Liberals pledge to have recreational activities at South Australian reservoirs
THE State Opposition has revealed bold plans to get more people swimming, paddling and fishing in SA Water’s dams.
RESERVOIRS across South Australia will be opened for recreational activities in a bid to boost tourism numbers in regional towns, if the Liberal Party wins the March election.
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall told the Sunday Mail seven reservoirs — from the bottom of Fleurieu Peninsula to the West Coast — would become water playgrounds.
“Opening up our reservoirs for recreational activities has many benefits, from health and community wellbeing to driving tourism into our regions,” Mr Marshall said.
“We want the community to be able to enjoy SA’s beautiful reservoirs, whether they want to fish, kayak, cycle, hike, paddle board or just go for a swim.”
Mr Marshall said the Liberals would unlock more than 1118ha of waterways — the equivalent of about 540 Adelaide Ovals. The reservoirs are:
BAROOTA at Port Germein, between Port Pirie and Port Augusta
BUNDALEER, south-east of Port Pirie
HAPPY VALLEY. in the southern suburbs
HINDMARSH VALLEY, north of Victor Harbor
MYPONGA, 60km south of Adelaide
SOUTH PARA RESERVOIR, near Williamstown
TOD RIVER, north of Port Lincoln
The State Government honoured its 2014 pre-election promise to open the Warren, Bundaleer and Tod reservoirs for fishing from the shore.
But recreational activities — including swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding — are banned.
Mr Marshall said interstate and overseas operational reservoirs were open to the public for recreational activities while South Australians continued to miss out on this opportunity.
“Nature-based tourism is becoming increasingly popular and opening up our reservoirs will enable tourism operators to service this market by providing tours, recreational services and educating people about our unique environment,” he said.
“The reservoirs we will open will provide a much-needed economic boost for a host of regional communities. It also mean there are over a million South Australians who will be a short drive away from enjoying one of our beautiful reservoirs.
“Driving more tourists into our regions will have enormous spin off benefits for a range of businesses, whether it be for the cellar door operators in the McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley, local restaurants and cafes or any other tourism operator.”
Mr Marshall said the plan would not affect the safety or quality of SA drinking water.
Opposition environment spokesman David Speirs said he would direct SA Water to open the reservoirs to provide opportunities for public recreation.
Smiling Samoyed Brewery owners and brewers Kate Henning and her husband Simon Dunstone, who run their microbrewery with a view over the Myponga Reservoir, said the area was under-utilised.
“People think it’’s a beautiful location but we often get asked if they can access the reservoir and we have to say no,” Ms Henning said.
“I think October through to April, when the weather is warm, could see the reservoir full of paddleboards and kayaks and, if they built some boardwalks, people could walk around it all-year round.”
The State Government has been highly critical of Mr Marshall’s plan to open Happy Valley Reservoir.
Water Minister Ian Hunter previously described the idea as “setting off into big seas with a dinghy and no life jackets”.
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