-clear waters and hundreds of kilometres of pristine coastline have made Western Australia’s southwest a powerful magnet for tourists from Perth, Asia and, more recently, Sydney and Melbourne.
The area defined by sandy beaches, world class surf breaks and a thriving food and wine culture.
It’s little wonder more than a million tourists flock to the region all year round, with numbers peaking during summer when the allure of electric blue water draws huge numbers to its beaches.
But the success of such destinations have seen locals seething over crowded beaches, lack of parking, jammed roads and insufficient infrastructure needed to cater for soaring visitor numbers.
The fears of “over-tourism” have become a reality as some providers propose drastic measures to keep the character of their idyllic towns.
Dunsborough Reference Group chair Jeff Forrest said locals would see something crazy every year when visitors flocked to the town.
Speaking to the ABC, he said there have been times on the coast where you could not get a car park at all.
“Not even on the side of the road,” Mr Forrest said.
“We welcome tourists, that’s important, but if we’re not careful over-tourism will actually destroy the character, the amenity, the natural environment, the beauty of the area that we’ve got to sell.
“How many sheep can you put in a paddock before you ruin the paddock?
“It’s about working out what the real carrying capacity of the area is and then finding ways to manage and restrict the numbers that come here.”