Page 72 - Port Douglas Magazine 41

sustainability.
PRESERVING
PARADISE
Iconic Port Douglas Resort’s Commitment
To Responsible Business Practices
WHEN A VISITOR STEPS into Sheraton Grand Mirage Port
Douglas, they may immediately be taken by the palm-lined
driveway, the glittering pools and the expansive tropical
grounds. But beyond the impressive façade of Australia’s
most iconic beachfront resort is a revolutionary sustainability
program that aims to help preserve the country’s first eco-
certified tourism destination.
ECO-CHIC ESCAPE
Mindful of its location between two UNESCO World Heritage
sites, the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, the resort
minimizes its environmental impact through water conservation,
energy efficiency, and a reduction in both carbon emissions and
landfill.
The resort’s long term focus on sustainability made it a finalist
in the Tropical North Queensland Tourism Industry Awards for
Sustainable Excellence in 2023.
SWIM SUSTAINABLY
You may have pictured yourself sipping cocktails poolside, but
what you may not know is that the resort’s pools are one of
the property’s most impressive sustainability features. Hidden
beneath a grassy hill on the resort’s perimeter is an advanced
saltwater harvesting system that sources water directly from the
ocean!
To offset daily water loss due to evaporation, this innovative system
maintains the pool’s gloriously picturesque water-levels without
reliance on the Douglas Shire’s precious fresh water supply. Using
sea water also eliminates the need for added chlorine, with a salt
conversion and filtration system, creating safe, swimmable water
for guests to enjoy day in and day out.
Water conservation at the resort doesn’t end with the pools – the
grounds are home to an intelligent irrigation system using ground
and storm water, and all guest rooms are equipped with low-flow
taps, showerheads and toilets.
SUNSET SESSIONS
While the pools are reserved for the use of in-house guests, visitors and
locals alike are invited to sip and swim the evening away at the resort’s
once-monthly Sheraton Sunset Sessions.
Executive Chef Belinda Tuckwell
in the onsite herb garden
Rum Masterclass
Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas
BEING WASTE-WISE
With 7 unique bars and restaurants and one of Queensland’s most
fertile farming-regions nearby, the resort kitchens are stocked with
local, responsibly sourced produce. But green-measures in the
kitchen go beyond lettuce grown on the Atherton Tablelands.
The culinary team processes all organic food-waste through a high-
output composter. Using a natural enzyme, the machine can transform
200kg of waste a day into a nutrient-rich fertilizer used in the resort
gardens which eliminates up to 73 tonnes of landfi ll per year.
As plastic accounts for almost 80% of the world’s ocean pollution, with
repercussions for people and ecosystems alike, all guest rooms are
equipped with refillable bottles with filling stations located throughout
the property. Assuming every guest consumes on average two bottles
of drinking water per day, this initiative prevents an estimated 2 million Filtered water stations
plastic bottles a year from entering landfill or ending up in the region’s
fragile marine environment.
ELEVATING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Not only have the kitchens and laundry facilities been updated with
energy-efficient equipment and appliances, but energy-efficient LED
lights have replaced traditional bulbs throughout the entire property.
Even the golf buggies and the resort’s own transport vehicle are electric.
In fact, EV drivers can charge their own vehicle at one of the Sheraton’s
six onsite charging stations.
CONNECTING FOR CONSERVATION
Locals and visitors can come together to create a positive impact by
joining a Good Travel with Marriot Bonvoy activity which is a citizen
science project facilitated by the Tangaroa Blue Foundation. It’s
an impactful morning of collecting, sorting, and cataloguing marine
debris found on Four Mile Beach. The findings are placed into the
Australian Marine Debris Database and used to identify problems at
the source and used by industry and government to create change
on a large scale. Organic waste composter
EXPLORE MORE
The resort’s Virtual Concierge puts all the answers at your fingertips. Not only can you
learn more about the resort’s sustainability initiatives, you can also make a dinner
Sheraton Sunset Sessions reservation, book a High Tea, or sign up for a Sugar Cane Rum Masterclass.
TIP When visiting be sure to subscribe to the newsletter and you’ll always be ‘in the know’.