The state government has announced major infrastructure spending to help Kangaroo Island recover from the summer bushfires and prepare for the future.

The funding includes up to $52 million of works to rebuild and rejuvenate Kangaroo Island’s nature-based tourism economy and $33 million towards a desalination plant.

Premier Steven Marshall says the Kangaroo Island tourism industry contributes around $126 million annually to the regional economy, and the rebuild works will create more than 400 jobs in the region and will fast-track important works to iconic sites.

“Nature-based tourism is a critical part of South Australia’s economy and Kangaroo Island is one of our crowning jewels.”

He says the works will be fast tracked and will start immediately to rebuild much-loved visitor experiences across the island.

“This includes rebuilding some of Kangaroo Island’s most iconic sites - the boardwalk to access Remarkable Rocks, as well as the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, which travels across Flinders Chase National Park and Kelly Hill Conservation Park.”

The government has launched a Reimagining Kangaroo Island engagement strategy to involve the local community in the rebuild plans.

Flinders Chase National Park has reopened to commercial tour operators with public access expected in the coming weeks.

The first $17 million of works is now underway with further funding for rebuild projects to follow the Reimagining Kangaroo Island engagement process.

Reimagining Kangaroo Island will also involve development of a new western Kangaroo Island parks management plan to support best practice conservation management.

The Premier says the desalination plant will create an estimated 500 jobs and add over $200 million of economic value to Kangaroo Island in the next 15 years.

The 2 megalitre per day seawater plant will improve drinking water security and provide better water infrastructure to support the local tourism and agriculture industries.

It will be located at Penneshaw and supplement the existing 400 kilolitre per day Penneshaw Desalination Plant and 540 megalitre Middle River Reservoir as drinking water sources supplying Kangaroo Island through an interconnected pipeline network.

The new pipelines would enable customer connections in American River, Baudin Beach, Island Beach and Sapphiretown.

The total cost of the proposed desalination plant is $47.8 million and the state government is working to secure the additional funding required from the federal government.

For more information about the state government’s extensive integrated engagement and planning approach to reimagine Kangaroo Island parks visit the website.