The $2 million Experience Nature Tourism Fund (ENTF) aims to spur investment in nature-based tourism experiences and make South Australia more competitive in luring domestic and international tourists.
Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000 for new and improved nature-based tourism products and experiences in or near a national park, reserve, wilderness protection area or marine park.
The ENTF aims to showcase South Australia’s natural landscapes while also encouraging visitors to enjoy and learn more about these important natural and cultural assets.
The ENTF will have four rounds over four years.
Round three applications will open in the 2024-25 financial year.
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Grants are available via two funding streams:
Stream 1 – Quick Activation Projects, grants from $10,000 to $20,000
Provided for projects that are ready to be activated. These grants could include one-off purchases.
Stream 2 – Innovative Development Projects, grants from $20,001 to $50,000
Provided for bigger projects which may have a longer duration and multiple elements.
The Grant Agreement outlines the conditions associated with the provision of the funding.
Applicants will be required to agree to grant terms & conditions at the time of application, stipulating obligations and conditions under which grant funding will be given to eligible applicants. The South Australian Tourism Commission will not be legally obliged to pay any grant monies to an applicant without an approval letter issued by the SATC.
Download grant agreementA total of 33 nature tourism products and experiences have been granted funding under the first two rounds of the Experience Nature Tourism Fund.
To date, a total of nearly $1 million in grants will unlock almost $1.6 million in combined project value, supporting operators to attract more domestic and international visitors, while showcasing the state’s natural landscapes.
Grant recipients from round one:
|
Region |
Project |
Grant |
Total project value |
|
Adelaide Hills |
Bike About - The purchase of additional electric mountain bikes to increase capacity for Bike About experiences entering Cleland National Park. |
$20,000 |
$26,295 |
|
Adelaide Hills; Fleurieu Peninsula; Flinders Ranges & Outback; Kangaroo Island; Limestone Coast; Murray River, Lakes & Coorong |
Focused Expeditions - Purchase of cameras and equipment to provide to guests who do not own their own equipment when partaking in various Photographic Safaris into national parks across the state. |
$11,577 |
$14,472 |
|
Barossa |
Barossa Wellness - Purchase of trailer and equipment, and marketing activity to conduct and promote a new Immersive Forest Program. |
$19,461 |
$24,327 |
|
Eyre Peninsula |
Australian Coastal Safaris - Purchase of a new vehicle to operate the two-day ‘Health & Wellness Weekender’ tour including content creation and branding. |
$50,000 |
$117,581 |
|
Eyre Peninsula |
Pod[e] - Purchase of e-bikes, snorkel equipment and marketing activity to promote the new E-bike and Coast experience from the Pod[e] accommodation. |
$19,988 |
$24,985 |
|
Eyre Peninsula
|
Tour South - Purchase of an off-road kitchen trailer to serve local beverages and food in remote four-wheel drive areas of Lincoln National Park and Coffin Bay National Park. |
$14,192 |
$17,740 |
|
Eyre Peninsula; Fleurieu Peninsula; Kangaroo Island; Yorke Peninsula |
Brindabella Sailing - Purchase of new equipment to operate new day and overnight sailing journeys from Outer Harbor and Port Lincoln to various South Australian marine parks. |
$18,424 |
$23,030 |
|
Fleurieu Peninsula |
Naiko Retreat - Purchase of MULE 6-seater vehicle to provide nature tours on existing accommodation property and transport to surrounding national parks. |
$50,000 |
$98,173 |
|
Fleurieu Peninsula |
Southern Ocean Walk - Purchase of equipment to enhance the customer’s experience and promotion of the Southern Ocean Walk through a targeted campaign in Australia’s leading walking magazine.e |
$10,241 |
$12,802 |
|
Fleurieu Peninsula |
Off Piste 4WD Tours - Purchase of a trailer, equipment and conduct marketing activity to launch a new tour focusing on Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri culture and the natural habitat. |
$11,360 |
$14,200 |
|
Fleurieu Peninsula |
Tribal Expertise Facility (Kool Tours) - Purchase of vehicle, trailer and camping equipment to operate new overnight immersion experience in Deep Creek National Park. |
$35,304 |
$44,130 |
|
Flinders Ranges & Outback |
Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary - Introduction of new accommodation platforms to launch a new overnight camping experience at the Streitberg Ridge in the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. |
$50,000 |
$146,044 |
|
Flinders Ranges & Outback |
Crew’s Rest - Refurbishment of the old headmaster’s residence into tourist accommodation suitable for bookings of up to 12 guests, located in close proximity to Wapma Thura - Southern Flinders Ranges National Park. |
$50,000 |
$70,495 |
|
Kangaroo Island |
Sea Dragon Kangaroo Island - Purchase of a vehicle to operate small group touring and shuttle services for guests of the Sea Dragon lodge. |
$50,000 |
$90,763 |
|
Limestone Coast |
Bush Adventures - Purchase of a trailer and equipment to operate an immersive eco-tourism experience through various national parks throughout the Limestone Coast. |
$15,339 |
$19,174 |
|
Riverland |
The Frames - Purchase of equipment and development of marketing content and campaign activity to launch and operate a new luxury camping experience in the Murray River National Park and Chowilla Game Reserve with a focus on Aboriginal cultural tourism. |
$20,000 |
$30,052 |
|
Riverland |
Canoe the Riverland - Upgrade of ‘Captain’s Cottage’ accommodation including solar system installation to improve the visitor experience. |
$10,044 |
$12,555 |
|
Yorke Peninsula
|
Neptunes Surf Coaching - Purchase of equipment and marketing activity to improve and promote the current experiences provided. |
$29,870 |
$37,338
|
Grant recipients from round two:
| Region | Operator and project | Grant | Total project value |
| Adelaide and Adelaide Hills | EscapeGoat Adventures Purchase of ebikes to upgrade fleet located in Belair National Park and purchase of GPS units to assist self-guided visitors |
$20,000 | $25,920 |
| Eyre Peninsula | Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris Refurbishment of tents at the Kangaluna Camp for tour participants entering the Gawler Ranges National Park |
$14,400 | $18,000 |
| Eyre Peninsula | Flinders Island Eco Escape Purchase of a vehicle for guest transfers and guest-led touring including education equipment to showcase the Investigator Marine Park |
$20,000 | $25,000 |
| Eyre Peninsula | Australian Coastal Safaris Purchase of a new mobile kitchen trailer and accessories to grow capacity and host high end culinary experiences in Lincoln, Coffin Bay & Nullarbor National Parks and West Coast Bays Marine Park |
$25,136 | $34,190 |
| Fleurieu Peninsula | The Backyard Universe Development of two new tours entering Deep Creek National Park and Talisker Conservation Park including a night tour and enhancement of an existing tour. Purchase of new equipment and implementation of marketing activities |
$19,452 | $24,316 |
| Flinders Ranges and Outback | Camel Treks Australia Purchase of equipment to improve visitor comfort and safety for multi-day outback expeditions surrounding Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park |
$26,480 | $33,100 |
| Kangaroo Island | Research and Discovery Coastal Tours Kangaroo Island Purchase of equipment to introduce a two-day eco-tour encouraging involvement in citizen science as visitors collect and analyse data on vulnerable and endangered species |
$18,525 | $23,157 |
| Kangaroo Island | Untamed Escapes Purchase of a new bus and tour trailer to operate a 3 day Kangaroo Island Adventure tour entering multiple national parks |
$50,000 | $143,731 |
| Limestone Coast | Walk the Limestone Coast Purchase of vehicle to transport walkers to daily walk points on two multi-day walking tours visiting Limestone Coast national parks |
$20,000 | $30,490 |
| Mainly operating in Limestone Coast, tour also enters: Adelaide, Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, Limestone Coast, Murray River Lakes & Coorong, and Riverland | See Adelaide and Beyond Purchase of new vehicle to increase capacity on multi day tour bringing visitors from Victoria to Adelaide, visiting Naracoorte Caves National Park |
$50,000 | $74,596 |
| Murray River, Lakes and Coorong | Ngarrindjeri Lands and Progress Aboriginal Corporation Development of new Ngarrindjeri cultural walking tours in Coorong National Park. Purchase of equipment, training, marketing and product development to support project |
$47,096 | $58,871 |
| Murray River, Lakes and Coorong | Mannum Aboriginal Community Association, Enhancement of the ‘Black Duck Dreaming Tour’ operating in Ngaut Ngaut Conservation Park through the purchase of equipment and marketing |
$24,540 | $30,675 |
| Fleurieu Peninsula and Murray River, Lakes & Coorong | Canoe the Coorong Purchase of a new vehicle to transport visitors to experience tours into Coorong National Park including introduction of transfers within the region |
$37,818 | $47,273 |
| Yorke Peninsula | Bayside Glamping Construction of new cabin on the outskirts of Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park in Marion Bay |
$50,000 | $143,903 |
| Multiple regions: Fleurieu Peninsula, Flinders Ranges & Outback, Murray River Lakes & Coorong, Riverland, Yorke Peninsula | Australian Private Tours & Charters and SA Eco Tours Refurbishment of three touring vehicles to increase passenger capacity and marketing for tours which visit eight national parks across South Australia |
$40,752 | $50,942 |
Watch the online information session to learn more about the 2023-24 round of the Experience Nature Tourism Fund.
The free online information session, run in partnership with the Tourism Industry Council SA (TiCSA), provides an overview of the Fund, the potential need of in-principle support from the Department for Environment and Water, and tips and tricks for grant writing.
Download the presentation slides here.
For enquiries about the Fund, contact the South Australian Tourism Commission at:
For enquiries about a particular park or reserve or the licence requirements associated with operating in a national park, contact the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) at:
Any company, organisation or individual proposing to conduct commercial activities within the parks system requires a licence. Existing Commercial Tour Operators proposing to undertake a new activity or visit a new park will need to seek an amendment to their licence (if approved for funding through the ENTF).
Not all activities are permitted in all parks. Applicants should check the list of activities permitted/not permitted in parks as well as the relevant park management plan/s to confirm that their proposed activity is permitted in the park. If a park management plan does not exist or is unclear, applicants are encouraged to contact DEW prior to commencing their application to determine if their project is suitable for that park.
Businesses are able to apply for a commercial tour operator licence, marine parks permit, or marine mammal interaction permit at anytime; however holding one of these licences or permits will not guarantee eligibility for the ENTF.
