The Tatiara district’s biggest tourism opportunity lies on Dukes Highway, which passes through the district. Dukes Highway is the major road connecting Adelaide to Melbourne. Local roadhouses, motels, caravan parks, bed and breakfasts and other businesses rely on passing traffic, which averages 2,400 vehicles per day. Council’s aim is to attract travellers passing through the area to stop and encourage them to stay a bit longer than they planned.
CEO, Robert Harkness, said to achieve this, Council has allocated funding to improve town entrances and to upgrade facilities such as public toilets, playgrounds, parks, signage and town centres.
“This is also a great benefit for locals,” he said.
After considerable public consultation, Tatiara developed long term improvement plans. Council was then able to attract Government grant funding enabling the following works be carried out:
- undergrounding of overhead power lines
- upgrading of parks including improved public toilets, playgrounds and artwork
- a more attractive and shaded main street with new kerbing and paving, protuberances to slow down traffic and themed street furniture
- a new modern Visitor Information Centre by entering into a partnership with a private business and a State Government department.
“This strategy is working, with visitor numbers gradually increasing each year as travellers learn that Bordertown and Keith are excellent places to stop and take a break,” Robert Harkness said. “Locals are also happy with the improved amenity of their town centres.”
Tourist attractions
Although having no major attractions, Tatiara has a number of locations that are well worth a visit. They include:
- Bob Hawke Gallery and bust at Bordertown – Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Bordertown.
- Tolmer Park and Visitor Information Centre at Bordertown – named after Inspector Tolmer, who escorted gold from Ballarat to Adelaide
- Padthaway Cellar Doors – stop and taste award winning wines grown in the Padthaway area
- Conservation Parks – the Tatiara has a number of conservation parks located across the district. They include Ngarkat, Jip Jip, Padthaway and Mount Monster
- Playgrounds – very popular playgrounds exist at Keith and Mundulla with Padthaway having an excellent skateboard facility
- Golf courses – the Limestone Coast has a number of high standard golf courses including Bordertown and Keith which both have 18 holes of watered fairways and greens.
