Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pleaded with international tourists not to be put off visiting the country as authorities braced themselves for another onslaught of bushfires.
Mr Morrison made the plea as he toured fire-ravaged Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, which is seeing cancellations of holidays as far in advance as April.
Similar issues have been raised in mainland areas hit in the months-long bushfires crisis.
The country’s tourism industry earned £23 billion from overseas visitors last year.
A third of the island’s rich wildlife has been devastated by fires in recent weeks.
More than half of its 50,000-strong koala population is believed to have perished, and two people have died in the flames.
“Australia is open, Australia is still a wonderful place to come and bring your family and enjoy your holidays,” Mr Morrison said.
“Even here on Kangaroo Island, where a third of the island has obviously been decimated, two-thirds of it is open and ready for business. It’s important to keep the local economies vibrant at these times.”
Steven Marshall, premier of South Australia, said: “If you want to do the people of Kangaroo Island a favour, book a holiday.”
In Victoria, authorities have urged people in fire-risk areas to consider evacuating tomorrow, the day before the state is expected to see 40C temperatures and strong winds.
Victoria emergency services minister Lisa Neville said the fires “remain dynamic, remain volatile, and the conditions we are going to see can give significant life to these fires”.
Officials today said firefighter Mat Kavanagh, 43, had died in a car crash while tackling blazes in the state, taking the national death toll to at least 26.
