Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Running head: VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Executive Summary
The primary purpose of this report will be to discuss about the location of Blue Mountains
National Park, which is situated in Australia. An overview of the destination will be provided,
which will include the geographical information and the major stakeholders who are engaged in
promoting and maintain the place which helps in sustainability of the selected destination. Three
key reasons for visiting this place by the tourists will be discussed, along with one environmental
issue that impacts on the success of Blue Mountains National Park. The main competitor
destination for this place has been selected as Kanangra-Boyd National Park, which will be
analysed through the strengths and weaknesses of this place to attract the visitors from across the
world. Two recommendations will be discussed at the end of this paper which will help to
prosper for long term purpose apart from maintaining the number of visitors who are visiting this
destination currently and to increase it. A brief conclusion involving the summary of the paper
will end the discussion of this report.

2VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the Destination............................................................................................................3
Motives to Visit this Place...............................................................................................................4
Environmental Issue........................................................................................................................5
Main Competitive Destination.........................................................................................................5
Recommendations............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

3VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Introduction
The primary purpose of this report will be to discuss about the location of Blue
Mountains National Park, which is situated in Australia. An overview of the destination will be
provided, which will include the geographical information and the major stakeholders who are
engaged in promoting and maintain the place which helps in sustainability of the selected
destination. Three key reasons for visiting this iconic destination by the tourists will be
discussed, along with one environmental issue that impacts on the success of Blue Mountains
National Park. The main competitor destination for this place has been selected as Kanangra-
Boyd National Park, which will be analysed through the strengths and weaknesses of this place
to attract the visitors from across the world. Two recommendations will be discussed at the end
of this paper which will help to prosper for long term purpose apart from maintaining the number
of visitors who are visiting this destination currently and to increase it. A brief conclusion
involving the summary of the paper will end the discussion of this report.
Overview of the Destination
As discussed, Blue Mountains National Park has been identified as the destination for this
report. It can be noted that this place has been added as the ecotourism certified destinations
within the region of Australia. This national park is situated in the region of the Blue Mountains,
in New South Wales which is in the eastern part of Australia. This site is included in the World
Heritage Site followed by UNESCO, and one of the eight areas which are marked protected by
the World Heritage Site. One-third of the overall bird species that is possessed by the region of
Australia is present here, apart from endless species of mammals, frogs and reptiles. Some of the
endemic and endangered species can be found in this region, which include the Blue Mountains

4VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
water skink, the Broad-headed snake, Regent Honeyeater. More than 5, 20,000 tourists visit this
place from across the world every year (Blue Mountains National Park, 2020).
This brand new status was announced on 28th October, 2017 in a ceremony. The major
stakeholder who, looks after this iconic world heritage site is National Parks and Wildlife
Service Regional Director David Crust. This destination of the Blue Mountains National park has
been demonstrated as an exceptional responsibility as well as commitment to the society of the
surrounding areas, the cultural and natural values that are possessed by this site, which is a
section of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), which will also help
to develop the place with sustainable approaches and development. More than four million
visitors visit this place, which possess a rich and diverse biodiversity.
Motives to Visit this Place
The three key motives to visit this place by visitors across the world can be described as
follows:
The rich biodiversity that is present here is one of the major reasons for the visitors across
the world to visit the Blue Mountains National Park. It attracts the wildlife lovers from every
parts of the world to enjoy the wilderness that is possessed by this area. There are large species
of fauna and flora that are present in this region which are unique from each other and possess
unique attractive power, which drag the tourists from across the world to view those (Belmer et
al., 2014).
The Blue Mountains National Park is divided in six areas, which are Katoomba area,
Glenbrook area, Mount Wilson area, Blackheath area, Lower Grose Valley area and Southern
Blue Mountains area. All these places possess different attractive powers which forces more than

5VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
5, 20,000 visitors in a year from different places of the world. This is also one of the major
motive for the tourists to visit the region of the Blue Mountains National Park.
Within the region of the Blue Mountains National Park, which covers a vast area of
1,034.6 square million provides a number of facilities to the people who visits this place. The
facilities include bushwalking, camping, cycling, river and lake and barbecue facilities. People
enjoys all these facilities apart from those mentioned above. The sandstone cliffs, waterfalls,
clear mountain streams and rivers that are present in this area possess enough attractive powers
to attract the tourists from across the globe, thus enjoying an average footfall of almost 5, 00,000
each year (nationalparks.nsw.gov.au, 2020)
Environmental Issue
Mine pollution is the main factor which is hampering the ecological balance of the region
of the Blue Mountains National Park (Pepper, Roche & Mudd, 2014). Researchers has identified
the pollution which is causing from the mines are worst affecting the rich and diverse ecosystem
that is possessed in this region. Many insects are dying due to this pollution. It has been found
that high levels of zinc and nickel are contaminating the water bodies, which are directly
affecting the lives of the flora and fauna that are present in large numbers in the region of the
Blue Mountains National Park (Shamsoddini, Raval & Taplin, 2014). Almost 90% of the insects
present in this area are dying this to this mine pollution. The stakeholder of this park along with
the state and national governments need to take necessary steps so that the pollution can be
decreased and the rich and diverse ecosystem including the flora, fauna and the insects can be
saved from harmful effects (abc.net.au, 2020).

6VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Main Competitive Destination
As discussed, Kanangra-Boyd National Park has been selected as the main competitive
destination for Blue Mountains National Park. It is a national park which is protected and
situated in the region of Central Tablelands, which is west of the regions of Macarthur and
Southern Highlands, in the state of New South Wales region of Eastern Australia. It can be stated
in this context that it is a continuous section of the Blue Mountains National Park as well as the
Nattai National Park. It was established in the year of 1969. This site was also included in the
World Heritage Site followed by UNESCO, and one of the eight areas that are marked protected
by the World Heritage Site (ecotourism.org.au, 2020). The major attraction or strength of this
national park is the presence of three waterfalls along with giving the tourists a unique caving
experience to the tourists who visit this place across the world.
The wilderness that is possessed by this national park is also another major attractiveness
which is enjoyed by the tourists who visit this place. Bushwalking facilities are also another
added feature that the visitors can enjoy while visiting this place. Lookout walk, plateau walk
and waterfall walk are some of the walking tracks that are provided within the Kanangra-Boyd
National Park. But, the major weakness that hampers the footfall in this site is the development.
In Compared to other attractive destinations like that of the Blue Mountains National Park, this
national park is not so much attractive in compared to other national parks or other attractive
destinations that are present across the world. Infrastructural issues are present within this
national park, though there are facilities like cycling, staying and walking
(nationalparks.nsw.gov.au, 2020).

7VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Recommendations
After discussing the environmental issue that is adversely affecting the ecological balance
in the Blue Mountains National Park, following are the recommended actions that need to be
followed by the stakeholder who are associated with this park:
Entities involved in conservation of the diverse ecosystem possessed by the Blue
Mountains National Park need to be supported by all the people, especially the travellers who
visit this place in large numbers every year. Donations, paying visitor fees ethically and
volunteering are some of the recommended steps that can be followed by all the people who
visits this place (Trzyna, 2014).
Education need to be provided to others regarding safeguarding the ecological life present
in this park along with the effects that can happen due to mining. This will help to spread the
awareness message to most number of people who visits this place (Brown & Renner, 2014)
Conclusion
From all the above discussion, it can be concluded that the Blue Mountains National Park
possess all the features to be in the World Heritage Site in spite of presence of the competitive
destination in the name of Kanangra-Boyd National Park. But there are environmental issue that
has been identified and discussed in this paper, which needs to be resolved by following the
recommended actions by the stakeholder along with the visitors who travel to this iconic place
from across the world. This will help to safeguard the wide array of rich biodiversity that is
present in this region and help to maintain the ecological balance between the flora, fauna and
the wide range of species of animals, reptiles, birds and insects that are present in the Blue
Mountains National Park. And this seems to be the one and only duty that needs to be duly

8VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
followed by all the people who are associated with this place, mainly by the tourists or the
visitors.

9VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
References
Belmer, N., Tippler, C., Davies, P. J., & Wright, I. A. (2014, July). Impact of a coal mine waste
discharge on water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the Blue Mountains World Heritage
Area. In Proceedings of the 7th Australian Stream Management Conference, Townsville,
Queensland (pp. 385-391).
Blue Mountains National Park | NSW National Parks. (2020). Retrieved 27 March 2020, from
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/blue-mountains-national-park
Blue Mountains National Park joins ranks of Australia’s Ecotourism Certified Destinations »
Ecotourism Australia. (2020). Retrieved 27 March 2020, from
https://www.ecotourism.org.au/news/blue-mountains-national-park-joins-ranks-of-australias-
ecotourism-certified-destinations/
Brown, E., & Renner, M. (2014). The genus acromastigum in Australia. Telopea, 17, 251-293.
Kanangra-Boyd National Park | NSW National Parks. (2020). Retrieved 27 March 2020, from
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/kanangraboyd-national-park
Mine pollution turning Blue Mountains river into 'waste disposal'. (2020). Retrieved 27 March
2020, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-26/blue-mountains-pollution-mine-
wollangambe-river/8303644
Pepper, M., Roche, C. P., & Mudd, G. M. (2014, July). Mining legacies—Understanding life‐of‐
mine across time and space. In Proceedings of the Life
‐of
‐Mine Conference (pp. 449-
465). Brisbane, Australia: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Shamsoddini, A., Raval, S., & Taplin, R. (2014). SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF SOIL
METAL CONTAMINATION AROUND A DERELICT MINE SITE IN THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS, AUSTRALIA. ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing &
Spatial Information Sciences, 2(7).

10VISTOR BEHAVIOUR AND MANAGEMENT
Trzyna, T. (2014). Urban Protected Areas: Profiles and best practice guidelines. Best practice
protected area guidelines series, 22.