With Covid restrictions eased and grey nomads back on the road in big numbers, many Outback communities are already enjoying what looks like being a bumper tourist season.
After heavy trains brought movement in the area to a standstill a month or so back, things are certainly looking up at places like South Australia’s remote William Creek, where cars have had to wait bumper to bumper to fill their tanks.
“The amount of tourists coming through is up dramatically,” hotel owner Trevor Wright told the ABC. “We’ve got a queue of 10 vehicles to get fuel … our biggest issue is running out of fuel because of how busy it’s been; we need another tanker.”
And the sheer volume of traffic passing through is also creating fuel issues elsewhere.
Garry Anesbury, who has been running the Maree Hotel while the owners are away, says Marree actually ran out of fuel on Tuesday.
“I think it was only the second time in 15 years that the servo actually ran out of fuel … but the petrol tanker was here the next day and it’s all go again,” Mr Anesbury said. “There’s a lot of camping here, it’s busy in the bar and restaurant and defying the trend.”
Terry Brennan-Kuss from the Coober Pedy Retail, Business & Tourism Association told the ABC that, although high fuel prices may have affected tourists’ spending power, business was still booming.
“It was a bit slow starting after the lockdowns but since April it’s been going gangbusters,” he said. “I don’t think there’s one business I’ve spoken to in the last couple of weeks that isn’t saying business is good.”
Jo Fort owns and operates the Innamincka Hotel at the end of the Strzelecki Track and said resilience was part of the success being experienced by Outback businesses.
“I think that old-fashioned hospitality is really our point of difference,” Ms Fort told the ABC. “After the last two years, I think we can handle anything … I’ve lived and worked in the Outback for 40-odd years and I know that what worries me today, I’m not even going to remember it next year.”
At Burkes and Wills Roadhouse in NW Qld we queued for 15 mins which we thought wasnt too bad. The main problem there (as in many remote areas) is staff shortages. They can’t clear the browser until the person who has just filled up has paid.
Got to Stonehenge Qld 3 years ago and fuel had run out as the Variety Club was there and cleaned everything out. Had to backtrack to Jundah but couldn’t get fuel until next morning from Council Depot. This all added to the outback experience. Similar experience when I got to a Winton next day . No fuel again thanks to Variety Club.
Earldunda, everytime. It’s nothing to wait up to an hour for fuel at the moment. Nightmare. Even the parking bay overflow is full. Lined up all the way back to the road. It’s a fill up point for all three directions.
I think the line-up for fuel anywhere along the Oodnadatta track, and around Kulgera & Marla, over the long weekend, might also have had a lot to do with the Finke Desert Rally staged that weekend.
Never had to really queue for too long, as someone commented staff shortages is a drama and more people travelling Australia than before. It is what it is everything is still trying to find its own level.
There was a huge line up for diesel at Erldunda Roadhouse, but I think that was mainly caused by the fact that they are digging up the whole service station and its a huge mess.
coober pedy all stations run out of diesel we had to wait until the tanker come in