Once hidden pieces of paradise, beaches on the West Australian south coast are becoming social media hotspots and the tourist influx has prompted major upgrades.
One idyllic beach in the Great Southern region has recorded almost a 60 per cent visitor increase in two years.
Many happy tourists can be found at Misery Beach. (ABC News)
Some of the beaches have attained global renown and, for the managers of these places, it is now a question of balancing demand and maintaining the pristine conditions.
Albany’s Misery Beach was labelled the best beach in the nation by Tourism Australia in 2022 and Lucky Bay was proclaimed the best beach in the world in 2023.
Juann Pierre made Albany home after he took a holiday in the region. (ABC Great Southern: Jamie Thannoo)
South African tourist-turned-immigrant Juann Pierre became aware of the beaches via social media and said their popularity was good for the community and the local economy.
“I think tourism is great,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful place we have here and people should be able to enjoy it.”
Little Beach is a world away from Germany, where tourist Sue Anndot is from. (ABC Great Southern: Jamie Thannoo)
German tourist Sue Anndot said Little Beach was exactly the type of place that would grab her attention on Instagram.
“It’s very turquoise, it’s a very colourful, very bright white beach, less crowded,” she said.
“We don’t really have beaches where I’m from and I just like to be in nature more than surrounded by people.”
Denmark’s Greens Pool is one of the region’s most popular beaches. (Supplied)
Influencer impact
Curtin University public relations expert Katharina Wolfe said “selfie tourism” was a major drawcard to WA.
Katharina Wolfe says “selfie culture” has wide-ranging implications for tourism. (Supplied)
“The secret is truly out, isn’t it?” Dr Wolfe said.
“It’s really interesting because it changed the whole dynamic around what we used to call ‘over tourism’.”
The money visitors bring in is welcome, but Dr Wolfe said entire fields had been trampled by tourists seeking the best angle for a photo.
Little Beach is frequently named among the world’s best beaches. (Supplied: Josh Burkinshaw)
She also said visitor numbers had risen faster than organisers could handle when posts went viral.
Last year Esperance ran an “unfluencers” campaign to encourage visitors not to post photos online in what was an attempt to boost the town’s image as a place to take a break from daily life.
The white sands and vivid blue water of Little Beach draws tourists to the area. (Supplied: Ash Lark)
Building to preserve
At Little Beach, a 40-minute drive from Albany, it has been decided more infrastructure — including a car park with 48 bays, bitumen surfaces, and motorbike bays — is needed to help protect its threatened animals and plants.
The beach’s unsealed car park fits 24 vehicles, but the number of visitors to the secluded site has increased from 47,000 in 2021/22 to 74,000 in 2023/24.
Mike Shephard is overseeing upgrades for a number of beaches in the region. (ABC Great Southern: Jamie Thannoo)
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction regional parks leader Mike Shephard said the project was needed to keep tourists from damaging the environment.
“The vehicles cannot find sufficient space close to the beach, so they are parking up on the edge of the road,” Mr Shepherd said.
“They’re pushing out into the vegetation, impacting on vegetation as well as the ground cover, which then inevitably causes erosion.
“The numbers are increasing, and we’re seeing those impacts flow out into the environment.”
Parking is limited at Little Beach in Two Peoples Bay near Albany. (ABC Great Southern: Jamie Thannoo)
The department is eyeing similar upgrades for other beaches in the area. Misery Beach, for instance, will soon have a new viewing lookout completed.
He said close to 100,000 people per year could be visiting Little Beach within the next few years.
This post was originally published on here
