Visitor numbers at Kakadu have been plummeting in recent years, and the Northern Territory’s Chief Minister reckons he has the solution … helicopters!
While many grey nomads say they have been deterred from entering the park because of recent hefty entry fee hikes, and others say the lack of an all-weather road to attractions like Jim Jim Falls are the problem, Adam Giles says building more helipads is the way to go.
“You need to get some more helipads put in there …. I know they don’t sound very sexy, but they’re about $10,000 for a lump of concrete that a helicopter can land on,” he said. “If you could do that, with 25 helicopter flights a day going up and back, taking people up to the waterfall … it’s a simple thing to make a big difference.”
Recent figures revealed that visitor numbers to the park plummeted to 27,000 in 2015, halved from eight years prior. Entry fees to the park were raised from $25 to $40 per adult in April this year.
The NT News reports that Chief Minister has been a long-term advocate for the Commonwealth-run department Parks Australia, which looks after infrastructure in both Kakadu and Uluru, to be placed in Territory Government hands.
“If it’s going to stay in Canberra’s hands, Canberra needs to have an (ongoing) sum of money going into Kakadu, or develop the infrastructure that makes Kakadu open, and all of its products open, 365 days a year,” he told the paper. “And if Canberra can’t do that … then we’ll put the money into it, we’ll put the jobs into it, we’ll put the businesses into it.”
Mr Giles also says more bridges and causeways need to be built to increase access ot the park’s attractions during wet weather.
Not really.
There’s the same in other places without the cost of getting there and entry/park fees.
I always recommend Lichfield over kakadu. Have done for over 20 yrs.
Fix the roads. Simple
If grey nomads are reluctant to pay the entry fees,they sure won’t pay for a helicopter flight.
$40 per adult !!!! There is your problem.
The entry fee was more than cut out by the ranger-led walks and programs. $30 for a week for seniors is fine. I don’t understand how people with $100K plus rigs are so penny pinching. Ubir is sensational with its brilliant rock art. Well worth much more.
Good, keeps out the riff raff.
its not rocket science, drop the fees