Visitors will soon get to wake up in the Limestone Coast region at South Australia’s newest glamping site.
The glamping site is one of three new experiences worth $1.8m made possible through the State Government’s Nature-Based Tourism Co-Investment Fund which will provide $961,000 in funding for the projects.
A $233,000 grant has been awarded towards the $466,000 project, which includes 20 new glamping tents and amenities in Dingley Dell Conservation Park.
The Dingley Dell Cottage, known to have been home to Adam Lindsay Gordon, one of Australia’s famous poets, will also be upgraded, along with ongoing maintenance of its stables and gardens.
New tour experiences and events will also be developed.
Grant recipient Steve Moignard, who currently operates the Coonawarra Bush Holiday Park,said the funding would go towards up to 20 new glamping tents with full solar power, amenities and shower facilities providing a unique tourism offering not currently available in the area.
“It’s really exciting for us,” he said.
“We have got plans to develop a function facility for literature and music events that will engage visitors to the park with the local heritage dating back to early European settlement and the most famous owner of Dingley Dell Cottage, the highly esteemed bush poet Adam Lindsay Gordon.”
As part of the grant, the conservation dividend focuses on the ongoing maintenance of the heritage-listed museum cottage, its stables and gardens, and the management of invasive weeds such as periwinkle and horehound.
The conservation dividend will also go towards other projects in the Dingley Dell Conservation Park including the revegetation of native plant species.
Environment and Water Minister David Speirs said the Nature-Based Tourism Co-Investment Fund was a key part of the government’s Parks 2025 strategy and record funding for the environment.
“We are investing record amounts to revitalise our parks, improve conservation, boost nature-based tourism and create jobs across the state,” Minister Speirs said.
“These three projects, with the help of the Marshall Liberal Government, will deliver sustainable, quality tourism experiences across South Australia and drive the visitor economy further and faster.
“This includes better access to mountain biking in the Adelaide Hills, new accommodation opportunities at Belair National Park and glamping on the Limestone Coast.
“All of these new nature-based tourism ventures offer visitors unique experiences and importantly contribute towards conservation projects such as restoring habitat or revegetation.”
Fund applicants can seek grants from $20,000 to $1m and are expected to contribute at least half of the total financial costs of their project.
The fund will remain open until June 2022 or until the $5m SA Government investment is exhausted.
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