Tourism in the Riverland community of Barmera has taken a substantial hit over the summer, with flooding and camping bans affecting the major drawcard of Lake Bonney.

Carp Frenzy, an annual family-friendly carp-culling festival, is set to draw tourists back to the region, with promises of a monster haul this year.

Kym Manning, one of the founders and organisers of the event, said he hoped the event on Saturday 4 March will attract both families and fisherfolk to take part in the pest catching competition.

Manning said that 80 per cent of participants came from outside the Riverland in previous years and getting the same number of visitors this year would help the community rebound.

“Our tourism economy has been devastated this summer. Absolutely devasted,” Manning said.

“We’re just coming out of the second biggest flood in some people’s lifetime.”

He said that while most of the campsites are still underwater there are still two caravan parks and private accommodation operating.

Berri Barmera council announced it was working on a number of temporary event sites around the town and around the lake and Manning said that talks are being held with the local football club to open camping around their grounds for Carp Frenzy participants.

The flooding has also made the main aim of the event – to reduce the number of European Carp in Lake Bonney – even more imperative.

“The carp have bred like blowflies,” Manning said.

He said that Coorong Wild Seafood will be running filleting and cooking demonstrations in Barmera to teach people how the European Carp can be safely prepared and eaten.

The event includes prize categories for the biggest bag, the biggest fish and prize categories for land-based, kayak and boat fishing, as well as age bracket competitions.

Participants will also go in a draw to win cash prizes and a variety of other prizes including a fishing kayak and a day on a pontoon party boat.

The event has raised tens of thousands of dollars for local community and support projects since it began in 2013.

For those unable to attend the event in Barmera, the event’s organizers are simultaneously running a state-wide competition with its own prize pool.

“It’s about a fun day out with your family. It’s not all about winning something. It’s about trying to remove a feral pest out of our ecosystem,” Manning said.

“They’re a lot of fun to catch, even though they are a pest.”

More information, and how to register, can be found on the SA Carp Frenzy ’23 Facebook page.