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30,000 South Australian travel vouchers worth up to $500 are up for grabs

Kassia ByrnesBy Kassia Byrnes
South Australia is welcoming more travellers this summer, with a new round of coastal travel vouchers across dining, accommodation and experiences.

A new round of South Australian travel vouchers and dining vouchers is being released in a ballot system to help soothe the sting to local tourism in algal bloom-affected areas.

The Algal bloom

three friends sitting on Port Willunga Beach Fleurieu Peninsula south australia
South Australia’s coastline is still safe for humans. (Image: SATC)

The current algal bloom in South Australia is affecting much of the coastline, especially the Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Spencer Gulf.

While algae and even blooms of algae are a natural part of coastal ecosystems, the current bloom in South Australia is toxic to fish and some other marine animals. As a result, both marine life and the industries that rely on it (fishing, aquaculture and tourism) are seeing a serious negative impact. However, it is still safe for humans to swim in SA beaches , provided they avoid discoloured and/or foamy water (which may cause mild, short-term irritation).

This current algal bloom phenomenon came about as a result of floodwaters from the River Murray in 2022-23, a cold-water upwelling in summer 2023-24 and a marine heatwave that has been happening since September 2024. Each event brought extra nutrients to the sea and then lifted them to the surface.

In response, a $102.5 million Algal Bloom Summer Plan was announced by the South Australian and Australian governments, including measures to protect the marine environment and back coastal communities.

Travel vouchers

seal pups on Seal Bay Conservation Park Kangaroo Island south australia
Catch the ferry to Kangaroo Island with the experience vouchers. (Image: Kangaroo Island Tourism Alliance)

Open to South Australians, 30,000 travel vouchers of up to $500 for accommodation and $100 for experiences in coastal destinations will be up for grabs. It comes as a bigger, extended round of the popular Coast is Calling travel voucher program (with the first round having been announced in August).

This round will expand on the first to also include qualifying holiday rentals, the Kangaroo Island ferry and additional experiences, including guided sporting experiences and additional leisure and entertainment activities. As well as an extended period of travel between December 5 and April 26.

Accommodation vouchers are intended to encourage longer stays, worth $500 for a five-night minimum stay, $200 for a two-night minimum stay and $100 for a one-night minimum stay.

“These vouchers are helping local businesses bounce back, driving tourism and keeping regional economies strong right across the state’s coastline," said Minister for the Environment, Murray Watt . “This program is about more than just holidays – it’s about supporting jobs, small businesses and the communities that make South Australia’s coast such a special part of the country".

“Another 30,000 vouchers released for summer will be a game-changer for many coastal businesses who rely on this holiday period to set themselves up for the rest of the year," added Minister for Multicultural Affairs of South Australia, Zoe Bettison.

Dining vouchers

womand and her child walking at Dolphin Bay Yorke Peninsula
It’s the perfect time for a family getaway. (Image: Carly Kruger)

A $15 million dining program in the form of 300,000 $50 dining vouchers to be used at coastal dining venues – including restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs and takeaway venues – will give travellers the ability to get $50 cashback on their meal. Using the voucher, travellers can upload their meal receipt from a participating business along with their unique voucher code to receive 50 per cent off their meal, up to $50.

“We’re currently seeing the impact a voucher program can make, with the first round of Coast is Calling Vouchers already injecting over $2.7 million in booking value alone into communities impacted by the algal bloom," said Bettison.

How to enter the ballot

South Australian travellers can enter the dining public ballot on the Coast is Calling website . From 3 November 2025, 60,000 vouchers will be on offer in this first round. Subsequent ballots will be drawn in December, January, February and March.

A ballot for travel vouchers will open from 1-3 December, to be drawn on December 4. Voucher winners will need to book by January 19, and can be used for travel between 5 December and 26 April.

Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael TurtleBy Michael Turtle
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    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves . Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.