Push to capitalise on Southern Flinders Ranges’ food tourism potential

Delicious honeys, relishes, fruits and wines are bountiful in the Southern Flinders – but producers are frustrated many South Australians are unaware of the depth of its spoils.

Beetaloo Grove owner Sue Scarman believes the Southern Flinders region is capable of drawing more tourists. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

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Delicious honeys, relishes, fruits and wines are bountiful in the Southern Flinders – but producers are frustrated many South Australians are unaware of the depth of its spoils.

They want help to market the region, which they say has the potential to attract a wave of foodies and in turn, offer new jobs to locals.

Sue Scarman owns Beetaloo Grove, a 200 acre heritage-listed bushland in Beetaloo Valley, featuring an olive grove and bed and breakfast accommodation.

The vice chair of Southern Flinders Tourism & Tastes said the region needed Government funding to cover the cost of a full-time tourism officer, to help share the local area’s secrets.

“People know the Flinders but that first picture is usually Wilpena Pound,” Ms Scarman said.

“But to get to Wilpena Pound, they have to drive through here and they’re not going to know everything that’s on offer unless they stop.”

With plenty of accommodation on offer to attract tourists, it was a matter of encouraging people to spend more time in the area, Ms Scarman said, benefiting the area’s 50-odd food producers.

One idea to promote the region’s food was enticing a talented chef to either start a new high-quality restaurant, or overhaul the menu at an existing one, using local ingredients.

Jackie O’Reilly, of O’Reilly’s Orchards in the nearby Wirrabara Forest, said the region had untapped potential to cater for tourists looking for a “down to earth” experience.

However, it often fell off the radar in favour of popular spots closer to Adelaide, such as the Barossa Valley and Kangaroo Island.

“We’re a really eco area and wildlife is part of what you see when you walk down the streets, unlike in the Barossa where you can walk around all day and you might be lucky to see a kangaroo,” the tourism group’s chairwoman said.

Kirstie Jamieson, owner of Beetaloo Gourmet Mushrooms, said the tourism industry had a greater potential to attract new permanent residents than other sectors, such as renewable energy projects, which only provided a temporary population influx.

Tourism Minister David Ridgway said the Government was passionate about growing tourism in the regions.

It provided funding towards a part-time tourism project officer for the Southern Flinders, along with a full-time regional tourism manager.

The regional tourism manager also looked after the rest of the Flinders Ranges, Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Roxby Downs and areas overseen by the Outback Communities Authority.

“We recognise there’s enormous opportunity to continue to drive local tourism, including food tourism, in this beautiful part of the state and we will continue to work with local operators on ways in which we can best grow the visitor economy and create more jobs,” Mr Ridgway said.