Rocketing public liability premiums are crippling local adventure tourism operators in the Victorian town of Mansfield.

About 1500 Mansfield residents and operators marched through the town’s main street last week in the hope that their protest would encourage the state government to act quickly and fix the problem.

“What we are really saying is do something now, not in three to five years, but three to five months. Otherwise what they will be doing is saving an industry that’s already gone,” said mountain bike tours operator Chris Pullin, who organised the demonstration.

Mr Pullin said his premiums had gone up 100% each year for the past three years. “If it goes up 100% this time we are finished,” he said.

It’s the same story around Australia as higher-risk tourism operators struggle to meet the rising premiums.