Lake Eyre: Dick Smith slams South Australia government for swimming and boating ban
The former retail giant frontman said he ‘can’t fathom’ the government’s ban on the use of Lake Eyre.
Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith has lashed out at the South Australian government for banning swimmers and boaters from using one of the country’s most well-known lakes.
In 1985, the state government placed driving, swimming and boating restrictions on Lake Eyre after it was declared a national park. Then in 2025, it banned all movement on the “‘culturally and environmentally sensitive site”.
Mr Smith told 2GB on Thursday that he “can’t believe” the ban was being upheld, given the lake was almost full.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“I can’t fathom out the reason,” he said, according to the Daily Mail.
Mr Smith, who is the Rear Admiral of the Lake Eyre Yacht Club, recalled swimming at the lake when he visited with his children years ago.
“You’re not allowed to go to the shore of Lake Eyre. I mean, Lake Eyre is huge - it’s two-thirds full at the moment,” he said.
“I was there about two weeks ago. There are great, big signs up with fines and you’re not even allowed to paddle in Lake Eyre.”
According to the South Australian government, the enforced ban was for the safety of the state’s people and Lake Eyre.
‘”Aboriginal kids for thousands of years would have swum in this most beautiful place,” Mr Smith said.
“Now it’s completely banned by the South Australian government.”
Mr Smith said he wasn’t able to “accept” that kids couldn’t paddle in the waters of Lake Eyre.
He believed that swimming would unlikely damage the lakebed.
“They say it’s muddy but when it’s full it’s not muddy. It’s a lovely, sandy, beautiful place to swim,” he said.
“It’s as if the NSW Government banned swimming on Bondi Beach and said it’s an Aboriginal sacred area.
“I’m sure it is white advisors to the Aboriginal people (who want the restrictions).
“The Aboriginal people I’ve met down there don’t want to stop people from paddling in the lake.
“It couldn’t do any damage at all.“
Mr Smith said there was a trend of restrictions being placed on sacred Indigenous areas, which began with the closure of Uluru (formerly Ayres Rock) to climbers in October 2019.
“I have my doubts about some of these claims,” he said.
“I simply can’t believe that Aboriginal people didn’t swim in Lake Eyre on hot summer days with their kids and have a lot of fun there.”
In June, the businessman issued a grim warning on Australia’s future, revealing what he sees as the “relentless” problem.
The former retail giant frontman, whose brand Dick Smith lives on through an online store now owned by Kogan, warned that Australia is hurtling towards a population of 100 million, something he says is “ridiculous” due to the dry country we live in.
Australia had surpassed a population of 28 million, with an extra person now added to the pool every 75 seconds.
