Play your part to protect our precious parks
With peak season around the corner, the Department for Environment and Water is highlighting the simple steps holidaymakers can follow to ensure an enjoyable and safe break while protecting precious national and marine park environments.
Visitors are encouraged to do their bit:
• Leave no trace in parks by bringing garbage bags and taking home litter as bins are not available.
• Keep dogs – except assistance dogs – out of most parks for their own safety but also to minimise the risk to native wildlife, vegetation and other visitors.
• Use gas and liquid fuel fires – apart from on total fire ban days – rather than solid-fuel fires, which are not permitted in most parks.
• Drive on established roads or tracks and avoid unauthorised areas for the safety of all visitors, and to protect sensitive nature and the environment.
South Australia’s national parks and marine parks are home to an abundance of native wildlife and vegetation, and include sites considered culturally significant to First Nations people.
National Parks and Wildlife Service Limestone Coast Manager Nicholas McIntyre said following the guidelines protects the state’s unique biodiversity and minimises any negative effects on threatened species of animals, including nesting shorebirds, and plants.
“‘The holiday season is a time to relax and spend time in nature,” Mr McIntyre said.
“South Australia has over 350 national parks that cover 2.1 million hectares and 19 marine parks and 83 sanctuary zones. We are lucky to have so many national parks and marine parks to choose from.
“Fortunately, most visitors to our national parks and marine parks do the right thing but a little reminder before the fun begins can’t hurt.”
Visitors can use National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Find a Park tool to look for dog-friendly parks and establish where campfires are permitted.
Campers need to bring their own firewood, which must be free from dirt and weeds to avoid bringing pest species into parks. Collection of firewood within parks is prohibited.
Free coastal parks entry applies to Lincoln National Park, Deep Creek National Park, Dhilba-Guuranda-Innes National Park, Coffin Bay National Park and Flinders Chase National Park until Easter 2026 as part of a $1.2 million state government initiative.
Penalties apply for offences in national parks under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.
For more information about South Australia’s parks and reserves, and to book, visit: www.parks.sa.gov.au/
