South Australia’s national parks surge in popularity

South Australia’s most popular national parks continue to see a surge in visitors as more people holiday, relax and recreate in their own backyard, new figures from the National Parks and Wildlife service show.

Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park has been recognised as South Australia’s most popular regional national park, for online bookings, in 2021, with more than 85,000 visitors in the past year, a rise of more than 28 per cent.

Located on the picturesque coastline of the Yorke Peninsula, the park is home to spectacular coastal scenery featuring dramatic cliff tops, shipwrecks, pounding surf beaches, tranquil bays and rock pools.

Coastal parks took out the top three spots, with Deep Creek National Park on the Fleurieu Peninsula second with 63,719 visitors, a rise of in excess of 38 per cent on 2020 and Lincoln National Park on the Eyre Peninsula third with 43,871, an increase of more than 32 per cent.

South Australia’s outback also continues to be a major drawcard with visitors with strong growth in regional destinations including the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park that saw a 20.3 per cent growth in online bookings from 30,077 to 36,182.

Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said the summer holidays provided the perfect time for visitors to enjoy what South Australia’s parks had to offer.

“The Christmas holidays have begun, and there’s no better time to visit a South Australian national park with your family and friends,” Minister Speirs said.

“To have such a significant increase in visitor numbers to our national parks is 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.

“This has significant flow on benefits for regional communities with more people staying the night, spending money and supporting the local economy at a time when it’s needed most.

“South Australians love their national parks which is why the Marshall Liberal Government is investing record amounts to provide a better visitor experience and improve conservation.

“This includes more than $130 million investment across South Australia from the Flinders Ranges to Kangaroo Island and places in between as well as increasing the number of rangers in our national parks.”

With 362 parks and reserves to choose from there is a wealth of experiences and activities for visitors looking to experience South Australia’s beautiful and unique landscapes.

Other popular desert parks included Witjira National Park, Innamincka Regional Reserve, and Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park. To book your spot, or find out more on where to explore, visit: https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/booking