Applications are now open for the next round of South Australia’s Experience Nature Tourism Fund, with $500,000 allocated for the 2025–26 financial year. The programme, which runs over four years, supports nature-based tourism initiatives located in or near national parks, reserves, wilderness protection areas and marine parks.
This marks the fourth round of the $2 million fund, which has so far backed 46 projects around the state and generated a combined project value close to $2.5 million. The upcoming round will offer grants between $10,000 and $50,000 across two streams: Quick Activation Projects and Innovative Development Projects.
Quick Activation Projects, offering $10,000 to $20,000, are aimed at operators ready to get started with smaller-scale initiatives. The larger grants, ranging from $20,001 to $50,000, are set aside for more ambitious projects that may involve longer timelines or multiple moving parts. Both streams aim to help businesses upgrade, expand, or add new offerings that engage with the state’s natural settings.
Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison has encouraged businesses operating in and around South Australia’s parks to consider applying. She noted the role tourism can play in both showcasing natural attractions and delivering environmental benefits when approached thoughtfully. While the Fund supports development, there is also a focus on minimising impact and enhancing the overall visitor experience.
Minister Bettison said South Australia’s natural features continue to be a drawcard for domestic and international travellers, and that the fund helps businesses deliver improved experiences in a way that works with the environment rather than against it. She added that the earlier rounds of funding have already made a visible difference across the state and is confident the next round will lead to more progress in the same direction.
Past recipients have included accommodation providers, tour operators and adventure companies. Grants have been used for things like refurbishments, adding new equipment such as e-bikes and vehicles, improving visitor services, and creating marketing materials tailored to local tours and destinations.
Daniel Young, Director of Bike About, is one of the beneficiaries of the fund. His company used the support to expand their e-bike touring operations in the Flinders Ranges. He said the grant enabled them to operate in a remote area that would otherwise have been out of reach. The extra capacity has made future planning more viable and allowed them to offer visitors a closer connection to South Australia’s regional environment.
Young said travellers are increasingly looking for low-impact, authentic ways to engage with nature, and the support from the tourism fund made it possible to meet that demand. He also noted the broader benefit to regional communities, which rely on thoughtful tourism to keep local economies moving without overburdening fragile natural areas.
The Experience Nature Tourism Fund is administered by the South Australian Tourism Commission, in partnership with the Department for Environment and Water and the South Australian Government Financing Authority. Applicants must have or obtain the necessary licences to operate within park areas. Those who need approvals are advised to begin that process early, ideally before submitting their funding application.
Applications open at 9am on 1 July 2025 and close at 5pm on 19 August 2025. Guidelines, eligibility criteria, and other details are available here.
The funding may appeal to operators with practical projects that enhance access, enrich experiences, or offer more sustainable options for travellers looking to explore the state’s parks and coastal zones. With no shortage of natural spaces to work with, the fund gives businesses a chance to contribute to the visitor economy while keeping conservation goals in view.
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