Barrington Coast achieves ECO Destination Certification
Published on 14 February 2025
MidCoast Council is proud to announce that the Barrington Coast region has achieved ECO Destination Certification through Ecotourism Australia, highlighting their dedication to protecting their environment.
Located on the lower mid-north coast of New South Wales, three hours north of Sydney, the Barrington Coast is a haven for nature lovers and home to incredible landscapes such as the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of the Barrington Tops and the Ramsar Convention designated wetland of international importance the Myall lakes.
This milestone makes the Barrington Coast the fifth destination in New South Wales and the 13th in Australia to receive this distinguished recognition.
"We’re incredibly excited to welcome the Barrington Coast region as our newest certified ECO Destination,” said Ecotourism Australia CEO, Ms. Elissa Keenan.
"Led by the wonderful team at MidCoast Council, this achievement highlights the region’s commitment to adhering to global best practice sustainable tourism. Alongside achieving ECO Destination Certification, the region has actively supported local operators to achieve business certification or to complete our pre-certification benchmarking tool, the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard,” Ms Keenan said.
Support for the certification program was also provided from WWF-Australia's Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund. Following the Black Summer bushfires, WWF-Australia partnered with Ecotourism Australia to help 11 bushfire-affected regions build back better through ecotourism.
“Our ECO Destination Certification with Ecotourism Australia highlights our continued commitment and progress towards a more sustainable tourism industry, while creating more attractive experiences for locals and visitors,” said Mayor Claire Pontin.
MidCoast Council has implemented a wide range of sustainability initiatives including developing a Climate Action Strategy to achieve Net Zero targets by 2040, installing over 200kW of solar panels across 10 public buildings, holding water resilience workshops, and replacing printed visitor information booklets with QR codes that link to interactive online guides.
Destination NSW Acting CEO Karen Jones said: “Destination NSW congratulates Barrington Coast on achieving ECO Destination Certification—an achievement that reflects the region’s deep commitment to sustainability across environmental, cultural, and socio-economic dimensions.
"By embracing global best practices, Barrington Coast is not only protecting its extraordinary natural landscapes but also strengthening local businesses’ role in sustainable tourism.
"This milestone reinforces the region’s position as a premier destination for nature-based experiences in NSW, and Destination NSW is proud to support its ongoing efforts to safeguard these assets for future generations."
ECO Destination Certification at the Ecotourism level assesses a region on more than 90 criteria across eight sections including Destination Management, Environment and Climate, Culture and Tradition, and Social Wellbeing. By achieving ECO Destination Certification, the Barrington Coast joins a growing network of certified destinations in New South Wales - Bellingen Shire, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Coffs Harbour. Through Ecotourism Australia’s partnership with Green Destinations, Barrington Coast is also now part of a distinguished group of 160 certified destinations globally.
Ecotourism Australia’s Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Myv Costelloe, is in Taree today to award Barrington Coast with their official certificate and present to key stakeholders.