Three of the major attractions along the NT’s scenic West MacDonnell Ranges will be closed in the coming months.
The ABC reports that – apart from a brief period over Christmas – Ellery Creek Big Hole will be shut until February while the access road is being sealed.
Standley Chasm will also close for three weeks until December 1, as it undergoes significant sewerage upgrades.
And the resort at Glen Helen Gorge will be closed until at least March due to severe water supply shortages, but the gorge itself will remain open.
Tourism Central Australia says the closures are a ‘concern but not a surprise’.
Three major attractions along the stunning West MacDonnell Ranges will be closed in the coming months. PIC: Cizza
The tourism body’s chief executive, Danial Rochford, told the ABC that, while it wasn’t ideal, this was the best time for these closures.
“We are now into our very low season so we have just a handful of visitors coming through,” he said.
The Glen Helen resort, which has been battling crippling issues with water supply, has been trucking 80% of its water supply every second day from a bore 19 kilometres away.
Grant Wilckens, the chief executive of the G’Day Group – which owns the resort – says the water flow onsite at the resort was ‘really poor’.
“We’d love to be open over the summer but, unfortunately, with the lack of access to water, we’ve made the very tough decision to close,” he told the ABC. “The reality is it’s just not feasible to be trucking water like that.”
Approval is currently being sought to install a pipeline from the resort to the nearest bore, which the G’Day Group is willing to fund.
Mr Wilckens told the ABC that they were hopeful to reopen in March, that depended on government approval for the pipeline.
“I do have some doubts,” he said.
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we loved seeing the sights of the West Macs.
At this time of year, it would be a bit too hot to travel inland.
Kevin S
Appears most appropriate time to undertake these works during low season. In Victoria the agencies generally wait for the holiday season and shut down popular areas.