What being a good visitor really looks like

Small actions, big impact at the Whitemark Foreshore

There’s something special about sharing a meal outdoors on Flinders Island. Good food, good company, sea air drifting in and the gentle hum of conversation. Recently, we spent a beautiful day at the Whitemark Foreshore with the Furneaux Friends at their Eating with Friends day, with Jess from Brand Tasmania joining in, and it turned into one of those simple moments that quietly says a lot about how we care for this place.

Lunch was relaxed. Stories were shared gathered around the picnic tables, and soaking up the coastal views. The kind of gathering that feels easy and familiar, where time slows down and connection comes naturally.

But what happened at the end of lunch is what makes this story worth sharing.

A small act that matters

As we packed up, Jess collected the soft plastics from our meal and took them back to the Tasmanian mainland to be recycled.

It might sound like a small thing. But on an island, small things matter.

On Flinders Island, the waste we create stays here. Every wrapper, every container, every piece of packaging adds up over time. Managing waste in a remote place is complex and expensive, and the environmental impacts are real.

So when visitors and locals make conscious choices about what they bring, what they use and what they take away again, it genuinely makes a difference.

This is what caring for a place looks like in practice. Quiet, thoughtful, everyday actions.

Being a good visitor

You might have seen our Postcards with Purpose around the island. It shares simple ways guests can contribute to the community while they’re here.

One of the themes is a message about supporting a circular economy.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Repurpose. Reconsider what you consume.

On an island, these aren’t just nice ideas. They are essential.

Choosing products with less packaging. Taking soft plastics back to the mainland. Shopping locally. Supporting regenerative businesses. Volunteering or donating to local initiatives. These choices help keep the island healthy and resilient for the long term.

The bigger picture

We’re working hard to welcome visitors in a way that stays true to island values. That means tourism that gives back, supports local livelihoods and protects the environment that makes this place so special.

Moments like this remind us that visitors can be part of the solution. Not just spectators, but contributors.

Because caring for Flinders Island is something we do together.

And sometimes, it starts with something as simple as packing up your soft plastics and taking them home. 💛