The introduction of an online booking system is being credited with a surge in visitor numbers to Western Australia’s iconic Cape Le Grand National Park.
In the second summer since online bookings were introduced, campsites have been booked out since early December. The popularity of the park has also reportedly been helped by a $4.2 million upgrade of camping facilities at Lucky Bay.
Ian Hughes, from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, told the ABC that visitor numbers were on track to surpass 200,000 for the first time this financial year.
“I think Cape Le Grand and places like Lucky Bay being those iconic sites, people were coming anyway but they’re probably coming more often now because of that improvement in the facilities and because of the online booking function,” he said. “Campers now have some certainty, whereas before that, it was first in best dressed so you might be driving from Perth or Kalgoorlie on a whim and hoping there was a camp site available.”
Online bookings allow campers to secure a camping spot 180 days in advance and Mr Hughes said it was not uncommon for the Christmas-New Year period to be booked out six months ahead of schedule.
There are 56 camp sites at Lucky Bay and 14 sites at Cape Le Grand Beach, with between 400 and 500 people camping in the park during peak periods.
“It’s definitely gone up this year, but I think we’ve been on a steady progression for the past 10 years,” Mr Hughes said. “It’s showing no sign of dropping off anytime soon.”
The ABC reports that numbers are well below WA’s most popular national park at Leeuwin Naturaliste, with visitation to the south-west tourist spot growing from 3.2 million to 3.37 million in the five years to 2018–19.
