About Us | Ocean Safari Website

Our team

The team who run the day to day operations for the Ocean Safari Great Barrier Reef snorkelling adventure, Safari Lodge and Turtle Rock Cafe in Cape Tribulation are a multi skilled and talented bunch of friendly people, who will ensure your Cape Tribulation experience is one to remember. Our backyard is your destination and the Ocean Safari crew are as diverse as the reef itself. These guys are your link to the reef and the rainforest, two UNESCO World Heritage sites sitting side by side.

Awards

2019 Queensland Tourism Awards Bronze Winner – Tour and Transport Operators: Ocean Safari won bronze in the Tour and Transport Operators Category for Queensland.
2019 Adventure Tourism Awards Silver Winner – Best Activity in Australia: Ocean Safari won silver celebrating the best Adventure Tourism Operators in Australia.
2019 Adventure Tourism Awards Silver Winner – Best Activity in Queensland: Ocean Safari won silver celebrating the best Adventure Tourism Operators in Queensland.
2018 Australian Tourism Awards Silver Winner – Tour and Transport Operators: Ocean Safari was incredibly proud to win silver in the Tour and Transport Operators Category on a national level for its Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours.
2018 Queensland Tourism Awards Gold Winner – Tour and Transport Operators: Ocean Safari won gold in the Tour and Transport Operators Category for Queensland.
2017 Silver Winner Queensland Tourism Awards: Ocean Safari won Silver in the Tour and Transport Operator category at the Queensland Tourism Awards in 2017, proving our ongoing commitment to offering an exceptional Great Barrier Reef experience.
2016 Bronze Winner Queensland Tourism Awards: Ocean Safari won Bronze in The Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism category at the Queensland Tourism Awards in 2016. We are especially proud to be honoured in this category as we are passionate ambassadors for ecologically sustainable tourism in this beautiful region where the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef, two world heritage areas side by side.
2015 Silver Winner Australian Tourism Awards: Winning silver as the best Tour and Transport Operator in Australia at the 2015 Australian Tourism Awards for its Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours is a huge achievement and something the team are very proud of.
2015 Gold Winner Queensland Tourism Awards: Ocean Safari proudly won gold at the 2015 Queensland Tourism Awards, in the Tour and/or Transport Operator Category, for its Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours.
2014 Winner Tropical North Qld Tourism Awards: Ocean Safari was proud to win the Tour and/or Transport Operator Category for its Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours at the 2014 Tropical North Queensland Tourism Awards.
2013 Premier’s Sustainability Awards Finalist: Ocean Safari was proud to be awarded as a finalist at the 2013 Premier’s Sustainability Awards in the Small Business category. The Premier’s Sustainability Awards are a state-wide program to recognise the achievements of Queenslanders in adopting sustainable practices.
2013 Bronze Winner Queensland Tourism Awards: Ocean Safari was proud to receive recognition as a bronze winner at the 2013 Queensland Tourism Awards, in the Tour and/or Transport Operator Category, for its Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours.

TripAdvisor: Ocean Safari is proudly #1 of 18 Things To Do in Cape Tribulation on TripAdvisor, has a Certificate of Excellence 2019 for consistently achieving a ‘5 out of 5’ rating from guests on the daily Great Barrier Reef tours and is proud to receive a prestigious Hall of Fame certificate.
Advanced Ecotourism Certified: Ocean Safari received Advanced Eco Certification in 2009 for its Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours. ECO Certification is a world first. It has been developed by industry for industry, addressing the need to identify genuine nature tourism and ecotourism products in Australia. Nature tourism and ecotourism experiences offer stimulating insights into Australia’s natural areas, leaving minimal impacts afterwards. Choosing a product that displays one of the three ECO Certification logos means you will enjoy an experience with a quality operator. Advanced Ecotourism operators are Australia’s leading and most innovative ecotourism products, providing an opportunity to learn about the environment with an operator who is committed to achieving best practice when using resources wisely, contributing to the conservation of the environment and helping local communities. Visit www.ecotourism.org.au
GSTC Approved: Ocean Safari is also Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) approved. GSTC are an independent body that establishes and manages global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism with the aim of increasing sustainable tourism knowledge and practices. The GSTC Approved tick means that our ECO certified products are certified under a certification program, namely Ecotourism Australia’s ECO certification, is using a Global Sustainable Tourism Council -recognised standard, is following processes and procedures that have been reviewed and approved by the GSTC, and that the certification procedures largely meet international standards for transparency, impartiality, and competence.

Memberships

Tourism Tropical North Queensland: Ocean Safari is a proud member of TTNQ, the peak regional visitor destination marketing organisation for Tropical North Queensland, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. Visit www.cairnsgreatbarrierreef.org.au
Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree: Ocean Safari is also a proud member of TTPD, the official tourism body for the Port Douglas, Daintree and Cape Tribulation region. Visit www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com.au
Adventure Queensland: Queensland offers a multitude of activities and accommodation options for backpackers and Ocean Safari is a member of this organisation, which offers a wealth of information for any backpacker planning their Queensland experience.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC): This Queensland tourism body is a not for profit membership organisation representing members’ interests – both large and small, of which Ocean Safari is an active member.
Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO): Ocean Safari is a member of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, the peak industry body for marine tourism within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Program Participation

Eye On The Reef: Ocean Safari participates in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority study, “Eye on the Reef “program. This monitoring program is the largest of its kind and relies on a strong relationship between The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, marine tourism operators such as ourselves who conduct Great Barrier Reef tours and the reef research community. It is an ongoing exercise in collecting and documenting marine life, water temperatures and coral health. Visit Eye On The Reef.

Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef: We, the Citizens of the Reef, are determined to protect this unique natural wonder, but we need your support. Wherever you live in the world, get involved and make a difference: Become a Citizen of the Great Barrier Reef. As a visitor to the reef/region you have already taken the first step. Together we will raise awareness and drive change to secure the future of this breathtaking ecosystem for generations to come. Build the movement by engaging your community and friends; support local conservation efforts; learn about the Great Barrier Reef and its threats; and aspire to a lifestyle where the decisions you make at home serve to secure the future of the reef and our planet. We can’t wait for someone else to sort it out. Become a Citizen today at citizensgbr.org.

Permits – Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA): The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects and preserves the largest and richest system of coral reefs in the world. It incorporates most of Australia’s north-eastern continental shelf.. Ocean Safari has GBRMPA permits in order to visit the marine park on our daily Great Barrier Reef tours and each passenger pays an Environmental Management Charge (EMC) fee as part of the price of their fare. These fees are vitally important in the day-to-day management of the Marine Park and in improving its long-term resilience.