Website: greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au. Operator: PaulGraeme Barnes trading as Great Southern Expeditions, ABN 66 945 193 550.
1. Purpose and scope
This Privacy Policy explains how Paul Graeme Barnes trading as Great Southern Expeditions collects, holds, uses and discloses personal information through the Website, enquiries, bookings, travel services, marketing and business operations.
Where the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles apply to us, we comply with them. If an exemption applies, we will still seek to handle personal information consistently with this Policy and applicable law.
2. Personal information we collect
- Identity and contact details, including name, date of birth, address, email, phone number and emergency contact.
- Booking and travel details, including preferences, itinerary, room selection, loyalty details and companion information.
- Passport, visa or identification details where reasonably necessary for a booking.
- Payment and transaction information, noting that complete card details are ordinarily processed by our payment provider rather than stored by us.
- Health, accessibility, dietary, allergy and other sensitive information where needed to assess safety or arrange requested services and where consent or another lawful basis applies.
- Communications, enquiries, feedback, complaints, reviews and records of consent.
- Website and device information such as IP address, browser, device, referring page, cookies and analytics events.
- Business contact details for suppliers, partners, advisers and corporate customers.
3. How we collect information
We collect information directly from you, the lead booker, another traveller authorised to act for you, our Website and forms, phone or email communications, payment providers, travel suppliers, referral partners and publicly available sources where lawful.
If you provide information about another person, you must be authorised to do so and should tell them about this Policy.
4. Why we use personal information
- Responding to enquiries, preparing quotes and managing bookings.
- Arranging accommodation, transport, activities, meals, accessibility and other travel services.
- Processing payments, refunds and fraud or identity checks.
- Communicating operational, safety and itinerary information.
- Providing customer support and resolving complaints.
- Maintaining records, accounts, insurance and legal compliance.
- Improving our Website, services, security and customer experience.
- Sending marketing where we have consent or another lawful basis, with a working unsubscribe option.
- Protecting travellers, staff, suppliers and our lawful interests.
5. Sensitive information
We collect sensitive information only where reasonably necessary and with consent or as otherwise permitted by law. We use it for the purpose for which it was collected, such as assessing accessibility, dietary or health-related needs, and disclose it only to people who reasonably need it to deliver or protect the booking.
6. Disclosures
We may disclose relevant personal information to accommodation providers, transport operators, guides, activity providers, payment processors, insurers, technology and cloud providers, professional advisers, regulators, emergency services and other parties needed to deliver a booking or comply with law.
We do not sell personal information. We seek to limit disclosures to what is reasonably necessary and use contractual, technical or organisational safeguards where appropriate.
7. Overseas disclosures
Travel and cloud services may require information to be stored or accessed outside Australia. Likely countries may depend on your destination and our providers and currently include [OVERSEAS SERVICE PROVIDER COUNTRIES, IF KNOWN].
Before publication, GSE must confirm the countries or explain that they are not practicable to specify and provide current supplier information on request. Where Australian privacy law applies, we take reasonable steps required by law in relation to overseas recipients.
8. Payments
Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers under their own privacy and security terms. We may receive transaction identifiers, payment status, card type and limited card information, but we do not intentionally store full payment-card details on our Website systems.
9. Direct marketing
We may send offers, destination ideas and business updates where you have consented or where permitted by law. Marketing consent is optional and is not a condition of receiving a quote or booking.
You can unsubscribe using the link in an electronic message or by emailing discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au. We will action unsubscribe requests within the period required by law. Service and booking messages are not marketing and may still be sent where necessary.
10. Cookies and analytics
We may use essential cookies for security and site operation and optional analytics or advertising technologies to understand Website use. Where required, non-essential technologies will not be activated until valid consent is obtained.
You can adjust browser settings and any cookie-preference tool on the Website. Blocking some cookies may affect functionality. The Website should list the current analytics and advertising providers before publication.
11. Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the information and risk. These may include access controls, multi-factor authentication, encryption in transit, provider due diligence, backups, logging and staff access limits.
No online system is completely secure. If you believe information has been compromised, contact us immediately.
12. Retention and deletion
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described, legal and tax obligations, insurance, dispute management and legitimate business records. We then delete, destroy or de-identify it where lawful and practicable.
Before publication, GSE should approve a retention schedule for booking, identity, payment, health, marketing and Website records.
13. Access and correction
You may request access to personal information we hold about you or ask us to correct it. Contact discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au and provide enough information for us to verify identity and locate the record.
We will respond within a reasonable period. If access or correction is refused, we will explain the reason and available complaint steps where required by law. A reasonable charge may apply only where lawful and disclosed in advance.
14. Privacy complaints
Send a privacy complaint to discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au with the relevant facts and requested outcome. We aim to acknowledge it within 7 days and provide a response within 30 days, or explain any delay.
If you are dissatisfied and the Privacy Act applies, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au. Other consumer or sector regulators may also be available depending on the issue.
15. Data breaches
We assess suspected data breaches and take containment and remediation steps. Where the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme applies and a breach is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as required.
16. Children
A parent, guardian or authorised adult must make a booking and provide consent for a traveller under 18. We do not knowingly direct marketing to children or ask a child to provide sensitive booking information without appropriate adult involvement.
17. Automated decisions and AI
We may use software or artificial intelligence to assist with drafting, categorisation, recommendations, fraud detection or customer service, with human oversight appropriate to the task. We do not currently intend to make solely automated decisions that significantly affect a person’s rights or interests without meaningful safeguards.
If we begin using automated decision-making in a way that triggers disclosure obligations, we will update this Policy and provide the information required by law before that use commences.
18. Third-party links
The Website may link to third-party websites and services. Their privacy policies apply to their handling of information. We are not responsible for third-party privacy practices but welcome reports of problematic links.
19. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy to reflect legal, operational or technology changes. The current version and effective date will be published on the Website. We will provide additional notice where a material change requires it.
20. Privacy contact
Privacy Officer — Great Southern Expeditions
Paul Graeme Barnes trading as Great Southern Expeditions
ABN: 66 945 193 550
Address: 5 Amphitheatre Street, Eynesbury VIC 3338
Email: discover@greatsouthernexpeditions.com.au
Phone: 0401 229 988