Stunning coastal town of Robe, South Australia has become the underground secret of travelers. In July and August 2025, it was one of the first three communities in the country to show an overall bump in spending from visitors. Even with this hopeful number, the town is facing some crushing blows that could spell devastation for its tourism industry. Recent storms severely damaged the local jetty and required the closure of the marina. In the midst of all this, worries over an algal bloom have further complicated matters.
Mark Ireland, owner/operator of affiliated Cape Jaffa Holiday Park remained optimistic for a busier summer season after these damages. “This time last year the phone was ringing a lot more…but all we can do is hope,” he remarked. Tourism is the lifeblood of their local economy. This is no less true for hamlets like Kingston on the Limestone Coast.
Challenges from Nature and Perception
These might be the challenges his opponents say he already has. The recent hurricanes not only dismantled the recovery infrastructure, but left a black eye on the once recovering town. The shutdown of the marina has cut off boat access and diminished the type of things visitors can do. Further, the perception of an algal bloom has discouraged some tourists, even though Robe has not been impacted by it.
“There’s a bit of a pre-conceived notion from a few people that the algae bloom is up here, but it’s not,” Ireland stated, emphasizing that fishing remains excellent in the area. These misunderstandings have led to many cancellations and dropped bookings. This negative impact extends even to those businesses that do not suffer from the algal bloom-induced shutdown.
“Unfortunately, the messaging is statewide and it does impact all of the state’s coastline,” noted Ms. Traeger.
Support from State Initiatives
As a part of these, the South Australian state government has announced measures to support domestic tourism, such as the Coast is Calling vouchers for local tourism. These programs are specifically intended to encourage visitation and boost economic activity up and down the state’s coastline. “Parts of the Limestone Coast are included in the Coast is Calling travel voucher and Dining Cashback programs,” a spokesperson for the South Australian Tourism Commission stated.
Mark Ireland highlighted the positive impact of these vouchers on his business: “I think it’s a really good incentive from the government. I believe we’ve had about 50 applicants take up the deal.” A new second round of vouchers will be open for registration in December. The thousands of local businesses are both excited and hopeful to welcome an influx of new visitors!
Local Perspectives on Recovery
As we get closer to summer, local operators are worried about a surge in reservation volumes. Chris and Tracey Jensen have only recently moved into management of Kingston Foreshore Caravan Park. Fingers crossed, because they are correct to feel buoyed by the future prospects. “It’s getting people in and around the state doing something, instead of gloom and doom,” Chris Jensen remarked.
Although pessimism and hopelessness sometimes prevail, in small business person to person conversations there is heartfelt hope that the summer will reemerge a path to recovery. “Heading into summer, we hope we get a few more bookings start to come in, or it’s going to make it a very difficult one,” Ms. Traeger added.
