Zero Trace CO₂e Report — Into the Tarkine | 5-Day Guided Wilderness Walk (Tasmania)
Results Summary
- Estimated total per person: ≈ 650 kg CO₂e
- Offset per person (200%): ≈ 1.30 t CO₂e
- Group total for context (10 guests): ≈ 6.5 t CO₂e
Method: high-estimate with Well-to-Tank (WTT) and aviation non-CO₂ effects via RF = 1.9; includes single-origin guest flights, all meals (included + off-tour), on-tour road transport, river cruise, accommodation, and +10% uncertainty uplift.
Purpose
Conservatively estimate greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂e) across Scopes 1–3, report per person (with group totals for context), and state the 200% offset applied per person.
Key Tour Info
- Region: Northwest Tasmania (Tarkine rainforest, Pieman River, Tullah, Montezuma Falls)
- Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
- Start/Finish: Launceston ⇄ Launceston (return road transfers included)
- Group size used for context totals: 10 guests (max)
- Walking distance: ~40–45 km total
- Meals included by operator: 4B / 5L / 4D (we still count all meals consumed)
- Signature logistics: Pieman River boat cruise to/from Pieman Heads; 3 nights eco-cottages + 1 night lodge
Scope & Boundaries
- Scope 1: On-tour vehicle fuel (Launceston transfers and local shuttles).
- Scope 2: Purchased electricity where directly attributable (generally captured via accommodation factors).
- Scope 3: Guest flights to/from the tour start (single-origin rule), accommodation (4 nights), all meals (included + off-tour), river cruise (marine fuel), and uncertainty uplift. Capital goods excluded.
- Framework: GHG Protocol; DEFRA-aligned factors with WTT; aviation RF = 1.9.
Feeder Hub (Guest Flights) — Single Origin Rule
- Chosen origin hub: Melbourne (MEL) → Launceston (LST) → Melbourne (MEL) (return).
- Great-circle distance reference: ~476 km each way (≈ 952 km return).
Emission Factors & Conservative Defaults
- Flights: Distance-based economy factors (DEFRA), WTT included, RF = 1.9 added for non-CO₂ effects.
- Road (mini-coach): Higher passenger-km factor (assumes lower occupancy) to bias conservative.
- Marine (river cruise): Fuelled small-vessel day operation (upper-range intensity).
- Accommodation: Room-night approach (HCMI/CHSB regional benchmarks).
- Meals: Meat-heavy mixed diet at ~2.5 kg CO₂e/meal.
- Uncertainty uplift: +10% on subtotal where primary meter/fuel data is missing.
Activity Data Applied (this estimate)
- Flights (per person): MEL ↔ LST (return).
- On-tour road (per person): ~700 km total, combining Launceston→Tarkine, intra-region moves, Tullah→Launceston (conservative vs published distances).
- Marine (per person): Full-day Pieman River cruise down to Pieman Heads and return (historic vessel).
- Accommodation: 4 nights (eco-cottages ×3, lodge ×1).
- All meals consumed: 15 meals/person (5 days × 3/day), independent of inclusions.
Results — Per Person (high-estimate, no tables)
Flights (MEL ↔ LST; WTT + RF = 1.9): ≈ 300 kg
On-tour road (~700 km; conservative passenger-km factor): ≈ 95 kg
Marine — Pieman River cruise (upper range): ≈ 80 kg
Accommodation (4 nights; region benchmark): ≈ 80 kg
All meals (15 × ~2.5 kg): ≈ 38 kg
Subtotal: ≈ 593 kg
+10% uncertainty uplift: ≈ 59 kg
Estimated total per person: ≈ 650 kg CO₂e
Reporting focus is per person. Group totals above are for context only; offsets are applied per traveller.
Assumptions (transparent)
- Origin hub fixed: Melbourne for all travellers (nearest major capital to Launceston).
- Road distance: Segment evidence (Launceston↔Corinna/Tarkine, Corinna↔Tullah, Tullah↔Launceston) supports ~600–640 km; we use ~700 km to remain conservative.
- Marine: Day cruise treated as a fuelled small-vessel operation at upper-range intensity.
- Accommodation: Camp-adjacent stays treated with room-night benchmarks to avoid underestimation.
- Meals: Every meal during the 5-day window counted, independent of inclusions.
- Uncertainty: +10% uplift applied to subtotal to capture unknowns.
Versioning
Generated 23 Aug 2025 (Australia/Perth). Factors reviewed at least annually or when official sources update.
References
- Tour page — Into the Tarkine | 5-Day Guided Wilderness Walk (itinerary, inclusions, logistics): Zero Trace Tours. (Zero Trace Tours)
- UK Government — Greenhouse gas reporting conversion factors (2024) (transport/energy; WTT & aviation guidance): GOV.UK. (Zero Trace Tours)
- UK Government — Methodology 2024 (treatment of aviation non-CO₂ and WTT): GOV.UK. (Zero Trace Tours)
- GHG Protocol — Corporate Accounting & Reporting Standard (Scopes 1–3): GHG Protocol. (Zero Trace Tours)
- Australia National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors 2024 (national factor context): DCCEEW. (Zero Trace Tours)
- Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) / CHSB benchmarks (room-night method): Sustainable Hospitality Alliance • Hotel Footprinting. (Zero Trace Tours)
- Dietary emissions (upper-bound mixed meals; EPIC-Oxford context): University of Oxford. (Zero Trace Tours)
- Great-circle flight distance MEL ↔ LST (~476 km each way): Air Miles Calculator • Travelmath. (Air Miles Calculator, Travelmath)
- Road distance evidence (used to justify ~700 km conservative total):Launceston ↔ Corinna/Tarkine ~254–267 km each way: Rome2Rio • DistancesFrom. (Rome2Rio, Distances From)Corinna ↔ Tullah ~91–98 km: Distance-Cities • DistancesFrom. (Distance Cities, Distances From)Tullah ↔ Launceston ~187–241 km range: Rome2Rio • Distance-Cities. (Rome2Rio, Distance Cities)
