Visitors to South Australia’s national parks are being encouraged to conserve the coastline to ensure they enhance their experience and safeguard the environment.

National Parks and Wildlife Service is raising awareness of the need to protect precious beaches as locals and tourists hit the road for summer holidays.

SA’s national parks and Crown land are home to an abundance of native wildlife and vegetation, and include sites considered culturally significant to First Nations peoples.

Compliance will help better protect the state’s unique biodiversity, and minimise the effect on threatened species of fauna, including nesting shorebirds, and flora.

Visitors are encouraged to:

• Leave no trace in parks, and on Crown land, by bringing some garbage bags and taking home their rubbish 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.

Stuart Paul, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Regional Operations Director, says raising awareness would encourage visitors to protect the unique and beautiful coastline.

“Most visitors to our national parks and beaches behave appropriately and want to ensure they adhere to regulations,” Mr Paul says.

“This reminder balances visitor enjoyment with safety and the shared responsibility that ensures our unique and valuable environments are sustainably managed.”

Visitors seeking further park-specific information, such as dog-friendly parks and campfires, can visit the NPWS website for more details.

Penalties apply for offences in national parks or on Crown land under numerous acts, including National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and Crown Lands Management Act 2009.

For more information about South Australia’s parks, reserves and Crown land, and to book, visit the website.