Social media drives tourists to fragile Pink Cliffs in Victoria, prompting erosion concerns

Social media has inspired a swag of tourists to visit a fragile land formation in central Victoria, prompting warnings about damaging the unique site.

Photos and videos showing people standing on the Pink Cliffs at Heathcote have spread on TikTok and Instagram, with each platform featuring dozens of posts on the attraction.

Recent posts highlighting the site as a unique photo spot have garnered more than 100,000 views.

But Parks Victoria is concerned visitors may be ignoring signs and barriers to get the perfect picture.

"Social media has probably highlighted what has been a trend [of going off track] for a while," ranger Peter Barrow said.

The cliffs are a remnant of local gold mining in the 1800s.

Mr Barrow said visitors were welcome to explore the reserve, but needed to stay on designated walking tracks and behind barriers to protect the area's unique geology.

He said the exposed formations were particularly vulnerable because people could accelerate erosion by walking over them.

"It may not impact on the current generation, but the following generations will lose the ability to see this really unique geology," he said.

Why people ignore the signs

Victoria University School for the Visitor Economy director Naomi Dale said social media had the power to influence how people behave at tourist attractions.

She said repeatedly seeing photos of people enjoying a location can create a fear of missing out, even when signs tell people they shouldn't be there.

Professor Dale said people could also underestimate the impact of their actions, believing one person climbing on a formation would not make a difference.

But when many people do the same thing, the cumulative impact can be significant.

More than just an Instagram backdrop

Geologist Clive Willman said the Pink Cliffs were created when miners used high-pressure water to wash away large volumes of soil and rock in search of gold.

The process exposed the layers underneath, leaving behind the distinctive gullies and formations seen today.

He said the site was visually spectacular, but also evidence of significant environmental damage caused by the gold rush.

"People see an amazing moonscape. It's a feast for the eyes but, really, it's the site of a devastated landscape," he said.

Mr Barrow said signage at the reserve had been replaced in the past year, and there was a balance between protecting the formations and allowing visitors to experience them without being surrounded by signs.