Shark attack fallout: Tourism chiefs urge visitors not to change their holiday plans

Yorke Peninsula business owners are urging holiday makers not to shy away from their “beautiful part of the world” in the wake of the fatal shark attack in Innes National Park.

State and regional tourism leaders are urging holiday makers not to shy away from South Australian beaches in the wake of the fatal shark attack off Yorke Peninsula’s Innes National Park.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, SA Tourism Council chief Shaun de Bruyn and Marion Bay Tavern owner Josh Harkin have led calls for people to resist cancelling plans to visit their favourite seaside locations.

Mr Malinauskas said the state had some of the best beaches and coastline in the country, and encouraged people to familiarise themselves with their surroundings before going in the water.

“South Australia has an incredible coastline, beaches and surf breaks,” he said. “They are there to be enjoyed, especially in the height of summer.

Marion Bay General Store’s Jesse Chudleigh said business isn’t suffering because of the shark attack. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ben Clark

“Yet, this tragedy is a reminder that our natural environment is not risk-free (and) I encourage every water user to take sensible precautions where possible.

“It is also worth remembering the longer-term context – shark attacks have occurred throughout our history, but remain rare.

Marion Bay Tavern owner Josh Harkin said there was no reason for people to cancel their getaway plans.

“It really is such a tragedy in the area, but what we need to keep in mind is we haven’t had a fatal shark attack in the area for over two decades,” Mr Harkin said.

Khai Cowley . Picture: Seaview Road Board Riders

“The last attack we had over here was in Hardwicke Bay in the 90s, and while we know it’s horrific, it’s not something to cancel plans over. These things are so rare.”

The Marion Bay Tavern, one of three staple businesses in the area - including the Marion Bay Caravan Park and the General Store - is still full of locals and tourists alike each night, with staff predicting an influx more heading towards New Year’s Eve.

“I don’t expect we’ll see a huge difference in how many people are coming in after this shark incident,” Mr Harkin said.

“This is still a beautiful part of the world to see, but we need to remember that when we’re swimming in the ocean, these things can happen. It’s just incredibly rare and unfortunate.”

A spokeswoman from the Marion Bay caravan park said there had been no major changes to bookings since the news of the shark attack.

“Obviously there’s a sombre mood in the area, but there’s still a lot of people coming down,” she said.

Jesse Chudleigh from the Marion Bay General Store - which fuels tourists with coffee, food and essential camping items - said the heartbreaking incident hadn’t affected business.

Mr de Bruyn encouraged interstate visitors to leave SA on their travel itineraries.

“I think the world that we live in, people are educated and they understand that there are a whole heap of things that happen which are out of our control,” he said.

“What we say to visitors is that SA is still a world-class destination. It’s an amazing place to visit and we deliver amazing wildlife experiences.

“I just encourage people when they visit our state to go and have a chat with the locals so when you go into a place that you don’t know and go and get a better understanding of the situation you’re stepping into.”