The View_September 2018_F_Web

Escapegoat
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL PARKS
ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
If you have an idea for a nature-based
tourism opportunity in one of South
Australia’s amazing national parks, the
Department for Environment and Water
(DEW) is listening.
With more than 350 parks and reserves
across the state, ranging from deserts and
salt lakes to red gum forest and wetlands,
visitor opportunities are only limited by
your imagination.
DEW's Executive Director, Economic and
Sustainable Development Matt Johnson
said the department had made a shift in
recent years from being a regulator to also
being an enabler of innovative tourism
opportunities in parks.
“We welcome new ideas that will attract
visitors to South Australia and our parks
and enhance the experiences they have
while they are here,” Matt said.
“Last year, we presented 18 new business
opportunities to the industry and have
been really pleased with the response,
but we understand that the industry also
has ideas about developing experiences
in our parks.
“National parks are special places. As well
as offering tourism opportunities, national
parks protect our landscapes, plants and
animals, cultural and natural heritage and
provide places for South Australians to
enjoy nature.
“So, let us know what you are thinking,
and we will work with you to develop
your idea.”
There are already about 150 commercial
tour operators working in the state’s parks
and the number is growing.
One of those operators is Escapegoat
owner Ian Fehler, who has been running
mountain bike tours in parks for ten years.
“The bulk of our business is now in day
tours for locals and people from interstate
and overseas,” Ian said.
“When we first started out, we were just
running weekend skills training. The only
place we could take groups was into
Eagle Mountain Bike Park, which was
great, but it was not the authentic,
nature-based experience that I wanted
to be able to offer.
“We could see the Adelaide Hills and it
was heartbreaking because we could not
take people into the parks legally.”
At the time, the general view was that
mountain biking was not compatible with
parks, with fears of injuries to walkers and
erosion to trails.
Ian said when he first approached the
Photo credit: South Australian Tourism Commission
department, it was with a very specific
offering – a tour using the Cleland
Conservation Park fire trails, taking in
Mount Lofty Summit and Cleland Wildlife
Park and catering to the family market.
“We got into Cleland and there are now
lots of new parks in the hills that have
opened up to mountain bikers, including
some that cater to the intermediate and
extreme riders, so we are able to offer
things in there too.
“When we were going through the process
of getting access, it was a bit frustrating
because we were a small, family-run
business and we just wanted to get things
organised and get on with it, but we got
there in the end.
“What I would say to new operators is that
you need to be persistent. Find the right
person to talk to, get to know your local
rangers, tick all the boxes.”
If you have an idea for a great tourism
offering in a park, contact DEW at
dew.parkslicensingandevents@sa.gov.au.
SATIC. SPRING 2018 9