The Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta is pleading with holidaymakers to visit.
An Oodnadatta roadhouse operator is pleading with holidaymakers to not forget the outback, after just two tourists stopped at his business during the Easter break.
Pink Roadhouse owner Joe Calvert said he was typically inundated by 50 to 100 tourists every day over the four-day Easter weekend but this year the fuel crisis had hit the Far North town, which is about 1040km from Adelaide by road, on the edge of the Simpson Desert, hard.
At the start of what should be outback Australia’s peak tourist season, Mr Calvert said he had already been forced to lay off two seasonal workers.
An additional two backpackers who were about to arrive at Oodnadatta to work at the iconic roadhouse, which also operates as a restaurant and offers accommodation, have been told not to come, while planned upgrades, including to the restaurant kitchen, have been put on hold.
“We’re in survival mode. Over Easter, we were down 75 per cent in turnover,’’ Mr Calvert said.
Owners of the Pink Roadhouse Joe and Jess Calvert.
“We’re lucky we have got a local population that keep us busy but aside from them, we only saw two tourists over Easter.
“And it’s not looking like it’s getting any better in the next month or even the next two months.
“It looks like we have got some inquiries (for accommodation) for late May and June if the Finke Desert Race goes ahead but if that is cancelled, that would be devastating.
“It’s a difficult time for those in business in the outback, that’s for sure.’’
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Mr Calvert said the April school holidays, which start next week, looked bleak and the July school holidays had already been impacted by the cancellation of the outback’s Big Red Bash music festival, due to flooding.
He said tourist fears largely focused on the availability of fuel – to both travel to the outback and then get back home – but fuel pricing was also a significant factor, particularly amid other spiralling living costs.
The roadhouse currently had a good supply of fuel and was receiving more supplies as needed, Mr Calvert said.
The Pink Roadhouse is a popular travel destination, particularly at Easter.
He called on the South Australian government to introduce outback travel vouchers to entice more people to the region, similar to those offered during the state’s algal bloom outbreak.
At a federal level, more cost-of-living relief was needed so that Australians could continue to support businesses that relied on tourism, said Mr Calvert, who now faces a bill for $150,000 for roadhouse merchandise – ordered before the fuel crisis – that will likely go unsold.
“When costs of living are increasing, the first thing to be cut is your holiday plans,’’ he said.
“But if there was a time to bear the cost and get up here, it’s now.
“Fuel is available and the outback is looking the best it’s looked in 50 years, according to people I have spoken to that have been here for that long – and the lake (Lake Eyre) is going to be at levels not seen since the ‘80s.
“Especially if you are in South Australia, rather than going interstate, travel in your own backyard.
“We would be very grateful if you did.’’