Outback Queensland businesses are reporting a slow start to the tourism season, which traditionally begins over the Easter long weekend.
Key points:
- Outback tourism has boomed while international borders have been closed for travel
- A slow start to the tourism season is being blamed on recent road closures following rain events in April
- Tourists are having to tighten up their budgets as fuel prices continue to rise
With international border closures halting overseas travel plans, record numbers of domestic travellers have taken the opportunity to explore country Australia over the past two years.
But this year, tourism providers have been hit with a sharp slump.
They said they were worried the rising cost of fuel would change the face of outback tourism.
“It was hectic last year and we had 10 to 12 caravans here a day,” said Mary-Ellen Blacket, owner of Boulia Caravan Park in the state’s north-west.
“Now, we’re lucky if we have one or two.”
Outback Queensland is usually a popular destination for grey nomads and their caravans.(ABC North West Queensland: Julia André )
Parts of western Queensland were soaked in record-breaking rainfall during late April, leading to weeks-long road closures between outback towns such as Winton and Boulia.
“It’s not looking good,” Ms Blacket said.
“I think with all the rain a lot of people are getting stuck down south with all the water down there and then it rained up here, so it’s made it extremely hard for people to travel,” she said.
Several main highways were closed across rural and remote Queensland due to flooding recently.(Supplied: Boulia Shire Council)
High fuel prices mean tourists pinching pennies
Des and Michele Thompson, from Brisbane, are seasoned caravanners and are travelling through outback Queensland.
But as high fuel prices have continued to drive up the cost of the trek, they said they were keeping an eagle eye on their budget.
“We’re a bit more sensible now, we don’t just jump in the car and go down to buy a carton of milk, we have to plan ahead,” Mr Thompson said.
Des and Michele Thompson are carefully planning their route around outback Queensland to preserve petrol.(ABC North West Queensland: Julia André)
Karen Chopping is the tourism officer at one of Boulia’s most popular tourism attractions, the Min Min Encounter.
Boulia is famous for its Min Min lights mythology.(ABC North West Queensland: Julia André )
She said one of the top concerns for travellers she has spoken to has been the cost of fuel.
“People that are starting to think about travelling, that is starting to become part of their bigger picture of travel because the fuel has gone up quite considerably in the last few weeks,” Mrs Chopping said.
Ms Blacket said she had noticed an increase in travellers staying in free camping spots.
“There’s definitely a rise in the number of tourists not paying for the priced camping sites and instead opting for the cheapest option,” she said.
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