Research conducted by Dr Noreen Breakey at World Heritage listed Riversleigh National Park and Naracoota Caves in north-west Queensland

Tourism in protected areas is a key research interest of Dr Noreen Breakey. To increase understanding of World Heritage visitors and their experiences, Dr Breakey received a grant to conduct visitor research at the Riversleigh World Heritage Area (WHA), in north-west Queensland.

World Heritage listing provides the highest level of recognition of heritage significance that can be associated with an area. Presentation of the world heritage values is an obligation under the convention. 

For managers of protected areas, delivery of such obligations can be problematic. This has been the case for Riversleigh, which together with Naracoorte Caves, were jointly added as the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites World Heritage Area in 1994. The first Riversleigh Community and Scientific Advisory Committee (RCSAC) meeting was held in 2007. That same year the first visitor study at the Riversleigh World Heritage Site was conducted by Dr Breakey.

After completing the research Dr Breakey was invited to present the findings at the RCSAC meeting in 2008. The results have also been used to inform the Draft Riversleigh Interpretive Plan, recently developed by the Department of Environment & Resource Management (DERM).

The plan comprehensively reviews interpretation on and off site and provides recommendations

to significantly improve the visitor experience. Illustrating the cooperative partnerships that have

developed over the course of the study, Dr Breakey and Ms Vallance, from DERM, will co-present this

work at the Global Ecotourism Conference later this year.

Dr Breakey has more than a decade of industry experience, having worked in hotels and resorts throughout Australia and in the travel industry in the UK. Immediately prior to joining the School Dr Breakey was a project officer with Tourism Queensland, working on Destination Management Plans for each region of Queensland. Her research interests are in sustainable visitor usage of the world’s existing, developing and potential tourism destinations.

 

 

Cate Clifford

Communications and Marketing

School of Tourism | Faculty of Business, Economics & Law

The University of Queensland | Brisbane Queensland 4072 | Australia

telephone +61 7 334 66259 | fax +61 7 334 68716 | email c.clifford@uq.edu.au