Inland Rivers – Outback Tracks, the Lake Basin Heritage Tourism Project, July 2001 to to September 2003 has been a challenging and interesting process. The resulting report, Lake Eyre Basin Heritage Tourism – Future Directions, is in its final stages and will be available in electronic form in late November.

The initial stimulus for the project came from the Lake Eyre Basin community consultations where tourism was identified as a growth activity. Things were happening on the tourism front in the Basin yet no one had a clear idea of the overall picture or the likely implications. The Australian Heritage Commission was interested in relationships between natural and cultural heritage and the increasing number of people seeking to access these assets, especially in regional Australia, so the Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group put forward the project proposal. It was funded through the Department of Transport and Regional Services, Regional Solutions Program.

A prime task was a first-hand evaluation of the heritage tourism assets of the Basin, identifying the dynamics and consulting as widely as possible with the many different stakeholders, in and out of the Basin, to determine the issues. Raising tourism awareness and facilitating connections between different parties was an ongoing process and allowed for valuable inputs to many state, Territory and local plans with tourism elements.

Over the two years, thousands of kilometres were travelled following the major tourism flow routes that criss-cross the Basin. The level of activity indicates tourism is here to stay and will be an important aspect of the Basin’s future. The diversity of interests and the four jurisdictions make it unlikely there will ever be a clear and cohesive whole-of-basin approach to tourism.

Central Australia, central west Queensland and South Australia’s Flinders Ranges are clearly established tourism precincts with sound infrastructure, are recognised in the market place and have accepted tourism as a valuable driver in their economies. Outside of these sectors is the essence of Lake Eyre Basin heritage tourism – the ‘Heart of the Basin’ – that area of growing attraction offering, in many visitors’ minds, the quintessential characteristics of the outback.

The project title, ‘Inland Rivers -Outback Tracks’ provides a good description of the classic allure of this region. The Oodnadatta, Finke, Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks, Cameron Corner, Cooper Creek, Georgina and Diamantina Rivers, the Simpson Desert and the vast expanse of Lake Eyre are all iconic outback destinations.

The majority of the country is pastoral lease, protected areas or Aboriginal lands and there is a growing tourism demand to access the natural and cultural assets in these landscapes – heritage assets now have a commodity as well as interest value. This latest form of land-use presents a major challenge to governments to develop appropriate legislative frameworks that set clear directions and rules to ensure tourism activities are secure and sustainable.

Tourism needs to be considered an integral part of current land management processes and this is still not fully recognised. It is clear from this project that water quality, water supply, habitat degradation, soil erosion, weed transmission, and damage to natural and cultural sites are just some of the environmental issues associated with poorly managed tourism. Conversely, the economic flow-on effects of increasing visitation are an ever more important factor for many remote communities and a valuable adjunct to diversifying traditional land-use practices.

‘Inland Rivers – Outback Tracks’ is the first comprehensive study of the tourism dynamics of the Lake Eyre Basin. The final report, Lake Eyre Basin Heritage Tourism – Future Directions provides the framework for further discussion. It will assist the many current planning initiatives to factor in cohesive actions on how best to protect and develop the unique heritage assets of the Lake Eyre Basin. This report is a collective outcome of widespread and generous community and stakeholder participation that has been integral to the encompassing vision of the Lake Eyre Basin process and is the way forward to getting it right!