Carbon Footprint & Offset Report: Grampians Central Peaks 5-Day Expedition: Rugged Peaks Trek
Quick Snapshot
Estimated CO₂e footprint per participant: 750 kg CO₂e
(higher-end conservative estimate – covers all on-tour impacts plus average travel to/from Halls Gap/Melbourne)
Our 200% offset commitment per booking: 1,500 kg CO₂e
Funded through genuine landscape restoration in climate-vulnerable developing regions (reforestation, mangroves, soil regeneration, etc.). This creates real net-positive impact beyond neutrality.
Tour summary
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Max 12 guests
- Starts and ends Halls Gap
- Trailhead & gear shuttles (~100 km total)
- 4 nights remote backcountry platform camps (twin-share tents)
- All meals from lunch Day 1 to lunch Day 5 (hot breakfasts, dinners, fresh trail lunches)
- Highlights: ~65 km guided pack trek with summits of Mt Rosea, Redman Bluff, Mt William, Grand Canyon, The Pinnacle, Major Mitchell Plateau
Overview
This report estimates the carbon footprint for one individual participant on this tour using higher-end data from trusted sources. We intentionally choose upper-range figures to fully cover every impact – including hard-to-measure parts like supply chains and indirect effects.
We then double it (200%) and fund genuine landscape restoration projects in developing and climate-affected regions worldwide. This goes beyond standard offsetting to deliver real, lasting benefits for ecosystems and communities.
All figures in kg CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent – the standard measure that includes all greenhouse gases).
Tour Details
- Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
- Key locations: Halls Gap (Wonderland Range to Jimmy Creek via peaks and plateau)
- Travel style: Challenging guided multi-day pack trek with daily pack shuttles
- Assumptions: Average participant, standard behaviours, higher-impact choices where uncertain. Travel to/from Halls Gap is factored into the higher-end footprint for completeness.
Calculation Approach
- Sources: UK DEFRA 2025 conversion factors, Australian National Greenhouse Accounts 2024, UNWTO tourism data, IPCC guidelines, and peer-reviewed studies.
- Higher-end scale: Upper-range emission factors everywhere, plus well-to-tank fuel effects, +20% uncertainty buffer, and conservative assumptions for shuttle vehicles and remote tent camping.
- Per person, full tour experience.
- Excludes only purely personal extras (e.g. souvenirs or optional post-hike brewery lunch).
Detailed Emissions Breakdown (per participant)
Transportation – 120 kg CO₂e
- Average travel to/from Halls Gap (higher-end domestic flights MEL + local): 100 kg
- Trailhead & gear shuttles (~100 km shared): 20 kg – higher-end diesel factor
Accommodation – 200 kg CO₂e
- 4 nights remote backcountry camps: 50 kg per night – higher-end for off-grid support
Meals & Food – 100 kg CO₂e
- 5 days of full trail meals + snacks: 20 kg per day – higher-impact estimate
Activities & Excursions – 330 kg CO₂e (buffer for full coverage of guided interpretation and steep terrain support)
- 65 km guided hiking with major summits and geological features
TOTAL ESTIMATED FOOTPRINT PER PERSON: 750 kg CO₂e
Our 200% Offset Commitment
- Amount we will offset:2 × 750 kg = 1,500 kg CO₂e per individual booking
- How: Direct funding of landscape restoration projects – reforestation, mangrove protection, regenerative agriculture, wetland and soil carbon restoration
- Where: Developing countries and regions most affected by climate change (e.g. Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America) for maximum global benefit and community co-benefits
- Why 200% and higher-end estimates: To guarantee coverage despite any measurement discrepancies and to create genuine extra positive impact
Important Notes
- Numbers are deliberately conservative (higher) so we over-deliver on restoration – real footprint may be lower
- The tour already has strong sustainability practices; our independent higher-end analysis adds extra certainty
- Carbon accounting has natural uncertainties – doubling it is the responsible way
- This directly supports long-term carbon-sequestering landscapes and local communities