Fight to save Rapid Bay Campground follows ratepayer’s legal letter to Yankalilla Council calling for closure

Thousands of people are rushing to save one of SA’s favourite coastal camping grounds, after the local council received a legal letter.

The Fleurieu community and holiday-makers are mobilising to save their much-loved Rapid Bay campground, amid a push by a local ratepayer to shut it down.

Yankalilla Council is investigating the issue, and staff will present elected members with a report on any potential closure’s pros and cons in the coming weeks.

In response, more than 2400 people have signed a petition calling upon the council to keep the campground open.

The petition, on Change.org, says a closure would result in illegal camping, damaging the environment and increasing security risks and dumped rubbish.

It also says shutting down the campsite would hurt local businesses that rely on tourism.

Rapid Bay Campground is popular with holiday makers, who are fighting a push to close it down.

A report to Yankalilla Council this week said chief executive Nigel Morris had received a letter from a law firm acting for a Cygnet Place resident asking the council to immediately close the campground.

The letter requested the council “immediately refrain from causing suffering or permitting the use of the subject land for a public access camping and caravan ground”.

Mr Morris will seek legal advice before responding.

He told The Advertiser the council would still call for expressions of interest for the campground’s management, with its current three-year agreement due to expire on September 30.

Rapid Bay’s coastline. Picture: SATC

The large campground attracts up to 900 people at once and Mr Morris said concerns had been raised by some ratepayers about noise and rubbish.

He understood the resident who sent the legal letter was worried about those things, and had also flagged “planning reasons”.

The campground is on Crown land, under the council’s care and control, and Mr Morris said it was popular because of people’s ability to set up so close to the beach and experience stunning views at cheap prices.

If the campsite closed, people were likely to pitch their tents there anyway, he said.

“That’s exactly what happened during COVID,” Mr Morris said.

“When management wasn’t there people were just going there illegally and there was rubbish and human waste lying around.”

In response to questions from Cr Leon Zarins, Mr Morris said if it was closed, the administration did not have the resources to patrol the area while maintaining other duties.

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