There is widespread outrage and shock at the decision by a Kimberley cattleman to charge grey nomads and others to access the world heritage listed Purnululu National Park, or the Bungle Bungles.
The dirt road into the Bungle Bungles runs through the Mabel Downs cattle station, and – from the start of this month – owner Jack Burton has been charging a fee of $20 per standard 4WD, $10 per trailer, and $50 per truck or tour bus entering the station.
The WA Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC),, which manages the 320,000-hectare park, already charges people $11 per vehicle to enter.
There had been speculation that Mr Burton was creating the toll in protest about the ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia. However, in a letter to the ABC, Mr Burton says it’s purely for the upkeep of the road.
“After thorough consideration on our part and continued requests from the public and tour operators, we feel it necessary to maintain the road on Mabel Downs, leading to the Purnululu National Park,: he told the ABC. “However, these improvements will result in significant financial outlay by the Yeeda Pastoral Company.”
He said that in order to recoup some of these costs, he has introduced a fee in the form of a Wilderness Road Fee, promising that all fees that are collected will be used solely for the improvement and maintenance on the road.
But DEC regional manager Daryl Moncrieff says the road has always been maintained by his department at a cost of about $15,000 a year.
He says Yeeda Pastoral never negotiated the new toll with the DEC and, not surprisingly, he’s worried about the extra fee’s implication on tourist numbers.
“We’ve had plenty of feedback from tourists, and people aren’t happy at all,” he said. “They think it’s excessive and they think they’re paying twice for the same thing.”
Under the terms of his lease, Mr Burton may charge a “reasonable” sum for the use of his road provided all fees are used for road maintenance.
In 2010-11, there were 27,124 individual visits to Purnululu, which is about 220 kilometres south of Kununurra. Most people arrive by road.
The acting boss of Tourism WA, Laura Dawson, said Mr Burton’s decision was a concern.
“Purnululu National Park is one of WA’s premier natural destinations,” she said. ”We are concerned that the introduction of a new toll to access Purnululu may negatively impact on the visitor experience to this spectacular destination.”
Too right, Laura!
