Business, Government to develop tourism opportunities in SA national parks

PRIVATE investors and the State Government are in talks to develop business opportunities to increase tourism in the state’s national parks.

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PRIVATE investors and the State Government are in talks to develop business opportunities to increase tourism in the state’s national parks.

It is part of a plan to put SA on the map for nature-based tourism after the success of similar projects in the US, New Zealand and Tasmania.

Environment Minister David Speirs said he was committed to unlocking more natural areas to encourage better conservation outcomes.

“You cannot value and love our natural environment unless there are opportunities to get in there and experience it,” he said. “We think there is significant opportunity to activate our national parks. The more people that enjoys these areas the better.”

The Environment Department has not revealed the projects under negotiation for commercial reasons.

Naracoorte Cave’s national park

However, one of its executive directors Matt Johnson said 14 of a possible 18 new business opportunities are being explored.

The negotiations follow an expression of interest process that generated responses from 40 investors and included proposals for:

HELICOPTER transport for great white shark tours in the Neptune Islands Conservation Park.

RENOVATIONS to Cantara Homestead in the Coorong National Park.

AN ADVENTURE hub at the end of the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail.

OUTDOOR dining experiences in the Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens.

TOURS of the Fort Glanville Conservation Park in Semaphore Park.

CONVERSION of Old Government House in Belair National Park into accommodation.

ESTABLISHING a tourism village at the Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula.

EXPAND cafes and cave tours in Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia’s only World Heritage site.

DEVELOP an eco-lodge in Lincoln National Park on the Eyre Peninsula.

It comes more than a year after the Sunday Mail revealed plans by the former Labor government for private investment to fund national parks.

Mr Johnson said full proposals are due by the end of July. Projects are expected to begin by the end of the year.

The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

“Careful consideration will be given to ensuring proposals strike the important balance between conservation and economic development, raising the profile of our state, welcoming people into our parks, invigorating local economies and creating jobs,” he said. “All proposals will be assessed with the aim of selecting a preferred proponent or proponents for each of the 14 opportunities.

Wilderness Society SA said any development in a national park must be subject to a high level environmental impact assessment and public consultation process, and only be considered within an already cleared or modified area.