Ross Dowling AM and Mrs Wendy Dowling AM were born and raised in New Zealand but are now based in Perth, Western Australia. Through their company Ideology Pty Ltd they have worked around the world over the past 25 years in conservation, ecotourism, education and training.
Ross and Wendy have visited the Kinabatangan River Basin and Sukau Rainforest Lodge on many occasions and they are always enthralled by the alluring beauty of this region. They state “The first time we stayed at the Lodge we were struck by the beauty of the place. We think that Albert Teo is a visionary pioneer who has opened up this region for discerning, environmentally friendly tourists to view. He and the whole Sukau Rainforest Lodge team should be commended for the way in which they have integrated tourism with the local community and surrounding tropical rainforest. This is one of the last pristine wilderness regions on the face of the planet and Albert and his staff are the custodians of it. In our opinion they are doing this in a magnificent way working with the local people to secure the future of this area through ecotourism”.
Through his role as Professor of Tourism at Edith Cowan University, Ross, together with Wendy, organised International Study Tours to Sabah for his tourism and hospitality students. They led student groups to Sabah and Sukau Rainforest Lodge in 2006, 2011, 2014 and 2018. Each group was involved in a number of projects including wildlife and land conservation, tourism development, and community activities in many parts of Sabah. Their contributions in Sukau included painting the Sukau Community Hall, tree planting the wildlife corridor along the banks of the Kinabatangan River and providing funds towards the establishment of the Sukau Research Centre.
Ross and Wendy have also contributed to many conferences, workshops and training seminars in the tourism industry in Sabah over the past 20 years. For example, at the Asia Pacific Ecotourism Conference held in Kota Kinabalu in 2014, four of their students provided a keynote address to the 200 delegates present.
For his contributions to the environment Professor Dowling has been awarded a New Zealand Conservation Foundation Citation and a Mobil Environmental Award. He was also the recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia [OAM] in 2011 and was made a Member of the Order of Australia [AM] in 2019 for his ‘significant service to higher education, tourism and conservation’. In 2019 he was awarded the Sir David Brand Medal by the Western Australian Tourism Industry which ‘recognises extraordinary personal and professional achievement and contribution by an individual over many years to the Western Australian tourism industry’.
In 2018 Wendy Dowling was made a Member of the Order of Australia [AM] for he ‘significant service to community health, particularly in Western Australia, through support for people living with coeliac disease’. She is an active member of Zonta International which works to make the world a better place by empowering women.
As recognition for their active involvement and contribution to ecotourism in Sabah and Sukau, Sukau Rainforest Lodge dedicates Villa Number 3 to Professor Ross and Mrs Wendy Dowling.
