Seal Bay Visitor Centre

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. I have not been back to Kangaroo Island for about 30 years, but will the minister tell the chamber about the upgrades to the Seal Bay visitor centre and how these improvements are likely to benefit both visitors and the environment?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:00): I thank the honourable member for his excellent question. On Sunday 18 April I had the pleasure of going to Kangaroo Island to officially open the upgrades at Seal Bay. Seal Bay has been at the heart of the Kangaroo Island community for generations and it has evolved into a world-class tourism attraction.

I am not sure if the Hon. Mr Ngo was there 30 years ago but I certainly was, and I can remember in those days—before the roads were sealed—a bus would drop you off at the other end of the beach and the bus driver would get out his thermos flask of tea and say, 'Right, there you are. I'm having a cup of tea. You go and wander on the beach and interact with the seals.' That was some time ago in a different world: we no longer allow tourists to have that experience any more but they can, in fact, have a wonderful experience on the beach only metres away from seals, with appropriate guiding.

Seal Bay draws, I am told, about 100,000 visitors every year and generates over $2 million in revenue for the island. Of course, it is not hard to see why: it is the only place in the world where visitors, I am told, are able to enter a wild colony of Australian sea lions, one of the rarest species in the world. Seal Bay is home to around about 1,000 Australian sea lions, making it the third-largest colony of this endangered species.

Visitors here have a brilliant opportunity to observe these wild animals in their spectacular natural habitat. Even on a cold, wet and windy day (as sometimes happens at Seal Bay, like the day of the opening), the site and the seals are just spectacular. Of course, if there is chilly weather—and that is why it is good to go and see Seal Bay at this time of the year—it means that the seals also come up from the beaches and are much closer as they, too, seek shelter from the wind and the storms. Provided that you are careful and quiet, they do not pay too much attention to you, as I saw with a busload of tourists that was coming in and braving those cold elements and still having a fantastic time getting up close to the seals in their natural environment.

With the completion of the $3 million upgrade, visitors are able to enjoy an even better experience while protecting the natural environment of the area. The upgrades include improvements to the Don Dixon Boardwalk and the beach viewing platform, replacement of the beach access bridge and platform, a new disabled access ramp, upgrading and resealing of the main carpark and the refurbishment of the visitor centre.

The refurbishment also involved some very important measures that may not be quite as evident at first glance but do provide significant environmental benefits. Solar panels and rainwater collection have been upgraded to ensure that the site continues to maintain a low environmental footprint. The solar array, installed by the innovative South Australian company Zen Energy, is a 20-kilowatt system and incorporates the latest lithium iron storage technology. The increased capacity will see services for visitors improve, as I understand, with there now being sufficient capacity for a few luxuries at the visitor centre such as an espresso machine and an ice-cream freezer for the summer months.

The upgrades have been guided by a master planning process that includes strategic advice and input from the South Australian Tourism Commission, commercial tour operators and, of course, the local community. I believe this is important because the South Australian government's renewed focus on nature-based tourism wants to involve everybody, including the local community. We certainly want more people to visit and enjoy the many natural wonders that our state and particularly Kangaroo Island has to offer. We must also protect those assets that are important to communities and ensure that tourism is ecologically sound and sustainable into the longer term.

We know that nature is a core motivator for travel, for people looking for natural, unspoilt places to visit and enjoy. We also know that we do not control nature. We are there at the behest of nature and we have to work with what nature provides. Kangaroo Island is recognised as one of the 16 iconic Australian national landscapes that are marketed worldwide as an established ecotourism destination precisely because of the unique and natural experience it offers to visitors.

Seal Bay, as well as many other wonderful attractions, such as a five-day Kangaroo Island wilderness trail, were announced, I believe, in last year's state budget as important ecotourism priorities for the state. The Seal Bay upgrades will improve the nature experience for visitors and support the conservation of the environment and sea lion populations at the same time for many generations, but importantly they also have a very important educational aspect for those people who come to view the sea lions.

I would like to congratulate everyone who was involved in this wonderful upgrade project, in particular, of course, the KI community, local businesses, commercial tour operators—who are essential—and accommodation providers who share our goals for keeping Kangaroo Island at the forefront of tourism in South Australia.