![Gladstone Tourism and Development Association president David Catford and Northern Areas Council mayor Sue Scarman at the Gladstone Gaol. Picture supplied. Gladstone Tourism and Development Association president David Catford and Northern Areas Council mayor Sue Scarman at the Gladstone Gaol. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/wBuRnviBxsXKsfGYcn3ULj/c1a749a5-0e21-46c0-979e-cc547fab3310.jpg/r0_0_3032_3228_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The town of Gladstone has experienced a boost in tourism numbers this year, despite its main tourism attraction being closed for maintenance.
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The Gladstone Gaol is due to receive a permanent light projection installation similar to the light projections on the Karoonda and Quorn silos.
The major project will shine the spotlight on historic Gladstone Gaol, with cutting edge technology to engage visitors and illuminate the local landmark.
This unique approach offers heritage interpretation that will appeal to history buffs, film-noir fans and travellers who are looking for a taste of mystery and drama.
Key features will include light and projection to illuminate the gaol's exterior with historical images, videos, and animations, providing a dynamic and immersive experience as well as soundscapes and music to accompany the visual elements, enhancing the emotional connection to the stories being told.
The historical storytelling will share the intriguing history of Gladstone Gaol, allowing visitors to engage with the site's past and gain a deeper understanding of its significance.
The transformation is part of the Silver to Sea Way project funded by the federal government, which would also include the restoration of the former Jamestown Railway Goods Shed, including a new ramp to improve visitor access and conservation work aimed at stabilising the structures, flooring and guttering.
The National Trust of South Australia's Silver to Sea Way project has embarked on a series of heritage revitalisation projects at four sites - Peterborough, Jamestown, Gladstone and Port Pirie - connecting towns with new visitor experiences.
Gladstone Tourism and Development Association president David Catford said the town was excited to see the gaol opening again and the project was going to provide a spectacular attraction for the region.
"Gladstone Gaol Immersive Activation is not just a project, it's a vision for a brighter and more vibrant Gladstone," he said.
"Before it was closed for renovations they did ghost tours there, or they could even lock you in a cell for a night if you were that way inclined.
"There is a lot of history there and a lot of stories the caretakers tell people.
"We look forward to having people from far and wide join us in this remarkable journey to illuminate our town."
He said there had been a lot more foot traffic through Gladstone with RVs and caravans.
"Our challenge with the Community Development Board is to get people into the town," he said.
"The main street is not a part of the main highway so people have to make the effort to come and we are looking at ways to tempt people off the highway.
"There is a lot of railway heritage as well as the gaol, which is the major thing, but the railway is also a major part of Gladstone's past and we also are the home of the largest inland grain receivables terminal in Australia."
Mr Catford says their tourism season starts in late August and finishes up after Easter heading into the cooler months.
"We are on the way to the southern Flinders Ranges so when the southern Flinders is not open for business during the hot fire danger times, we probably get quiet too," he said.
"People are looking around Australia more than we were perhaps due to COVID but it is great.
Also in the Mid North, one of the state's most popular campgrounds is reopening after a major upgrade with new picnic furniture, hot water showers and larger sites among new amenities.
Mambray Creek at Mount Remarkable National Park, near Melrose, reopened following a $2.5 million upgrade after works to modernise the much-loved campground, which was built in the 1980s, while retaining the feel and experience that makes it one of SA's favourites.
Mambray Creek is the most visited SA campground managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service and averages about 11,000 bookings each year.
Climate, Environment and Water Minister Susan Close said the improved facilities would not only provide campers with another brilliant place to stay in the national parks but would help grow the visitor economy to the area by allowing more travelers to spend time in the area.
"The Mambray Creek campgrounds are a much-loved part of Mount Remarkable National Park and these upgrades ensure the site will be enjoyed by future generations," she said.
Gladstone isn't the only regional town celebrating an increase in tourism with more rooms booked across the regions in October 2023 than any other month on record.
More than 146,000 rooms were occupied across regional SA during the month of October - the best month ever and nearly 20,000 more rooms than in the same month pre pandemic.
Since the start of 2022, regional SA has seen every month exceed pre COVID levels - making it 22 consecutive months that have performed better than the same month in 2019.
Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley combined also celebrated a record-high, with more rooms occupied across the three regions in October than any other month before.
The new data comes as key milestones are reached for the state's Murray River regions as well as Kangaroo Island.
Tourism on Kangaroo Island has made a major milestone set to help drive international recovery, with the rebuilt $55 million Southern Ocean Lodge which opened earlier this month.
Four years on after the 2020 bushfires destroyed it, the new-look luxury accommodation on the south coast of KI includes all the features once loved by guests, combined with some new additions "designed for a new generation of travel to Kangaroo Island" with a greater focus on sustainability architect Max Pritchard said.
Tourism on KI has since made a remarkable recovery, with the region's visitor expenditure hitting a record-high $294 million in the year to June 2023.
In the 12 months to June 2023, $38 million was spent by international visitors in Kangaroo Island - making real inroads on its pre-COVID value of $53 million.