Abiotic Features of Geotourism

By focusing on geology and landscape as well as ecology and culture considerations, geotourism adds considerable content value to traditional nature-based tourism as well as to cultural tourism, thus completing the holistic embrace of ‘A’ (abiotic i.e., non-living) plus ‘B’ (biotic – flora and fauna) plus ‘C’ (culture) features.

Abiotic features play a significant role in attracting visitors interested in the Earth's natural wonders. These are summarised as follows.

CLIMATE: The long-term patterns of temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, and other atmospheric conditions in a specific place.

GEOLOGY: The composition, structure, and properties of the Earth's crust, including rocks, minerals, and soil types (inclusive of composition, texture, and fertility that influence plant growth and land use). These may feature unique minerals, and geological formations that hold scientific or aesthetic value. Hot springs, geysers, and other geothermal features are other abiotic elements of interest that showcase the Earth's internal heat and the unique landscapes associated with geothermal activity.

Interpretation of geological history and processes, including information about plate tectonics, erosion, and sedimentation, adds educational value to geotourism destinations. This includes abiotic processes such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones, and floods that shape the landscape through both geological and climatic events.

LANDSCAPES: Distinctive geological formations such as mountains, canyons, caves, cliffs, and rock formations are often key attractions in geotourism. These landforms showcase the Earth's geological processes and provide visitors with opportunities for exploration and appreciation. Extraordinary natural phenomena, such as waterfalls, can also be considered abiotic features in geotourism. These may result from geological processes such as erosion, and they add aesthetic value to the destination. Unique and captivating, scenic landscapes are often a focal point for visitors interested in exploring the natural beauty of a region.

HYDROLOGY: The study of water in various forms, including rivers, waterfalls, wetlands, lakes, oceans, and groundwater.

NATURAL RESOURCES: The location of current and/or heritage quarries and mines, and the study of unique soil compositions, may be of interest to visitors and tourists who want to understand the region's natural resources and their utilisation in other primary industries such as agriculture.

The overall physical appearance of any designated GeoRegion (e.g. Glen Innes Highlands https://bit.ly/3PXLVDN - pictured) including its terrain, vegetation, and physical features, contributes to the geotourism experience. Understanding these abiotic factors also plays a crucial role in fields such as environmental science, where the interaction between living organisms and their non-living environment is studied to assess ecosystems and human impact on the landscape.

Currently Australia has only three approved GeoRegions under active development. As well as the Glen Innes Highlands GeoRegion, there is the KU-RING-GAI GEOREGION, just north of Sydney, 440 sq km area in size and contained within three Local Government Areas and protected areas including the magnificent Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park https://bit.ly/3Lixasb

In addition, MURCHISON GEOREGION, located some 550 kms north of Perth in the Mid West Mining and Pastoral Region of WA, is a 281,200 sq km area embraced by seven Shires, co-supported by the Mid West Development Commission https://bit.ly/3XYXKfe

Guidelines for the development of GeoRegions can be sourced at https://bit.ly/47Nappn