Soaring visitor numbers at national parks provide huge economic boost for regional towns

National parks have been soaring in popularity due to Covid-19 – and now regional towns are cashing in on the boost. So what are the most popular national parks in SA?

Regional towns are cashing in on a surge in outdoor explorers, with the number of paying visitors to national parks rising more than 20 per cent this year.

Environment Department data shows more than 548,000 visitors booked entry and camping passes online during 2021, up from 452,000 last year.

Among the most popular were the state’s oldest national park – Belair – along with the Fleurieu Peninsula’s Deep Creek and the Eyre Peninsula’s Coffin Bay and Lincoln National parks.

MOST VISITED NATIONAL PARKS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN 2021

■ Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park – 92,535 visitors, up from 78,228 in 2020 (18 per cent increase)
■ Deep Creek National Park – 65,678 visitors, up from 61,786 (6 per cent increase)
■ Lincoln National Park – 48,171 visitors, up from 38,553 (25 per cent increase)
■ Coffin Bay National Park – 46,179, up from 37,065 (25 per cent increase)
■ Belair National Park – 42,763, up from 27,191 (57 per cent increase)

Student volunteers from Bush Buddies Zoe, Isla, Annecy, Mick, Tom and Lele at Belair National Park. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park was the park which attracted the most visitors, with more than 85,000 people exploring it – up 28 per cent.

Environment Minister David Speirs said the rise in visitor numbers was “an amazing

result”.

“South Australia is home to some of the most picturesque landscapes in the world and it’s fantastic to see more and more people getting outdoors and experiencing this,” he said.

Deep Creek sits within the Yankalilla district, and Mayor Simon Rothwell said its surge in visitors, along with people exploring other new local trails and the Myponga Reservoir, was boosting local businesses.

Deep Creek National Park is one of the most popular in the state. Picture: Kym Tilbrook

“The (Smiling Samoyed) brewery was open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, now they’re open seven days, the bakery has more than doubled their turnover and there’s a new coffee shop open,” he said.

“For us, tourism numbers have risen considerably. Everybody stops along the way and it’s important for small towns like Myponga, Second Valley and all the way down to Cape Jervis.”

Myponga Reservoir opened to the public in April 2019 under the state government policy to increase access to reservoirs across the state. Then earlier this year, access was allowed for fishers and people paddling kayaks.

Carla and Travis Humphrys with their children Balian, 9 Tessa, 6 and Scotty, 2 at the Myponga Reservoir. Picture: Matt Turner

In the Riverland, flood plains had an environmental boost this year as regulators were activated to allow water into previously dry areas, bringing extra birds and frogs – and campers, kayakers and tourists who enjoyed watching them thrive.

This has added to an already large number of people taking off on road trips instead of travelling interstate or overseas, amid the pandemic.

“We get the spin-off effect from people coming to our communities and putting money into the economy,” Renmark Paringa Mayor Neil Martinson said.

“There’s a significant number of people around, which is great.”

The outback was also a major drawcard for tourists, with the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park welcoming 17 per cent more bookings.

The state government has committed to spending $130m on park upgrades between its 2018 election victory and 2025.

There are 57 conservation, recreation and national parks in South Australia charging entrance fees, of the state’s total 362 parks.

RECKLESS VISITORS

Almost 400 people were fined for breaking the law in national parks during 2021, prompting calls for visitors to cut out reckless behaviour.

Rangers issued 386 fines between January 1 and Christmas Day, with  camping unlawfully (109 people) and driving or riding in unauthorised areas (105 people) the most common offences.

Visitors found doing the wrong thing in national parks face fines of up to $242.

Other bad behaviour in parks has included people bringing animals into conservation areas where they were not allowed, allowing animals off-lead and lighting campfires when they are banned.

National Parks and Wildlife Service executive director Mike Williams said the fines were issued when many people were exploring national parks for the first time.

“When visiting these special places, we rely on visitors doing the right things to ensure they remain special,” Mr Williams said.

Mr Williams also urged visitors to follow the rules for driving in national parks.

“People that drive through sand dunes, or off designated tracks, can cause a raft of damage including erosion,” he said.

“Damage to tracks and sand dunes can take significant time and financial resources to fix.”

Mr Williams said that irresponsible driving on beaches also affects ground-nesting coastal birds, including vulnerable species, such as hooded plovers.

The state government did not supply data on the total amount collected through fines.