News and Events – May

From expos to domestic tourism rates, we’ve rounded up all the news and events for May 2022.

Mundi Mundi success

The inaugural Mundi Mundi Bash has been declared a success after the show closed on 23 April 2022. Hema Maps was an attendee at the outback event, which is the largest of its kind. Headliners of the musical festival included Paul Kelly, who closed the show by performing for 10,000 travellers.  Attendees at the festival dusted off their dancing boots in an attempt to break the world record for the largest ‘Nutbush City Limits’ dance. While the attempt was unsuccessful, it did raise almost $42,000 for the festival’s charity partner, the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Other performers to appear at the event included Wendy Matthews, Glenn Shorrock, John Williamson, Kate Ceberano, Ross Wilson and Chocolate Starfish. A second Mundi Mundi Bash will be held in August 2022 and is set to feature Missy Higgins, Jon Stevens, Kasey Chambers and Jimmy Barnes.

Gibb River Road now open 

Only Charnley River remains closed which is scheduled to open on 5 June 2021. Almost all destinations along the Gibb River Road are now open but, as is the case at the start of the season, not all waterfalls and gorges at parks or stations will be accessible.

This currently applies to Wunnamurra Gorge on Mount Elizabeth Station which is unlikely to open before July as the track still needs to be repaired. The season is well underway and camps are filling up early with plenty of trailers and caravans making their way up the west coast, so the region is set to see extreme crowds over the next couple of weeks.

Due to the already heavy season, some campgrounds are already full so booking ahead is recommended. The user-generated app, WikiCamps, can help inform visitors but be aware that many of the entries for ‘free’ campsites are often from users illegally camping on private property, so act responsibly and respectfully while camping. 

Tunnel Creek currently has head-height waters, rather than the knee deep it usually has, meaning visitors will have to swim to explore the area. Be advised that there is currently no towing between Tunnel Creek and Yiramalay, south of Tunnel Creek on the Farfield-Leopold Down Road as it is still wet. No official information has been released on the opening of Home Valley Station.

Domestic travel is on the rise

TripTech’s Summer Report reveals domestic travellers have filled the gap left by international visitors. Commissioned by Tourism Australia, TripTech’s road trip dashboards have seen strong evidence in a renewed interest for regional getaways in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

TechTrip’s Summer Report on the In-Trip behavious of the Domestic Traveller and the Evolution of the Australian Road Trip reveals the Australian Independent Traveller’s behaviours and travel patterns over summer 2020/21.

The report shows a 43 per cent increase in app engagement over the summer compared to the previous year, highlighting the domestic market’s contribution to the recovery of tourism in Australia.

TripTech and CamperMate CEO, Nick Baker, said that the analysis of the unique pre and in-trip behaviour of domestic travellers helps show trends in travel. “[It] pinpoints exactly where domestic travellers have stepped up to fill the gap left by international travellers, what regions have benefitted and those that have been hardest hit by the pandemic,” he said.

Wineries and breweries, and walks and trails were the most popular local attractions, up by 381 per cent and 281 per cent respectively. Routes popular with international travellers, like the Great Ocean Road, saw understandable declines in visits.