ECOTOURISM company CoastXP has collaborated with local businesses to launch whale watching adventures and water cruises from Lake Macquarie.
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The 12-seat vessel Hydro was launched on Thursday, February 1.
CoastXP director Dominic May said the boat would be based in the Lake Macquarie area permanently, leaving from Swansea RSL club for offshore tours and the Belmont Baths jetty for inshore excusrsions.
"It will allow us to offer new ecotourism activities in the lake," he said.
The company, founded by Mr May in Newcastle, has collaborated with local hospitality operators like Gather and Graze, TINTA Belmont, and 8 at Trinity to offer packages.
Lake Macquarie's deputy mayor Madeline Bishop was on board the vessel on Thursday.
She said CoastXP and the council shared a vision for growing the area as a sustainable tourism destination.
"We're so luck to live where we do, surrounded by natural beauty and attractions," she said.
"The aim of ecotourism is to embrace these things, celebrate them, and shed light on them, but minimising the footprints we leave behind."
Tours will range from one-and-a-half hours to four hours, and whale watching tours during the peak winter season will be about two-and-a-half.
They're scheduled for weekends, but weekday trips may be added based on demand.
