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[SA] Kangaroo Island Ferry Return $18 (Child), $25 (Adult) @ Kangaroo Island Connect (1+ Night(s) Stay Required)

2450

KANGAROO ISLAND businesses have taken a multi-million dollar hit as the tourism industry deals with thousands of travel plan cancellations over the past week.

Kangaroo Island tour operators Tony and Sandy Coppins have been taking guests on Ocean Safaris off the waters of Kangaroo Island for more than seven years operating Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari.

Now, along with other Kangaroo Island businesses, this multiple award-winning business is facing one of its biggest challenges with cancellations and a big drop in visitation to Kangaroo Island.

“The bushfires have caused a significant impact to the community and our thoughts are with the businesses and families who have lost homes and livelihoods as a result of the fires”. Tony said. “The tourism industry on Kangaroo Island employs families of the farming community and, by supporting the tourism industry is one way you can help the community”.

Kangaroo Island Connect operates the Fast Passenger Ferry Service from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw and is offering much reduced fares to encourage people to come to the Island.

From today, Kangaroo Island Connect is providing a 50% discount for return ferry travel to encourage tourism back on Kangaroo Island. Travellers can take a return ferry trip with Kangaroo Island Connect to Kangaroo Island for only $25 per person.

To purchase a return ferry ticket for $25, visitors must stay on Kangaroo Island for at least one night to support local businesses. The offer is open for travel from Saturday 25 January 2020 until 30 June 2020.

Managing Director of Kangaroo Island Connect, David Harris, said “Tourism and Agriculture are key drivers of the economy on Kangaroo Island. Both sectors are interlinked. There is a massive job ahead to get the economy back on its feet. There has been wonderful charitable support, but we must get the Island economy trading again and as soon as possible”.

People are asking what they can do?

The best way to help is to come to Kangaroo Island, stay a night or two and spend some money enjoying yourselves while supporting the local towns and businesses at the same time.

This 50% discount on our normal fare is the cheapest fare ever to Kangaroo Island. By making a booking and travelling to Kangaroo Island, this will help to get some cash flow back into the tourism businesses on the Island. We have also reduced our car & van hire rates back to the winter off-peak rates.

Several accommodation, tour and experience operators are releasing promotions including free return Kangaroo Island Connect ferry travel to the island. These packages will include the $25 return ferry Kic fare. (Subject to Terms and Conditions)

Visitors can experience Kangaroo Island with Hire Cars, Motor Homes and Campervans available to explore the 50% of untouched beauty of the Island, with pristine coastline spanning more than 250km.

“Get together with your friends and family, grab your camera, beach towel, surfboard and get ready to fill your social media feeds with adventure, amazing food, gin, beer, wine, honey, and KI’s photogenic coastlines.”

Island businesses need the rest of this summer period to be a success to help rebuild the local economy.

Don’t miss the boat and the opportunity to help start the rebuilding process on Kangaroo Island.

Kangaroo Island Connect will follow the advice of the South Australia CFS to ensure the Island is safe for tourists to travel.

To learn more and make a booking, visit Kangaroo Island Connect’s website at www.kic.com.au or call 0419 100 100.

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  • +80

    I live on the island in penneshaw.

    Still plenty to see here. Yes the national park has burnt badly but still lots left to see.
    Dolphins
    Seal
    Honey makers
    Wineries, gin and brewery
    SAs top restaurant
    Local historic sites.
    Etc

    Most people would spend 3 days here of which 1 was in the national park. Once the fires have stopped it will come back to life. Lots come for the food, wine and laid back lifestyle and empty beaches.

    Come stay in a local B&B and experience true hospitality

    • +3

      Pity you can't move this comment to the top. Hope you are doing ok.

      • +3

        All good thanks at the moment. Time will tell.
        Thanks for asking

    • +1

      I'm booking a family visit in May to bring my wife's mum from the UK over. We couldn't afford the car ferry prices but are taking up this deal to stay for a week.

    • +2

      I'm from Adelaide and love KI but "SAs top restaurant"? I didn't know Orana was on KI.

      • +1

        Oops only went on what people told me. It has 1 chefs hat. Above has 3 i see.
        Sorry

    • +1

      Some admin should pin this comment to the top

    • +1

      Are attractions such as admirals arch, remarkable rocks, seal Bay etc still accessible and unharmed from the fires?

    • +4

      I'd be more worried about the drop bears.

      • -3

        she was a very good sport - good on her.

        i'm a bit worried that guy is a sociopath - such a good liar.

      • Hilarious

    • +5

      Unsure if joking. Most of the western half of the island is burnt.

    • -5

      You won't see them… Too much Smoke.

      Take a box of Face Masks for
      each member of your group.

      Take a USB stick full of
      animal photos or videos.

      (I'm Not insensitive to the tragedy,
      that the Out-of-Control Bushfires,
      on Kangaroo Island & elsewhere, are.

      I'm truly disappointed with AU's:

      1. "Toxic COAL-Loving" Gov't(s),
      2. PM (exper. in Tourism, NOT Science), &
      3. Dep PM

      for:

      a. doing little, over 10+ years
      to reduce the consequences of
      Climate Change (eg, NSW's 4-6 yrs
      of Drought),

      b. trying to reFrame these HUGE
      Bushfires as "Natural-Disasters"
      as if unrelated to Climate Change, &

      c. labelling those of us, who link
      NSW's 'fires with Climate Change
      (incl Climate Scientists)
      "Urban Lunatics"

      …respectively)

      • I'm with you, IVI. Unfortunately I'm bet they'll be voted back in next election…

  • +7

    Fantastic initiative.

    Look forward to visiting in the coming months.

      • +4

        I think you've completely missed the point of continuing to support the tourism trade on the island…

      • +3

        Look at Mr Edgelord here, complete with his Overwatch name and avatar. Wake up to yourself idiot.

  • +6

    Please add to title "must stay on Kangaroo Island for at least one night"

    • +4

      Better not have asthma, etc.
      Take your puffer, if you do

      • Thats my problem sadly, I live on the mainland and still have had two days of smoke flow in from the fire and that was still too much…. Glad they are trying this initiative tho…

  • -4

    … I'm not sure they can honour the 'Return' part of the Deal!

  • +25

    Kangaroo Island is Overpriced, ozbargainers not the target market

    • "Make hay when the rain is falling"
      (& B4 KI's ANNUAL Bushfire season)

  • +17

    " Kangaroo Island Connect is providing a 50% discount for return ferry travel …

    … to explore the 50% of untouched beauty of the Island "

    • +3

      The KI ferry price is so expensive though, pretty much same distance as Darling Harbor to Manly and they charge almost twice as much

      • +3

        Can you still drive on the ferry though? If so that’s not something the manly ferry offers.

        E: apparently not the correct ferry in this offer that has the car transport option.

      • -7

        KI residents enjoy subsidized travel
        between mainland & KI; tourist are
        the ones subsidizing them

        Better, IMO, to cut the travel-cost
        for all, so More Tourists visit KI,
        ie, before its Bushfire season.

        AU can't depend on Tourism with all
        these smoke, dangerous fires.

        We really should train up Nuclear
        Physicist, Engineers, & Workers, &
        DEMAND that gov't learn from France:

        In addition to excellent cuisines,
        they make over 70% of their power
        from Nuclear PP's, that's got to
        have improved their Air Quality &
        may have helped create better
        -local- Climates

        (See Willie Smits' TED talk; his
        Orangutan Rescue project on Borneo
        showed signs of improvement in their
        -local- climate, ie, after their
        diverse plantings "grew into a kind
        of micro rain forest")

        AU must begin to learn from what
        works LONG TERM, as France & Smits
        seem to be doing.

        On Nuclear & REVERSING Climate Change:

        • EnergyImpactCenter.org/thesis

        (Neither my thesis nor my website)

  • -3

    I heard that ScoMo never left Kangaroo Island he is still on holidays there. Not sure if he will use his left hand bring your right hand to give it a vigorous hand shake when you get off the ferry.

    • +3

      Your attempt at humour has failed.

      • -3

        You know what they say about not being able to please everyone. Plus saying things to be popular is just continuing business as usual, and nothing to date is business as usual.

        There is people who can't swallow their pride after voting him in to lead the disaster of his own making (no I am not talking about the fires).

        No, I don't get my pride in front of the truth. Nothing in the above is technically incorrect. PM takes overdue holidays while there is a national emergency, check! PM being socially awkward and out of touch with people, check!

        It isn't even about politics.

        • +1

          after voting him in to lead the disaster

          And Bill Shorten would have stopped the fires?

          • @jv: I am taking about the one where he stays in Hawaii a bit too long. Then going an grabbing people's hands of which obviously doesn't want to shake his hand.

            Did you not read the publicity disaster for himself personally and NOT the fires.

            • +1

              @netjock:

              I am taking about the one where he stays in Hawaii a bit too long.

              What about Dan Andrew's holiday during the bush fires? That was OK?

            • -1

              @netjock:

              Then going an grabbing people's hands of which obviously doesn't want to shake his hand.

              They were stooges set up by the reporters.

              There were witnesses who saw the fireman going around swearing about the prime minister coming, then he was approached by a reporter shortly before the incident.

              Don't believe everything you see in TV.

              • +1

                @jv: Okay everything is a setup.

                Nobody is out to get anybody. You make what you can in life. If you want to be PM role with the punches. Giving people a pat on the back and listening to people aren't going to kill you but he had to try to hand shake everyone.

                Even if it wasn't ScoMo and it was some random person you saw on the street trying to hand shake people who don't want to handshake, isn't that just weird?

                • +3

                  @netjock:

                  Okay everything is a setup.

                  Not everything, but the media are hardly the most ethical people on the planet…

                • @netjock: Some pundits reckon Latham's weird handshake with Howard cost him an election. His recent behaviour suggests Australia dodged a bullet. Morrison's pathetic intrusion into people's personal space was not just strange behaviour, it was insensitive. His minders figured it would be good publicity but they and Morrison failed to understand the mood and how raw people's emotions were. Morrison often speaks of the Canberra bubble. He should know because he's a perfect example.

              • -1

                @jv: I certainly don't believe most of what I see written under your nic. You're probably a LPN office stooge. The mentality is a perfect fit.

          • @jv: Some of them I am sure could have been minimised. Remember Morrison and Dutton were warned numerous times but buried their heads in the sand.

            Shorten as part of his election promises was gonna give 80m for fires?

            Shorten would have governed like Rudd and have resources allocated and within 24 hours (like 2009 fires) and not gone to Hawaii.

            He is calling for a royal commission, he gets to write the terms so the blame could be put onto the states entirely.

            • +2

              @Korban Dallas:

              Shorten as part of his election promises was gonna give 80m for fires?

              Even if he did. Do you think that would have stopped the fires?

            • +3

              @Korban Dallas:

              Shorten would have governed like Rudd and have resources allocated and within 24 hours

              Federal government don't have any jurisdiction on fire fighting, it is a matter for the states to manage.

              • +2

                @jv: Scott Morrison is that you. Cause you have mentioned that to an Australian whilst in Hawaii :D

                Rudd handled 2009 fires well, also the Brisbane floods.

                Group effort between the states and Feds.

                https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1216167222462169088?s=19

                https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/fact-check-pms-interview-w…

                Nothing would have stopped the fires. Massive clusterf%(! of a response.

                However, I think that lessons will be learned and we will become more resilient. That's the important thing now.

                • +3

                  @Korban Dallas:

                  Rudd handled 2009 fires well

                  173 deaths in Victoria… Yeah, he did great… :\

                  • @jv: Puerile, as usual. Love your logic tough. Rudd is responsible for 173 deaths but Morrison's not responsible for anything. If his alimentary canal wasn't already full of rw media and religious nut jobs you could book your own place right now.

              • @jv: Is the concept of pro-active leadership beyond you or are your standards and expectations simply low?

              • +1

                @jv: Simplistic twaddle right out of the latest conservative song sheet, as Korban's link below shows clearly. Education isn't a federal matter but your buddies were keen to get involved and fund special religious counsellors. Religion isn't a federal matter, nor was marriage equality, but your mates spent millions of our money to get involved. Water is primarily a state matter but federal govts have always played a role. Infrastructure is a state matter but federal governments provide leadership and funds. Federal governments always provide assistance in natural disasters.

          • +1

            @jv: Any half decent person, let alone a PM, wouldn't have taken a secret holiday during the unfolding disaster.
            Any half-decent leader would have sat down with experienced emergency/fire experts to listen to what they had to say about the much heightened risk.
            Any party with more than half an idea wouldn't have dismissed the call for a national fleet of aerial tankers, saying it was a state responsibility.

            • @[Deactivated]:

              Any half decent person, let alone a PM, wouldn't have taken a secret holiday during the unfolding disaster.

              Dan Andrews did…

              Also, when ScoMo left for his holiday, it wasn't a national disaster. It was a few bush fires burning under the jurisdiction of the NSW state government.

              • @jv: You obviously don't have a clue. Neither Andrews nor Palszczuk slunk off secretly to pray for the passing off their "religious freedom" bill in the New Year. Fires were burning out of control on many fronts with no prospect of improvement without pro-active action when your BFF decided to sneak out of the country. He has a lot to answer for, but he's not alone.

      • Very similar to a Scomo publicity stunt itself!

  • +14

    Wasn't the advice on the news this morning to not travel to Kangaroo Island unless you had family or friends there needing help?

    • +5

      Correct, there is a travel ban for visitors, but I think this deal is intended once bush fire crisis is over, as in 25th of Jan hopefully.

      • its bold but should be in the title

      • +3

        Not being a jackass, what are we expecting 25th and after? Weather/Seasonal change?

      • +1

        There is no travel ban. I got the ferry over yesterday - I'm actually here for work but didn't tell anyone when booking or boarding. There are a few tourists here still.

        Sky is blue, with no smoke at all around Kingscote yesterday or today

  • +8

    what is there to actually see and do there right now though? - i would be going for the nature… which i thought they just lost?

    • +2

      will upvote this before snowflakes downvote you. I am also genuinely curious. Does anyone know if there is still much to do? I'm all for supporting small communities and businesses, but a bit more information would be good.

      • thank you.

        i guess there is also the beaches? if you look at the ocean and don't turn around much that is….

        but i would also be worried about access and getting around - are there beaches and roads and tracks and trails that are still closed?

      • -8

        Consider supporting our proNuclear Community
        (not necessarily with $$, but by letting your
        MP's know you want more than "Renewables Jobs
        Programs" & you want Clean Energy Sources,
        that are:

        • producing 24x7
        • 1 MILLION TIMES MORE ENERGY DENSE than Wind + Sola

        Ie, NUCLEAR ENERGY:

        • YouTube "Pedersen TEDxCopenhagen"

        End AU's 1999 Nuclear Energy BAN, so we can
        (~2030 build Liquid-Fuel, Molten Salt Reactors;
        or maybe even some of OKLO's 1.5 MWe (sic) NPPs,
        for rural & remote communities.

    • +12

      Most of the nature attractions are still there - just surrounded by charred vegetation. Remarkable rocks, Admiral's Arch, Vivonne Bay, Little Sahara, Kelly Hill Caves, Stokes Bay Beach, the Light Stations, Harvey's Return, the seals, penguins, pelicans would still be there.

    • +2

      You can mourn with the local merchants I guess.

      • yeah i'd also be worried about walking into a trauma zone?

        • -4

          Do you mean folks responding to their losses?

          Why do folks like the Mennonites, et al.
          always seem to have the strength & tools
          to show-up prepared to pitch-in to help
          folks in genuine need, while others
          "fear to tread"…?

          You do know that most of the folks fight-
          ing fires in NSW were VOLUNTEERS, right?

          Of course, they would have been trained
          before going into service as firies, etc.

          • @IVI: that's exactly my fear
            - i don't have any training in trauma first aid or counselling or psychology etc -
            the firies do,
            and even the various religious groups like the salvos have the religious version of that

            • -5

              @bargain huntress: "Learning Never Ends"

              (Oh, on fear, go hear Jonathan Haidt
              - on YouTube -

              "The Coddling of the American Mind:
              A First Principles Conversation [-
              How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas
              Are Setting up a Generation for Failure]
              with Dr. Jonathan Haidt")

              founder a "Heterodox Academy"

              There are some amazing people
              with amazing ideas, on lengthy
              (or shorter) YouTube (or TED) talks

              Sell your TV & put Social Media
              "on-hold" & start learning

              Take chances,

              PS You might benefit from some
              non-Aussie sources.

              I just finished watching a 55 min.
              long audience Q+A with Andrew Yang,
              at Georgetown Uni (in DC).

              And the students asked some good Q's.
              Compare Yang's style of answering
              to any of AU's "office-holders."

              You get a pretty wide range
              of perspectives at a uni, that
              costs US$ 60,000/yr to attend.

              Go learn how AI's can change
              the job market (eg. trucking),
              in case it happens in Oz.

              Be a Hoover(TM) for good ideas, eg:

              "Know New Nukes" eg, via:
              YouTube "Pedersen TEDxCopenhagen"

              Reverse Climate Change:

              • EnergyImpactCenter.org/thesis

              Good Luck :~)

  • +8

    Deal is good till end June. May want to wait for awhile more..

  • +7

    Good deal but would say most people take their car across, rather than pay $100 per day for a ASX rental - it doesn't seem like SeaLink are offering any discounts at the minute though

  • +1

    Two people just died in fires over there.

    • -1

      R.I.P.

      I'm sorry to hear that


      Recent contact with fire?
      Earlier burns, leading to death?
      Smoke inhalation?
      other?

      • What difference does it make? Tragic regardless.

        • +3

          Context, after all this thread is encouraging travel to island… People want to know the Dangers even is it's at present and not necessarily later…
          Also people may have less of an understanding of the KI fires compared to the NSW, VIC.etc situation….

          • +2

            @Forfiet: How does knowing how they died change the trip risk assessment? I wouldn’t be relying on OzBargain to tell me if an area savaged by fire is safe to return to yet or not.

            Personally, I’d be giving it at least a few weeks to let people get back on their feet, clean up etc

            https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sas-brea…

            • +2

              @Randolph Duke: You say don't rely on OzBargain on one hand and yet provide information and context in the other.

              With your reply I have a link with more information, I have just clicked a cfs link provided by boomramada that a temporary ban was lifted and the situation is under control atm. Information is key and Ozbargain can be a good source of quick info if you allow it to be. My major interest is air quality because I'm an asthmatic…

              But, I agree with what you have said about giving it a few weeks and this does last till the 30th of June so no hurry :)

          • @Forfiet: Has NZ all over it. Putting money above safety of people.
            Crazy. You'd think we'd have learnt…but money first!!

      • +2

        I knew one of the guys. A plastic surgeon and a very funny and terrific guy. His father also died. Both were volunteer firefighters and they were driving back to their property and the fire got them. One was found in the car. One was found outside it. It made me cry thinking about it. Brutal. The son was such a nice guy.

        • Father was a famous outback figure.

  • +2

    Id avoid the place for the mayors attitude alone…

    https://newmatilda.com/2020/01/11/defiant-kangaroo-island-re…

    • +7

      You'll get people avoiding Australia altogether if you base it on the person in charge and his comments

      • +2

        And I wouldn't blame them.

    • +1

      I’d avoid that “article”. Anything that opens with calling someone a fool isn’t professional.

      Why would anyone advocate for making a community that relies on tourism suffer because of what one person said?

      • +1

        That he's a fool isn't news, nor is calling him one unprofessional. Agree that you can't blame entire communities for the turds that head them at any point in time.

  • I see, lots of people go at GYG for marketing ploy.. And this is not a marketing ploy?
    Only people who benefits from this would be Kangaroo Island Ferry.

    KI is more of a nature reserve and high end tourist destination. Which probably need time to regrow and rebuild.

    Fire is still active and more than 50% of the island burn down. So where we staying? make your own campsite?

    If you want to support. Try this https://southaustralia.com/travel-blog/how-you-can-help-with…

    • +1

      And that ferry company must make a mint normally. I went a year ago, it is so expensive to do a return with the car and 4 passengers, it nearly put us off going

    • +1

      The human populated half of the island is unburned.
      Plenty of places to stay as a result, from camping through to Air Conditioned luxury.
      And still plenty of things to do.

      This KI Ferry in particular is passenger only, so once you get to the other side, unless you're going to do a walking tour of Penneshaw for a day (quite feasible), you'll need to spend further money hiring a car or going on an Island operated Tour.
      The Ferry service benefits, but so will the greater island.

      • What you saying is true, but you go there as tourist, not much infrastructure their to accommodate you at the moment let alone for people who live there.
        Last thing you want to do is to go disrupt the rebuild process during a disaster. You not really helping the locals.

        Bushfire is still ongoing, most of the people live there has evacuated from the unburned area by defence few days ago.

        If you want to see sightseeing of a bushfire, go visit adelaide hills.

        • +1

          It's a big place.
          If you've never been there, it's significantly bigger than it appears on a map.
          There is plenty of island to tourist without even sighting a blackened field on the horizon.

          The majority of infrastructure in terms of accommodation still stands today.
          The only major accommodation on the burned half of the island was in Vivonne Bay and the Southern Ocean Lodge, but we're still only talking ~50 of the island's hundreds of options.
          In terms of tourist focussed sites, once again, the vast majority of (non natural) destinations on the island are unburned.

          This deal runs for ~6 months.
          I agree that travelling on the 25th Jan is probably not ideal and even travelling through Feb and March comes with high risk of fires.
          However this is looking even further out than that, by which time it's not unreasonable to expect that the fires will have been extinguished and many small businesses (who are heavily or 100% reliant on tourism) already driven into the ground, with many others teetering on the brink.

          The locals still need an income. Sensible tourism of the island is being encouraged for good reason.

  • I keep mixing up Kangaroo Island(SA) with Kangaroo Valley(NSW). Always wanted to visit both.

  • +4

    Your move Sealink.

    • They're happy to get a Subsidy from the Government…

    • +1

      How do you think the army got across, all the extra fire trucks. The extra wages involved in running the boats 18 hours a day. I saw what they did.
      Yes it's expensive to get here and we moan about the prices but they have done a lot the last few weeks, some might say with a vested interest but they did what they could to do their part.

    • I'm currently in Koh Samui, Thailand. The ferry from the mainland to Koh Samui is around the same distance. 2 people and car - around $25. Sealink price - close to $150. I can tell you right now when I'm going to visit Kangaroo Island - never.

  • -1

    Still overpriced why can’t they build a bridge so much sense yes I know it will be costly but they will make the money back

    • You’re kidding right? That would become one of the longest bridges in the Southern Hemisphere, if not the longest.

      The environmental impact would be astronomical, not only from the construction but the rapidly expanding tourism would likely have a huge impact on both flora and fauna. At least the fire should be beneficial for a number of the veg classes, that’s presuming they were burnt with an appropriate regime in the past.

    • -1

      Find me a 16km bridge that cost less than a couple of billion dollars to build.

        • +1

          Sentosa causeway is 380m long only according to your own link and still cost S$117m so more than S$4b for 16Km.

          Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge is 55km and cost US$18.8b = US$0.34b/Km = US$5.4b/16Km (and I think Cape Jervis to penneshaw is actually further than 16Km.)

        • I said 16km and you give me a link for less than 2.5% of the distance? Are you taking the piss?

    • its also used as a shipping channel, so highly unlikely

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