Eyes on Eyre (consultations)

Unifying the Eyre Peninsula Tourism Experience

In 2018 Regional Development Australia Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula (RDAWEP), along with Wayfound Consultants, and supported by EPNRM and local councils, hit the road to take stock of our significant regional coastal access points, camping spots and wayfinding (signage) assets, with a view to comparing our region with what is happening across the rest of regional and remote Australia.

Where was the ageing infrastructure?  Can visitors find our iconic locations and service providers? Were there assets (particularly inland) that are under appreciated? Did we have a good touring route connection between our coastal and outback towns? Were we affording the right protection to our environment?  How were we telling our stories?

What we found was damming.  The Eyes on Eyre assessment report revealed a largely static investment into visitor infrastructure with the last major injection of investment in the late eighties and early nineties.

As a consequence, the region has a high stock of ageing infrastructure that is struggling to support the pressures applied by growing visitor numbers and increasing expectations, to the point we are losing out on the full potential the visitor economy can bring to our communities and region and the pristine environment, that people are travelling to see, is coming under increasing pressure.

You can download a copy of the regional and community initial findings and recommendations reports here.

RDAWEP in collaboration with EPRNM, EPLGA and the eleven regional councils and with support from the South Australian Government has identified two key immediate infrastructure priorities for delivery.

1/ Camping Nodes

Development of a network of redeveloped (not new) camping nodes that include a minimum standard of visitor amenity and infrastructure.  This will increase length of stay in the region through the marketing and provision of a network of quality experience based camping areas, reduce the effect and encroachment of free camping on our pristine environment and assist councils in managing providing for the increase in the caravan and camping market.

2/ Branding, Signage, Visitor Information and Rest Areas

The Eyre Peninsula region is extremely large, in fact we are larger than the entire state of Victoria. With more than 80% of all visitors to the Eyre Peninsula arriving by car it is critical that our roadside and related infrastructure meets the growing expectations and needs of visitors. At present there is no region-wide recognisable style, character or model of signage, information, amenity and infrastructure to help with way finding, increase safety and add value to what the region has to offer. 

Have your say

We are now in the process of working with regional stakeholders, communities and the traditional owners on the design and redevelopment of the following camping nodes. 

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We encourage you to have your say by;

·         Attending one of the 9 public consultation sessions held throughout the region

·         Viewing the draft concept designs and completing the online survey which you can find here.

·         Sending an email to reception@rdawep.org.au with your comments

Please share your thoughts by February 28^th 2019.

There will be future opportunities to have your say on the second priority Branding, Signage, Visitor Information and Rest Areas in coming weeks, however we encourage you to send any thoughts through to reception@rdawep.org.au.

This is a collaborative project between Regional Development Australia Eyre Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association, Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula and Natural Resources Alinytjara Wilurara with support of the South Australian Government.