Walking SA supports the State Government’s new restrictions for vehicles and overnight camping on Wauraltee Beach from Feb 3, 2025.

The recent announcement from the Department for Environment and Water outlines the reasons why vehicles and overnight camping are being restricted.

National Parks and Wildlife Service National Parks Programs Director Jason Irving said, as part of the announcement, “…there is no intention to ban all vehicles from all beaches. This about finding a balance between visitor enjoyment and the need to protect native flora and fauna”.

The damage from vehicles and access is evident, and protection of these special places must come first to avoid irreparable damage, so that public access and recreation can continue to be enjoyed.

Walking SA supports people walking into and out of the beach as a less impactful way to enjoy the beach and the spectacular surroundings.

We would like to ensure public access for people walking and for recreation is maintained to Wauraltee Beach for all users, noting the new restrictions.

Walking SA actively encourages ‘leave no trace’ principles in our education and training programs to ensure more people can enjoy our natural places more often.  For more information on ‘leave no trace’ and other useful resources, please visit walkingsa.org.au/resources or get in touch for more information.

Quotes attributable to Daniel Bennett, Chair, Walking SA
“With the increased awareness of South Australia’s beautiful places comes an increase in people visiting them. In this case, there is a need for better management, as identified by the State Government. We welcome the opportunity to ensure people can walk in and out of this beautiful place, to preserve the natural environment, and to ensure damages from vehicles can be repaired.”

Quotes attributable to Rod Quintrell, Executive Director, Walking SA
“As more people catch onto the world class nature we have here in SA, these wild spots come under increasing pressure from both over use and unfortunately, occasional poor practices.   It is great to see protective measures including education are being put into place to manage the larger numbers and the impact.   For nature based recreation and tourism to be both sustainable and accessible, visitor volumes and types of use have to be managed.”