DBCA’s Parks and Wildlife Service is the agency responsible for conserving the State’s unique plants and animals, and world-class network of terrestrial and marine parks and reserves on behalf of the people of Western Australia.
Parks and Wildlife Service conducts an ongoing expressions of interest process throughout the year to help recognise the unique role and expertise Aboriginal people have as Traditional Owners of the lands and waters the department manages. DBCA aims to promote reconciliation and foster strong working partnerships and community relationships with Aboriginal people. The Parks and Wildlife Service seeks to provide environmental, social, cultural and economic opportunities that further the development of a world-class system of parks in WA.
The opportunity
If you are interested in operating an Aboriginal tourism business or an Aboriginal cultural event in WA’s national parks and other conservation reserves, please contact the Parks and Wildlife Service to discuss your proposal and to find out about licensing.
The Parks and Wildlife Service provides a 3-year licence charge waiver for new Aboriginal tourism businesses.
Expression of interest runs all year.
Contact: For all enquiries please email: licensing@dbca.wa.gov.au
Responding to Demand
Tourism is a key economic and social driver of the Western Australian economy, contributing $11.8 billion in GSP and employing a total of 103,900 people in 2016-17. Perth is the main gateway to Western Australia, welcoming in excess of 946,000 international and 1.37 million interstate visitors in the year ending December 2017.
As the major gateway for some two million inbound visitors, Perth and the broader metropolitan region offers tremendous opportunity to develop sustainable Aboriginal tourism experiences. While there is a small core of well-established Aboriginal cultural tourism businesses in the metropolitan area, there are destinations of high visitation where demand for such experiences are yet to be advertised.
Today’s socially aware travellers show a greater interest in learning about the cultural values and origins of destinations they visit. There is great interest to understand the Aboriginal connection to Rottnest Island/Wadjemup both pre and post colonisation and the importance to Aboriginal people (the Whadjuk people) of the land designated as Perth’s Kings Park.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction’s two main attractions, Rottnest Island/Wadjemup and Kings Park are keen to invite Expressions of Interest from Aboriginal people and their communities to deliver cultural tourism experiences.