Sustainable Tourism Management: Lessons from the Edge of Australia

Strategies of sustainable tourism are not easily implemented and there is a need to examine case studies of 'best practice' to offer ideas, solutions and models of organisation, funding and conflict resolution to guide others who seek to introduce similar approaches. This paper discusses the management of the Cape Byron Headland Reserve in New South Wales, Australia, which has faced problems of maintaining the integrity of the site from inappropriate uses and commercial exploitation. A review is made of the achievements of the Cape Byron Headland Trust as a model of sustainable tourism management, which has involved permanent, on-site management of the area, its own fund-raising activities and local community participation in its management.