Accommodation options in the region continue to grow as the Kapunda Tourist Park celebrated the official opening of their Dutton Cabins on Tuesday, 17th December.

The construction of eight one-bedroom accessible and sustainable cabins was funded with a grant of $99,985 through the Australian Government’s AUSTRADE Caravan Parks Grant Program.

Labor Duty Member for Frome, Tony Piccolo MP, said the investment not only addresses the accommodation shortage in the area, but boosts the local economy by encouraging visitors to stay longer and support local businesses.

“We’ve already seen what this means for the community as this project was brought to fruition through a collaborative effort with local tradespeople, designers and builders.

"It's fantastic to see how federal funding can make a real difference in regional communities as part of Labor’s national and state goal to enhance regional prosperity and tackle the accommodation gap.

“There is plenty to see and do in Kapunda and surrounding areas, and this will encourage more visitors to explore and appreciate the beauty of the region.”

The event was attended by notable guests, including the Federal Minister for Trade and Tourism, the Honourable Don Farrell, along with Light Regional Council Deputy Mayor Michael Phillips-Ryder and Member for Frome Penny Pratt MP.

Minister Farrell said, “it was an honour to officially open cabins that will help Kapunda and the Barossa region to meet accommodation demands and provide a fantastic experience for visitors for years to come.”

“The Albanese Labor Government is proud to have supported this project with nearly $100,000 of funding through our $10 million Caravan Park Grants Program, which has enabled 110 caravan parks across the country to upgrade their facilities and increase their offerings,” Minister Farrell said.

“Caravan parks are such an important part of our tourism industry, providing accommodation for families, budget conscious travellers, and those who want to get off the beaten track.

“Our government is committed to investing in the future of caravan parks to boost regional tourism in communities like Kapunda, and so that travellers from right across the country can explore the very best of our regions.”

Park owner Emma Valentine highlighted the significance of the grant for the growth of the family business they purchased back in 2013.

“Over the past 11 years, we have overseen changes to the grounds, renovations of the amenities block, cabin refurbishments, and the design and construction of new cabins," Ms Valentine said.

“We often talked about building a few more cabins to meet the demands and need for accommodation in Kapunda.

“The grant of nearly $100,000 allowed us to complete the two-stage project (building eight cabins across two stages) in one go, significantly enhancing the visitor experience.”

"We believe this project will assist in boosting tourism and benefit the local community by allowing travellers to stay longer in the area.”

Ms Valentine thanked Light Regional Council for their continued lease of land and assistance in planning the project, along with local builder Kerrstructions, fellow local trade businesses and family members for their work on the development.

In the year to June 2024, South Australia was visited by 451,000 international guests as well as benefiting from 7.6 million overnight trips by locals.

Tourism Research Australia forecasts that visitor nights in South Australia will grow by an average of 3.0% per year over the next five years.

For the year ending June 2024, Australians took 1.2 million overnight caravan and camping trips to South Australia, contributing $1.2 billion to the visitor economy.

Most of this spend and visitation was in regional areas – with 92 per cent of these trips taking place in regional South Australia, and 87 per cent of that $1.2 billion ($1.06 billion) being spent in regional South Australia.