Are Grey Nomads travelling this year.

Yeah my old man is self funded and just taken a hit with Joe's budget cuts, mum and dad may not travel north this year and as they say neither will a lot of their friends.

Joe didn't take a look at the follow on effect his cuts to the older generation might have on other things like tourism, what is the grey nomad industry worth?? last time I heard it was about 10 billion, maybe not this year.

$25 really.

It's actually $25 each, lest than a carton of beer, to use a world heritage national park that is the same size as some small European countries.

You can use the park for 2 weeks and if you like it you can have your pass stamped for another 2 weeks free.

Wasting your money that makes me laugh.

$25 .... really, some pensioners are on a part pension eg we get $600 total a fortnight, adds up doesn't it ... by the time you get there
sorry I might seem a little disparaging ;o((

MARIC if you can afford to drive here, I recon you can afford the $25 to visit.

MARIC If you get $600 a fortnight you must have other revenue

We actually get less than that and we managed a year around the block.

We didnt begrudge paying the park fees and Uluru is dearer in comparison as was only for 3 days. If you have to growl about $25 maybe you shouldnt go.

Cost us a $1000 a week for the trip approx and had a great time.

No other revenue, it's known ..... according to Centre Link asset rich, and income poor

Steve .......... there are other places in Australia namely in WA I would rather see than driving up there
Might I suggest you try surviving on our income 50 k's out of a country town and regularly receiving medical attention

MARIC that comment wasn't directed at you personally, it was just making a statement.

My point is why would you come all this way to miss it, now that would be false economy.

Just to get it straight. Is it a one off fee of $25 each or $25 per night per head.

If $25 per person each night then I would rather stay at a motel or give it a miss.

Don't like the discrimination though regardless of which government set it up.

vk1dx check out follow up 2 of this post for your answer.

This tells you
http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/plan-your-trip/passes-and-permits.html

Would be a lot cheaper than a motel for the same period

Steve. I saw that post and that is why I asked how much. That post says $25 each for two weeks and then free. That can go both ways mate. $25 each person or $25 each day. Look again.

Taking the buffering out this is what you typed. "It's actually $25 each . . . . . You can use the park for 2 weeks"

I gather that you mean you can stay for two weeks for an initial cost of $25 each person. Is that right?

I was thinking it was $25 a day per person was bloody stupid but not outside those types of communities and no wonder there wasn't a "full house".

It is $25 per adult, a once of fee for 2 weeks and then you can re stamp it for free for another 2 weeks free, as I said in comparison to other parks in or outside Australia it is cheap.

I know people think that National parks should be free to all Australians but what they don't understand is that Kakadu is NOT crown land, it was given back in the late 70s under the land rights act, it is owned by nineteen different aboriginal clan groups.

Kakadu is leased by the federal government to run it as a National Park with joint management, the Kakadu board of management is used as an advisory to government policy in the running of the park under the plan of management document.

There is a plan of management tabled in parliament every 7 years, the next will be 10 years, this document is how the park will be managed through that time, the plan is utilized by the kakadu board of management to implement policy during this time, this plan also has a sister document that is the tourism master plan.

The fee is monies to help run the park, and to be honest it is a boost to lost monies taken by previous budget cuts to the running of the park.

I hope this helps people understand the why there is a need for a fee to kakadu and other parks run by Parks Australia.

I hope this clears thing up as to why a fee is charged in this national park.

$50 for two weeks is not a problem. $50 a night is.

No need to get hot under the colour or worse still, political. I just had a simple, straight forward, honest question.

Cheers

Phil

Calm down mate, I wasn't hot under the collar.

I just thought I could share some of what I thought was some informative info with this forum, perhaps I shouldn't have bothered.

To be honest my post above was pretty easy to understand.

yeah it is normally hundreds of them here asking why the place is closed just after the wet season, and now it's open no one is here.

We had a very small wet this year so the ranger worked their but off and got it open early, all credit to them.

"We had a very small wet this year so the ranger worked their but off and got it open early, all credit to them."

Perhaps that is the answer Steve - the fact that the park is open earlier than expected. Those planning a trip many months ahead would be counting on getting there at a time it is sure to be open.

Mum and dad were there last year, but won't be going this year, my uncle was with them as well and he isn't going either.

Yeah the non charge to locals was a federal government thing, it was all about vote buying but I won't go there, as I believe they should be charged double as it is the Darwin locals that do all the damage.

The entry fee is not an issue either, ( only for a few) I worked at Bowali over the wet season selling park passes and didn't have to many issues with people paying.

As I said it isn't just Kakadu, any way we will see what happens.

The school holidays are not a problem I am just about fully booked.

Steve,

Slow one has pretty much said it for me. Including having stayed at Jabiru and Cooinda. A week in each last year. Did the East Alligator and Yellow Water tours. Thoroughly enjoyed both.
I too don't see $25 each being a huge factor although it will to some. Also agree with "locals" getting in free does rub a bit while others have to cough up, but it wouldn't stop me going.
Personally we are probably only going to the NW of WA this year. We did the "lap of the block" last year. 6 months and thoroughly enjoyed it.
For what it's worth I too think economic uncertainty is playing on the minds of many grey nomads and for some the latest budget could be a bit of a worry.
No idea about what effect the weather is having in the eastern states but here in WA we are experiencing what I think is termed an Indian Summer. Maybe as winter starts to bite a bit more will be remembering the warmer northern climate and hooking up the van.
Also just for us, we were thinking along the lines of experiencing a northern wet next time but many, including yourself have said this years wet was a very mild one.
Maybe next year???

Cheers
Pop

Thought we might head for the desert and do some prospecting become modern day Lassister's , we'll let you know when we strike it rich .... well give or take a 100 ks or so and bush camping sounds great no phones no internet and only sat tf or hf radio

If you have never been to Kakadu, why call it kaka, don't.

I find you comment insulting.

Bit thin skinned Steve. I have heard it called worse names. Yes, from people who have been there! No different to Bris-vegas or Sin-city..

Its also very common for Aussies to butcher up names and alter them. I have heard it called this by many locals (when I lived in Arhem Land for 20 years).

No mate not thin skinned at all, in fact my skin would be as thick as an old bull buffalo.

The reason I find it insulting is, I have spent 41 years in the region and 21 of those working hard to give Kakadu a good name, I will be damned if I will let someone who has never been here call it Kaka'don't.

So I suppose I take it personally when I here these sort of comments.

Unfortunately Steve if you google kaka don't you will find many people who have visited have also given it this nick name. You may have worked hard and have a vested interest but others are there on holidays and for whatever reason it doesn't meet their expectations they will always have a derogatory nickname if its suits. Not your fault. I worked for a large company that had a real s@#$#^&se name amongst many. I did my absolute best and I know people were happy with my work.

I have a thick hide also and at the end of the day you are in a service industry and negative comments ( many tongue in cheek as what kakadont is) will always be part of the scene. I do agree that sometimes slagging off on a place that you have never been too can seem a stupid thing to do.

All you can do is enjoy what you have and ignore the negativity. I have been all over Kakadu and the East Arnhem areas and know that tourists don't see one tenth of what it has to offer. Kakadu is also not a one day drop in and see all.

cheers

I know what you are saying bigfish, none the less it just P@#$%$ me off.

In our travels north, we met the "Kakadon't" people in campgrounds, but the further north we went, the greater the Do's and less of the Don'ts. The Do's were from those who had actually been there. A big DO for Kakadu from us. We loved our visit there; a truly amazing place.

People often compare Kakadu with Leitchfield...Not really a fair thing to do. Like comparing a falcon Gt with a Hyundai and doing a test on performance!!

Litchfield is a hell of a lot smaller than Kakadu and closer to Darwin. It is easy access and you can see a hell of a lot in a day.Kakadu requires several days minimum AND the traveller must go out and get absorbed in not only the sights but the sounds and emotions the place offers. It can be kakadont to some but the smart tourist will get a rich experience..

Even though the locals get in for free it is estimated that few locals actually go there very often. Like most other places...people tend to do a big trip on holidays.

cheers

I always thought the Kakadont moniker came from locals AKA anyone from darwin etc
it used to be a great place for them to go netting the billabongs, shooting buffaloe and poaching crocs and camping out remote style

all the rules and regs and changes that came with the NP and in thier eyes the place was ruined
hence Kakadont

I kind of see thier POV the Gawler ranges NP way back when was a great place for shooting, camping dirt bike riding etc etc for us as kids

There is definitely a decline or maybe just a late start.

UM who is bashing grey nomads, I only ask if there was a decline I did bash anyone, I mean why would I my parents are grey nomads.