Nature-Based Tourism

Mr BASHAM (Finniss) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Can the minister please update the house about recent developments in the nature-based tourism sector in South Australia and outline the government's commitment to growing the industry?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:34): I thank the member for Finniss for his question, noting that nature-based tourism is such an important industry within the area he has the good fortune of representing. It has been good to see the recent partnership between the state government, led by my department, and Oceanic Victor on Granite Island, which will see the reinvigoration of the tourism offering on that island, providing better hospitality opportunities on Granite Island and drawing people to that neck of the woods.

I particularly want to talk today about the opportunities in nature-based tourism across the state, particularly on Kangaroo Island, building on the work that the previous government undertook in 2017 calling for expressions of interest looking for business opportunities that could leverage our natural assets under the care and control of my department. As I said, that body of work was initiated by the previous government and enthusiastically embraced by this government, recognising that the unique natural assets that are part of this state are such a drawcard within our state's tourism industry and recognising that our tourism industry can very quickly create jobs when given the right support. Those jobs can particularly be created in regional South Australia.

One project that the previous government brought to fruition was the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a project that has been particularly successful. It is a five-day walking trail on Kangaroo Island. Recent studies have shown that that piece of tourism-based infrastructure delivers more nights of people spending their time on Kangaroo Island than it takes to walk that trail, so we are seeing significant value-adding. People are staying in other accommodation, not just walking the trail.

I am pleased to announce that the government has entered negotiations with the Australian Walking Company to look at the provision of high-end tourism accommodation associated with the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail. That will see the Australian Walking Company provide a couple of luxury lodges sensitively sitting within the landscape to provide a high-end accommodation experience for people who want to walk that trail with a little more comfort than perhaps a traditional camping experience. Not only will a couple of lodge experiences be delivered but cottages at Cape du Couedic will be restored and reinvigorated to provide another accommodation option.

We believe that this will be very attractive to the high-end tourism sector, bringing people to South Australia to enjoy our natural environment and spend money while they are here. Those are the sorts of visitors we are very keen to attract because those are the sorts of visitors who expand our tourism economy and really provide a stimulus to our overall economy here in South Australia. I look forward to bringing more information to the house as we explore further opportunities to reinvigorate our tourism sector in South Australia and leverage our natural assets in a sensitive way to do that.