Halls Gap Rebuilds Tourism After Back-to-Back Bushfires

When bushfires tore through Halls Gap two summers in a row, business owners had a choice: give up or get creative.

They chose creativity. Today, the Victorian town's trails are bursting with new growth, and its businesses are bursting with new ideas.

Adrian Manikus runs walking and outdoor adventure companies in the Grampians region. After watching fires threaten his business twice, he asked himself a crucial question: what if the entire national park burned down?

His answer was a brand new four-day canoe tour down the Glenelg River, safely outside the fire zone. He also added winter tours and nighttime abseiling adventures.

"Each crisis, there was a new idea that stuck," Manikus said.

The town needed those ideas. In February 2024, bushfires destroyed 46 homes in nearby Pomonal and affected businesses around Halls Gap. Then in December 2025, dry lightning sparked another blaze that burned 70,000 hectares and forced evacuations again.

The economic hit was massive. Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism calculated the region lost $1.9 million in tourism revenue for every single day Halls Gap stayed closed between Christmas and New Year.

Mark Treweek, who owns Halls Gap Zoo, said January used to be his busiest month. This year felt eerily quiet, even though visitors who do come still love the experience.

"I just think they're nervous with the amount of bushfires that have been around the last few years," Treweek said.

The Ripple Effect

The recovery strategy goes beyond individual businesses trying new things. Kate Kirkpatrick, who runs a wedding chapel in Pomonal and directs the Grampians Grape Escape festival, says collaboration is the secret weapon.

After her chapel bookings dropped, she opened a planning showroom in nearby Ararat to reach more customers across the Wimmera region. But she credits the community's support for keeping her spirits up.

"It's about working together with other operators in the region to build stronger products and promote as one, as opposed to individual operations," Kirkpatrick said.

That collaborative spirit is spreading across Halls Gap. Business owners are cross-promoting, creating packages that showcase the whole region, and designing experiences that work even when fire threatens the national park.

Marc Sleeman from Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism says visitor numbers are finally returning to normal levels. The fires affected not just Halls Gap but the entire broader Grampians and Wimmera-Mallee region.

Together, these businesses are proving that resilience isn't just about bouncing back, it's about bouncing forward with fresh ideas and unified strength.