Caring for Our Whitsundays
Our environmental responsibilities
At BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, we recognise the importance of protecting the natural environment of the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef region and continually look for practical ways to reduce the environmental impacts associated with our operations.
Our environmental initiatives include measures focused on reducing waste, energy and water consumption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting local environmental programs and encouraging our guests to help care for the region during their stay.
We are proudly ECO Certified by Ecotourism Australia. Our Environmental Management Plan is reviewed annually and following our Ecotourism site audits.
We also participate in the Tourism Emissions Reduction Commitment program, through which we measure and report our operational emissions and document actions and plans aimed at reducing emissions over time.
Rather than simply talking about sustainability, we believe it is important to share the practical actions we are taking. You can read more about some of these initiatives below.
Who Gives A Crap
We do!! We are proud to stock all of our cabins with Who Gives A Crap Premium 100% Bamboo Toilet Paper!
These most elegant 100% bamboo toilet rolls are, as quoted by Who Gives A Crap, “as soft and strong as a unicorn’s mane (minus the split ends)!” Unlike traditional toilet paper made using virgin tree fibres, these rolls are made from 100% bamboo fibres.
Who Gives A Crap also donates 50% of its profits to clean water and sanitation non-profits around the world, helping improve access to clean water and toilets for those in need.
For more information, or to purchase your own supply and help change the world just by conducting your daily necessities, visit Who Gives A Crap.
Containers For Change
In addition to the many recycling bins positioned throughout the resort, did you also know that we also have 24 specially designed Containers For Change bins for our guests to place their empty cans and eligible containers for recycling?
Not only do we recycle nearly 3,000 containers per month through Containers for Change, but we also donate all funds to four local organisations, including Proserpine Community Centre, Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre, Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc, and Bowen and Collinsville Pet Rescue.
Containers saved from landfill
362633
Donated to a good cause
$36263
Sun Bum
We stock a range of Sun Bum sunscreen products for our guests, including formulations made without oxybenzone and octinoxate.
We chose to stock these products as part of our ongoing efforts to make considered purchasing decisions and encourage guests to be mindful of the environment when enjoying the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef.
Simply Clean
As part of our efforts to reduce single-use plastics, we replaced individual 20ml dishwashing liquid containers in our cabins with refillable 500ml bottles of Simply Clean Lemon Myrtle Dishwash Liquid.
The bottles are refilled from larger 15-litre containers, reducing the number of small single-use plastic containers used across the resort. Once empty, the larger containers are collected by our local supplier, Airlie Health Hub, for reuse or redistribution within the community.
The concentrated formula is boosted by the natural antibacterial and antifungal power of pure Australian lemon myrtle oil to leave your dishes, cutlery and pans grease-free and squeaky clean.
- Toxin & sensitiser free: Free from sodium lauryl sulfate & sodium laureth sulfate (SLS & SLES), PEGs, parabens, mineral oils, CDE and methylisothiazolinone (CMIT & MIT)
- Phosphate free
- Family safe and earth safe
- No artificial fragrances
- No animal testing or animal products
- Grey water and septic safe
- Palm oil free
Wallaby Water
Started from the bottle, now we’re here
As another step towards reducing the amount of single-use plastic used across the resort, we have replaced the 500ml plastic water bottles we previously stocked with Wallaby Still Spring Water in aluminium bottles. The aluminium bottles and caps can be recycled through appropriate recycling facilities, providing an alternative to the single-use plastic water bottles we previously offered.
It’s another practical change we’ve made to the products we choose to stock at the resort, helping us reduce our reliance on single-use plastic packaging. For more information about Wallaby Water, their packaging and environmental initiatives, visit the Wallaby Water website.
UPPAREL – Giving Our Uniforms a Second Life!
What happens to our staff uniforms when they’re no longer needed? Rather than sending them to landfill, we give them a new purpose!
For the past three years, we’ve been recycling our retired staff uniforms through Australian textile recycling organisation UPPAREL, sending approximately 20kg of uniforms each year. That’s around 60kg of textiles given a second life!
Through UPPAREL’s recycling program, unwanted textiles can be transformed into useful everyday products such as keyboard mats, laptop bags, notebook covers and drink coasters.
By recycling our old uniforms, we’re helping reduce textile waste and supporting a more sustainable, circular economy. It’s another way we’re working to minimise our environmental impact here at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort.
Soap Aid
Soap Aid – Making a Difference, One Bar of Soap at a Time!
We’re committed to reducing our environmental impact and supporting communities in need. We’ve already replaced single-use bathroom amenities in our cabins with refillable 500ml shower pumps, and this year, we’re proud to have joined Soap Aid’s Hotel to Hands Program!
Through this program, discarded soap from our cabins is collected, sorted, cleaned and reprocessed into fresh, hygienic bars of soap, which are then distributed to communities in need. Thanks to the support of Plastic Free North Queensland, an independent not-for-profit organisation that helped us identify these reuse initiatives, our housekeeping team is now actively collecting and storing used soaps for @SoapAid.
Since starting in January 2024, we have donated 288kg of soap to create 2,880 new bars—enough to support nearly 50 families for an entire year! Thanks to our incredible team and partners for making this possible. Together, we’re making a positive impact, both locally and globally.
We’re thrilled to share that BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort has been recognised as one of Soap Aid’s Top Champions of 2025. It’s a simple initiative with two great outcomes – soap that would otherwise be discarded is given another use, while newly processed soap bars are distributed through Soap Aid’s community programs to help provide access to soap and support good hygiene.
A huge thank you to our Housekeeping Team and everyone involved in helping us support the program – every bar counts!
For more information about the Hotel to Hands Programme and the work of Soap Aid, visit the Soap Aid website.
Our environmental aims and objectives:
Ensure compliance with applicable environmental legislation and requirements.
Identify, monitor and manage environmental risks associated with the operation of BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort.
Consider the potential environmental and cultural impacts of our operations and take practical steps to manage and reduce these impacts where possible.
Look for opportunities to reduce energy consumption across the resort.
Look for opportunities to reduce water consumption across the resort.
Reduce waste and support recycling and reuse initiatives.
Measure and identify opportunities to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and improve our resilience and adaptation to climate change.
Help our guests and visitors to the Whitsundays understand and appreciate our natural environment and the simple ways they can help care for it during their stay.
Support our local tourism partners and initiatives that contribute to the conservation of the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef region.
Source products locally where possible.
Continue to employ locally and support our Whitsunday community.
Participate in local environmental initiatives, including recycling and waste reduction programs.
Care for and support the flora and fauna found throughout our resort.
Regularly monitor and assess environmental opportunities, risks and impacts associated with our operations.
Continue to identify practical opportunities to improve the environmental performance of our operations.
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort is located just 5km from Airlie Beach, in the heart of the Whitsundays and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and 74 beautiful Whitsunday Islands.
Set amongst 26 acres of tropical gardens, our lush surrounds add that extra special something to the holiday experience, with thousands of plants creating our very own tropical wonderland. From our cabins and their spacious outdoor balconies to our caravan and camping sites surrounded by individually landscaped gardens, our tropical setting is very much part of the Frog Park experience.
Flora: Our on-site nursery propagates many of the plants used throughout the resort, including palms, gingers, heliconias and bromeliads. Neem trees have also been planted throughout the grounds, along with numerous flowering tropical trees and shrubs that provide habitat and food sources for butterflies, birds and other wildlife.
Fauna: We’re lucky to share the Frog Park with plenty of local wildlife. Our beautiful green tree frogs can often be spotted around the resort at night, while ducks, possums, wallabies, bandicoots, scrub turkeys and a wonderful variety of native birdlife can also be seen from time to time.
While our resident wildlife can be very friendly, we ask guests not to feed them, as human food can be unsuitable for wild animals and feeding can alter their natural behaviour.
Snakes are occasionally seen, particularly during the warmer months. If you spot one, please keep your distance and let our team know so we can assist.
Pets are not permitted at the resort, with the exception of assistance animals, helping us manage interactions with the native wildlife that shares our tropical environment.