Sarah Herrmann , Yorke Peninsula Country Times

More regular cruise ships are set to return to Yorke Peninsula waters this year, with hopes high that passenger numbers can eventually reach those of pre-pandemic levels.

Travellers from three Coral Adventurer ships, which carry a maximum of 120 passengers each, are expected to be “tendered in” to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park as part of a “wild islands of South Australia” itinerary — meaning the ships anchor offshore and passengers are brought in on smaller boats.

Excursion vessels will arrive at the national park for day trips on November 2, 12 and 22.

Coral Expeditions travellers will land at Dolphin Beach near the northern end of the park and walk west to Royston Head, or on the southeast side at Little Emu Beach and walk to the Stenhouse Bay jetty or Stenhouse Bay Lookout Trail.

YP Council mayor Darren Braund said he saw the cruise arrivals as an opportunity for visitors to experience the natural beauty and unique wildlife of Dhilba Guuranda.

“We are thrilled Coral Expeditions has added Yorke Peninsula to their cruise-line itinerary over the next six months,” he said.

“Whether the cruise ships land at Dolphin Beach or Little Emu Beach, guests will be treated to breathtaking views from the Royston Head lookout or the iconic Stenhouse Bay Jetty.

“We look forward to showcasing the natural wonders and warm hospitality of Yorke Peninsula to cruise passengers.”

Mayor Braund also acknowledged YP Tourism’s advocacy for the return of cruise ships to the region.

YPT regional manager Jess Greatwich said the expedition vessels were exactly the market it was aiming to activate.

“Yorke Peninsula Tourism has been advocating strongly for a return of cruise ships to the region for some years now, including supporting the SA Tourism Commission to host representatives from Carnival Cruises in the region, making introductions to tourism operators and curating product showcases for programming directors,” Ms Greatwich said.

“We’re delighted to see a return of cruise ships to the region, and confident that this is a step in the right direction for future arrivals into other Yorke Peninsula destinations.

“Wallaroo, in particular, is perfectly positioned to accept future arrivals, with high-quality infrastructure, a vibrant tourism offering in the town and strong, sustained support at a local government level.”

The news that the returning cruise ships would initially be visiting southern YP, rather than docking at the Wallaroo jetty, was queried when delivered by Ms Greatwich to Copper Coast Council at an information session last month.

Wallaroo hosted the about 1260- passenger Vasco de Gama, of the now-defunct Cruise and Maritime Voyages, before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 and 2020.

CCC elected member and travel agency owner Sandra Paddick said relying on tendering in passengers to the national park meant the excursion could be cancelled if weather conditions were poor.

“The concern is when they’re tendering in, they cancel them more than they don’t,” she said.

“In Penneshaw, every second vessel over there, if it’s too rough, that’s it.”

CCC mayor Roslyn Talbot said Wallaroo was less weather dependent because of its jetty.

“Our staff put a lot of work into the cruise-ship market and Covid came and that couldn’t be helped,” she said.

“But also Flinders Ports invested a lot of money into the infrastructure so that the facilities were good.

“So it disappoints me that we’ve got this fantastic facility that Flinders Ports have invested in, yet they’re going to tender them in.

“And the time that they’re tendering them in, we could probably have them on a bus down to (the national park).

” Ms Greatwich said she believed the cruise line’s decision to visit the national park was a choice based around the nature and wildlife.

YPT had recently hosted Carnival Cruise representatives at Wallaroo and received positive feedback.

“They loved the product that they saw when they were here, the mooring facilities are very highstandard, access is excellent.

“I’m really hopeful, and I think with good reason, that we’ll see them come back to Wallaroo.”

A Coral Expeditions tour also visited Troubridge Island last year.

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 6 August 2024.