Wallaroo Welcomes First Cruise Ship

Wallaroo this week welcomes its first cruise ship in history, when Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Vasco da Gama docks on Saturday, 7 December.

Carrying 1,220 guests and 630 crew, the ship will dock in the early morning, enabling visitors a full day to explore the region.

The first ship arrival is the outcome of considerable work undertaken by the South Australian Tourism Commission, in partnership with Flinders Ports, local government, regional bodies and local tourism operators over the past 12 months.

CMV’s Vasco da Gama– a new addition to the Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) fleet – will be the first cruise ship to visit all four of South Australia’s cruise ports and anchorages in a single season.

It will return to Wallaroo two more times this summer – on December 18, 2019 and January 3, 2020, with another planned for late 2020.

South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Executive, Rodney Harrex said the 2018/19 cruise season was worth more than $145 million to South Australia’s economy, suggesting Wallaroo and nearby communities were set to benefit.

“The community has worked together in a very supportive and engaging way to ensure the region is ready to welcome the first ever ship to Wallaroo,” he said.

“There is range of fantastic new tours prepared for the cruise line and inbound tour operators to sell onboard the ship for their shore excursion program to showcase the region, along with the Council offering a shuttle behind the townships of Wallaroo, Kadina and Moonta.

“The Copper Coast Council is working with community groups to prepare local entertainment and a cruise foreshore marketplace, and there are more than 90 registered volunteers signed up to assist on arrival days, which is going to be a great welcome for the passengers disembarking.

“Other tours extend throughout the Yorke and Mid North area, offering an exciting mix of heritage, coastal as well as food and beverage experiences. Add to that tours to the Clare Valley wine region, and we can see why the community is looking forward to when the ships come in.”

Copper Coast Council Mayor Roslyn Talbot said the residents of the Copper Coast were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the cruise ships over summer.

“From the initial announcement that a cruise ship would be berthing at Wallaroo there was excitement in the community,” she said.

“As the day of our first ship fast approaches, the community is fully invested and we are all looking forward to making the visit a great experience for the visitors.

“We believe the benefits to the region will be significant. Not only will the visitors be in the community for the day of their visit, enjoying all we have to offer, we are sure that they will enjoy the experience so much they will want to revisit us perhaps for a longer stay. They will bring their friends and family sharing what Yorke Peninsula’s Copper Coast has to offer.”

Yorke Peninsula Tourism chair Craig Costello also said the day was a significant one for the region.

“We are very excited about the arrival of the first cruise ship at Wallaroo on the Yorke Peninsula. This has shone through by the strength of the support from local community, business owners and Copper Coast Council,” he said.

“The local visitor economy will receive a direct benefit on the day of the cruise ship arrival but I believe with a high proportion of South Australians on Vasco da Gama, we look forward to welcoming them back to our region to spend time holidaying on the Yorke Peninsula when they realise how much we have to offer.”