Our Philosophy

Achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.

At the Northern Escape Collection, we are passionate about reducing our impact on the environment and making a positive one on the community. We believe that turning a profit and supporting these two areas can go hand-in-hand.

Sustainability lies at the core of who we are as a business and we use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as the framework to help focus our efforts with the mission of achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

At Orpheus Island Lodge we are continuously expanding our efforts to tackle these issues by focusing on the goals where we think we can have the most impact.

Orpheus’ parent company, the Morris Group, also supports community projects related to these goals through its philanthropic foundation the Morris Family Foundation.

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Donating $50 per guest stay to the Morris Family Foundation Reef Keepers Fund, supporting projects that protect and preserve the Great Barrier Reef. The Reef Keepers Fund has funded research and protection initiatives run by Museum of Underwater Art, James Cook University Research Station, Centre for Future Work
Aiming to keep the oceans clean by supporting organisations such as Tangaroa Blue Foundation in their efforts to remove and prevent marine waste
The removal of single-use in-room amenities to reduce excess plastic waste. We are constantly on the lookout to reduce this further; ways we have actioned this include the introduction of washable slippers made from 100% recyclable materials and refillable toiletry dispensers
Discouraging our guests from using plastics that may end up in the waterways we provide stainless steel water bottles and ceramic Keep Cups as an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic water bottles and takeaway coffee cups
Supporting the anti-straw movement to help clean up our oceans – paper straws are available upon request
Selling of rashies that are made from recycled plastics, with any profits from purchases going to our Reef Keepers Fund

Ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

We host Deep Dive – an annual event to share best practices in reef preservation
We support Ganbina’s ‘Journey 2 Jobs’ program, which assists Indigenous Australians in obtaining an education and gaining meaningful employment
We believe in equitable education and are a strong supporter of One Girl, a charity with the goal of educating one million girls across Africa to assist in their personal development and the sustainable development of the community at large
We commissioned custom made bags from social enterprise ‘Bibi and Me’ made by vulnerable single mothers in Nakuru Kenya as a beach basket for Orpheus guests, with the option to purchase them from the boutique
Our partnership with Thrive Refugee Enterprise allows us to help refugees in finding decent employment when arriving in Australia, to assist them in achieving long-term financial security

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Eradication of harmful species and replanting of lost plant species
An on-site veggie patch that provides our chefs with a constant supply of fresh produce for guest meals and chickens which lay eggs daily for chef use. This helps to minimise our carbon footprint by reducing the distance from farm to table
We are committed to recycling and divert food waste from landfill where possible
The installation of a water treatment plant that allows 100% of the water to be recycled and used for irrigation and watering

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Following the installation of 810 gleaming solar panels on the hill behind the lodge, Orpheus Island Lodge is primarily solar-powered with battery storage and a backup generator on standby only. Since installation we have prevented over 603 tonnes of CO2 going into the atmosphere and reduced our fuel use by 79%
Solar hot water servicing all guest accommodation
An ongoing commitment to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, with plans to introduce more renewable energy sources in the near future
The Northern Escape Collection has partnered with Greenfleet to offset the carbon emissions of guests’ helicopter flights to Orpheus Island Lodge. Our native forests take carbon from the atmosphere to restore and protect our climate, but they also do much more. Greenfleet utilises offset donations to plant a variety of native trees in permanent forests across Australia and New Zealand that help to reduce salinity and soil erosion, provide essential habitat for native wildlife and offer much-needed resilience in our precious landscape

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Orpheus works with local suppliers in the Far North Queensland region to source local, organic, free range, fair trade, biodynamic and sustainably-farmed produce and products

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