In a move that may cause some controversy, visitors will no longer be able to set foot on Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre under a proposed plan to protect its cultural significance for traditional owners.
According to the Daily Mail, swimming, driving, boating and landing aircraft on the lake are already banned, but the new plan would prevent visitors setting foot on its bed without permission.
Every few years Australia's largest lake breaks out into a multitude of colours when flooding rains from Queensland fill the immense saltwater basin, transforming the desert landscape into an oasis, and attracting thousands of tourists.
But it is a sacred site for the Arabana people, who have lived in the region for thousands of years and are the lake's native title holders.
Arabana Aboriginal Corporation chairwoman Bronwyn Dodd told the Daily Mail that her people were proud to share the lake but urged visitors to respect their traditional stories, lore and culture.
National Parks and Wildlife Service program director Jason Irving said the South Australian government was committed to its partnership with the Arabana people.
"The request for visitors not to enter a sacred cultural site is made in recognition and respect for Arabana culture and to ensure the safety of visitors," he said.
However some people are not happy with the proposed ban.
Commodore of the Lake Eyre Yacht Club, Bob Backway, expressed his disbelief to Sky News.
Mr Backway said he had received calls from outraged tourist operators since sharing the government proposal on the Yacht Club’s social media.
“They’re not happy. They’re not happy at all. The only people who are happy are the people who run joy flights, because that’s the only way you’re going to see the lake. Everybody else is very peed off, to put it politely,” he said.
“I think this cultural problem is a relatively recent problem created to give them a case for exclusive access to the area so they could make money out of it.”
Read the full story here.