Industry Influencers: Peter Gash

Almost a century later in 1969, an airstrip was built and revegetation commenced, bringing tourism along with it. In 1985 a low-key resort was opened — and is today known as Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort.

Some modern history

Peter Gash first visited the island in 1980, and immediately knew that he wanted to be a part of the ongoing rehabilitation and stewardship of the coral cay. He set a cunning plan in motion.
In 1985, Peter achieved his Commercial Pilot licence. He then joined and ultimately purchased aviation tourism and charter operation Seair Pacific on the Gold Coast.

Seair has evolved from a humble beginning with a single aircraft to a thriving business with 10 aircraft and around 100 employees. Based at Coolangatta and Hervey Bay, Seair is focussed on tourism and FIFO, but also offers a wide range of other services including SAR, freight, and Cessna Caravan endorsement training.

In the early 1990s, Seair Pacific started flying tourists to Lady Musgrave Island. In 1995, Peter started flying tourists to Lady Elliot Island. It had taken 15 years for this part of the plan to reach maturity, but the best part was still to come.

Some groovy history

In 2005, Peter and his family took over the Lady Elliot Island lease. Now he had control of the whole island, the resort, and the only means to get there. Surely world domination was next? Where is that ‘laser’ anyway, doctor E?

But Peter had other ideas. His vision was for a resort that was ecologically sustainable with a minimal carbon footprint — no lasers required.

Greener every day

On land, that vision has been achieved by initiatives such as replacing diesel generators with solar power, using reverse osmosis desalination for fresh water, and a high-tech wastewater treatment plant. The team has a policy of continuously improving the quality standards of resort operations, and they share a guiding principle to be role models in best environmental practise — something for the younger generation to aspire to.

But what about those kero-burning Cessna Caravans ferrying tourists to and from the mainland?

Easy. The resort currently works in partnership with Greenfleet to offset 100% of carbon emissions from all flights to and from the island. The plantings from this project have a double benefit in that they also help to protect the sea turtle population at Mon Repos Beach near Bundaberg. Nice.

Over and above

But that’s not where it ends. Peter and the team have been supporting a major electric Cessna Caravan project for the last 7 years. That’s obviously not a short-term project, but it certainly is a major step in the right direction, while the current strategy ‘treads water’ environmentally.

“Part of that goal is that the aircraft we use will be totally renewable. We are really excited about this project,” Peter said.

While the rest of us our doing our ‘bit’ for the environment, Peter and his team are doing a lot for it. We think that if there more people like him, the world would be a much better — and healthier — place.

If only we could send him back to 1969 to reboot the planet’s mojo…