them.

Create a sustainable tourism proposal

Use the planning space below to recommend one option, adapt an option, or combine ideas. Your proposal must consider environmental care, local benefits and respectful decision-making.

8.Write a short proposal title and describe what visitors and local partners would do.

9.Explain two ways your proposal would reduce environmental or cultural harm. Include one way to check whether it is working.

10.State one likely challenge for your proposal and a practical way to address it.

11.Make a final recommendation: choose A, B, C, or your own combined plan. Justify it with two pieces of evidence from the table and one consideration from the island setting.