River revived: Murraylands’ tourism industry is stronger than ever

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A year on from the floods that devastated River Murray tourism, the co-owner of a luxury tiny home on the river has praised the voucher scheme that brought the industry back from the brink.

Josh Allan, who runs the Floathouse at White Sands, said the River Revival vouchers had revived his family’s business.

“It definitely made us a lot busier, which is great, especially after all the cancellations we had to do,” he said.

Although the floods didn’t damage the Floathouse itself, they affected its mooring at Riverglen Marina.

“We had to spend a bit of money looking after our berth and making sure everything worked with the whole roads and underground electrical that had to be redone,” he said.

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In addition to the practical damage, Mr Allan said, the floods had also affected people’s perception of how safe it was to stay on the river.

“Even after the floods kind of finished, I reckon they didn’t really want to come back quite quickly,” he said.

“When we were back up and running temporarily and we had to run through an extension cord with temporary power, we found that bookings were a little bit slow.

“Definitely once the River Revival vouchers were completed, and people were booking in, we filled up quite quickly – we were pretty much fully booked the whole way through winter and all the way up to November.”

River Murray floods failed to stop tourism industry growth

The second round of the voucher scheme created more than $7.6 million worth of local spending, according to the state government.

Tourism spending across the two regions totalled $562 million in 2022-23, almost $130 million more than the previous year, even though on-water activities and many riverfront sites were off-limits during the peak summer period.

More than 8000 vouchers were given out in round two.

Almost 80 per cent of recipients said the scheme was what had prompted them to take a holiday on the river.

A third and final round of vouchers will be available in a draw to be held on February 19-20, for travel from February 22 to June 30.

State Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison was determined to make sure the benefits would flow to the businesses most in need.

“Some businesses are still not back to full operation … I will keep working with them and keep listening,” she said.

“Last summer was one to forget; I want this summer to be one for the regions to celebrate.”

New visitor guide showcases our region’s natural beauty

What should tourists see while they’re here?

A new visitor guide to the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong has all the answers.

Launched on November 23 and distributed to outlets around Australia, the booklet showcases the region’s river cruises, paddling trails and riverfront holiday houses, as well as dry-land attractions such as the Bend Motorsport Park, the Langhorne Creek wine region and the award-winning Monarto Safari Park.

Local tourism alliance chair Dave Hartley hoped the guide would inspire more people to holiday in the region.

“Where else in the world can you wake up on the water and step straight off your floating deck for a swim, steer your own course on a houseboat, or get a taste of our rich riverboat heritage cruising onboard the iconic Murray Princess?” he asked.

“One of our greatest strengths is our diversity – there really is something here for everyone.

“We are, without a doubt, South Australia’s natural playground.”

You say goodbye, I say hello

The launch of this year’s guide was particularly emotional, and not just because of the recovery it represented for River Murray tourism.

Its publication was also one of the last acts of retiring Murray River, Lakes and Coorong tourism development manager Bill Nehmy.

Mr Nehmy was appointed to the pivotal role in 2020, having already spent more than 40 years in the industry with the South Australian Tourism Commission, Great Southern Rail and other organisations all over the country.

His optimism, ingenuity and ability to bring people together helped bring many thousands of visitors to the region, educated hundreds of thousands more about its appeal, and won it recognition at the SA Tourism Awards.

Making that impact had been the crowning achievement for a boy who had grown up out the back of his dad’s shoe shop at Mannum, Mr Nehmy said.

He recalled noticing during his childhood, in the 1960s, that all sorts of people visited the town and spent their money locally.

His dad had always wanted to go against regulations and open his shop on a Saturday afternoon to cater to the shackies.

Many years later, Mr Nehmy said, at the opening of the Mannum Dock Museum, the significance of the moment had hit him: “Finally this town has realised how big the importance of tourism is.”

He hoped to reflect on his journey by writing a memoir during his retirement.

Mr Nehmy’s successor in the role will be Greg Stirling, a marketing and growth expert whose previous experience includes Jacob’s Creek wines and the Sky City casino.

“I’m looking forward to building on the area’s exceptional experiences and contributing to its future,” Mr Stirling said.

• More information about the voucher draw: southaustralia.com/voucher.
• More information about the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong: Visit www.themurrayriver.com or search for “Murray River, Lakes and Coorong” on Facebook or Instagram.