From 1 April 2016 international and interstate visitors to
Kakadu National Park will be asked to
make a greater contribution to the development and upkeep of visitor facilities and
experiences.
There will be a change in approach to fee structures and charges that include differential wet
and dry season rates.
"We’ll be reinvesting the extra revenue directly back into the park, so we can keep rolling out
fresh facilities and experiences, and keep these beautiful landscapes healthy," said the
Director of National Parks, Sally Barnes.
“Currently visitors to
Kakadu are heavily subsided. If they don’t make a larger contribution we
could see the park’s World
Heritage values and visitor facilities decline. In the long run this
would have a negative impact on the competitiveness of
Kakadu National Park as a
destination of choice on the world stage.”
The
Kakadu Board of Management and its Tourism Consultative Committee have been
discussing the new approach with tourism operators and industry representatives for over two
years.
"The tourism industry in and around
Kakadu wants to make sure the quality of the visitor
experience is world class and recognises this will only come with sensible pricing and
investment,” said Rick Murray, Chair of the
Kakadu Tourism Consultative Committee and
Kakadu Board member.
“The
Kakadu Tourism Consultative Committee recommended the seasonal approach to the
Board and Parks Australia and congratulates them on making the decision to change the
current approach.
“Even though the new arrangements don’t apply until 1 April 2016 we are communicating the
changes now to give the tourism industry plenty of time to adjust and reflect the new pricing in
their marketing materials.”
Parks Australia is making a $5 million investment in park
infrastructure this and next financial
year, with continued investment to follow.
“By the time 2016 rolls around, we’ll have made significant improvements to roads, amenities,
water
infrastructure and our signs. There will be a lot happening in this space,” said Ms
Barnes.
“We have big plans for
Kakadu, with our new draft management plan setting the explicit goal
of increasing visitation and improving access to sites. We want to upgrade facilities, get
popular attractions open earlier and open up new walks and experiences. That all takes
money, and these fee changes will help us deliver – for visitors and locals alike.”
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Kakadu will remain free for Territorians, all year round.
For interstate and international visitors,
Kakadu will introduce a strategic new fee structure,
with lower fees in the wet season to encourage more visitors and higher fees in the dry season
when more attractions are open and free
ranger tours are on offer.
From 1 April 2016, a wet season pass to
Kakadu will cost $25 per adult, and in the dry season
the cost will be $40. Both passes last for seven days, with the option to renew for another
seven, free of charge, for those who find they want to stay longer.
There will be a 10 per cent discount for all tickets bought online.
Kakadu will offer a new 25 per cent discount for pensioners, seniors, disabled people and their
carers.
In line with many national attractions,
Kakadu will introduce fees for children (aged 5-15) at
half the adult rate. A new family pass will be created, at a flat rate for couples with two or more
children ($65 in the wet season, $100 in the dry). It will save families around 15 per cent, with
higher savings for those with more than two children.
“So the
Kakadu adult pass can work out to only about $1.70 per day in the wet season. That’s
far less than the price of a coffee. Spending just one day at somewhere like
Stonehenge in the
UK will set you back A$26. Serengeti National Park in Africa will cost you around $72 for a
24-hour pass. Machu Picchu in Peru costs a minimum of $51. More locally, a visit to one of
Australia’s zoos can cost anywhere from $60 to around $180 for a family per day.
Kakadu
remains a pretty good deal for visitors,” Ms Barnes said.
“By offering lower wet season prices, we hope to entice more visitors in
Kakadu’s spectacular
shoulder seasons, offering a longer season for tour operators and a more even flow of
business.”
Uluru-
Kata Tjuta National Park will also introduce a few fee changes, as recommended by the
Uluru Board of Management and its Tourism Consultative Committee.
An adult park pass to Uluru will remain unchanged at $25 per head, but fees will be introduced
for children (aged 5-15) at $12.50, half the adult rate.
A new family pass costing $65 will also be introduced. For two adults and two children, this
represents a discount on the purchase of individual tickets of around 15 per cent. This will be
the first change to Uluru’s fees since 2004, 10 years ago.
“Central Australia has seen a resurgence in tourism interest over the last 12 to 18 months and
now is the time to re-invest revenue raised in refreshed and new
infrastructure and activities,”
said
John King, Chair of the Uluru Tourism Consultative Committee and Board member.
School groups will remain free in both
Kakadu and Uluru. Schools will soon be able to book an
education
ranger to give a presentation for a small fee – a new education option that will apply
from 1 July 2015.
What will change from 1 April 2016?
NT residents -
Kakadu will remain free for Territorians, all year round.
Adults – An adult park pass will be cheaper in the wet season to encourage more visitors, and the cost will be higher in the dry season when more attractions are open and free
ranger tours are on offer.
o In the wet season (November to March), an adult pass will cost $25.
o In the dry season (April to October), an adult pass will cost $40.
Online discount - A discount of 10 per cent will be introduced for anyone buying their ticket online.
Pensioner discount - A discount will be introduced for seniors, pensioners, disabled pensioners and their carers. It will offer a saving of around 25 per cent on the price of an adult ticket.
o A pensioner pass will cost $19 in the wet season (November to March) and $30 in the dry season (April to October).
Children - Children 5-15 years will pay half the adult entry fee. This will bring
Kakadu into line with most other attractions around Australia. Children four years old and younger will remain free.
o In the wet season (November to March), a child pass will cost $12.50.
o In the dry season (April to October), a child pass will cost $20.
Family pass - A new family pass will be introduced, which provides a discount for larger families.
o A family pass will cost $65 in the wet season (November to March) and $100 in the dry season (April to October).
o It will cover two adults and two or more children. This represents a discount of around 15 per cent, with additional children included at no extra cost.
School groups - Children travelling in school groups will remain free, all year round. New education presentations will be available at a small cost, for groups who would like a
ranger-guided activity.
Length of stay - Passes will be valid for seven days (rather than the current 14 days), but can be extended for another seven days at no charge if required. This better reflects the usual length of stay.
Camping - Camping fees will increase slightly (the first increase since 2009).
o Camping fees for adults will increase (per night) from $5 to $6 at unmanaged campgrounds (with drop
toilets) and from $10 to $15 at managed campgrounds (hot showers and
toilets).
o Children (5-15 years) will pay half the adult price - $3 per night for unmanaged campgrounds and $7.50 per night for managed campgrounds. Children four and under remain free.
o A new family camping rate will be introduced, at $15 for unmanaged campgrounds and $38 for managed campgrounds (per night). This covers two adults and two or more children, offering around a 15 per cent discount.
o Remote campgrounds remain free (no
toilet facilities).