New Fees to visit many NT National Parks.

Submitted: Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 09:48
ThreadID: 145243 Views:3524 Replies:12 FollowUps:19
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Just received this in a newsletter, many once to visit free Parks in the NT will now cost you to visit…

New fees to visit a national park
Also, as of 2023, fees have been introduced at many of the sites managed by Parks NT. This includes Arltunga Historical Reserve, Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve, Finke Gorge National Park, Henbury Meteorites Conservation, Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges, Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation, Mac Clark (Acacia peuce) Conservation Reserve, Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings, N'dhala Gorge Nature Park, Owen Springs Reserve, Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve, Ruby Gap Nature Park, Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park. Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve, Trephina Gorge Nature Park and Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon).

The important thing to note is that these fees apply over and above any camping fees. And if you're hiking the Larapinta Trail you'll be hit with a walking fee, a visiting the national park fee and a camping fee!

The fees cost $10 per adult per day, $5 for children and $25 for a family. You can also buy a 2 week pass for $30 per adult, $15 for children and $75 for a family.
There's also an "Open Pass" which lasts for a year - $60 for adults, $30 for children, $150 for families.
Residents of the Northern Territory are exempt from these new fees (however, if they have non NT residents on board those people do have to purchase a pass).

These passes will not be available until 3rd April 2023. And Parks NT doesn't know yet what the online link will be, so stay tuned.

The fees at Uluru have not been changed as this national park is managed by Parks Australia, not Parks NT.

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Reply By: Member - mechpete - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 10:40

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 10:40
Money grubbing pigs
Mechpete
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Follow Up By: Member - John - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 11:35

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 11:35
and all the bookings have to be made online.......... what a crock
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 15:23

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 15:23
Getting pathetic these days soon I'll probably have to pay if I look at the trees in the park across the road from my house. If your camping somewhere with facilities ok but seriously places like the devils marbles that are next to the hwy. Oh well they'll make plenty of money out of it there's always people out there who will fork out money without thinking like the person before them.
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Reply By: Member - rocco2010 - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 11:36

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 11:36
Prices per person!

In WA park entry fees are related to a vehicle.

I get an annual pass which with seniors discount and another discount as an RAC of WA member cost me around $40 from memory.

I can take 12 people in with me. Not that I can seat that many.

Doesnt take long for the pass to pay for itself.

Cheers

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Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 19:55

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 19:55
Yes I agree, per person is a bit rich. It's per car and tied to your number plate just about everywhere else.
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Reply By: Bushranger1 - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 11:51

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 11:51
G'day Stephen,
Actually I agree with day use fees as Vic dropped the day fees & the campers now pay more to offset the loss in revenue.
Why should I pay to put my head on my own pillow & day trippers pay nothing to visit the Parks & use the facilities.
Try camping in a popular Vic NP & then having no hot water in the showers because the day users run it out FOC.

Looks like another State that joins the online campsite booking system that does not work for travellers like us that have no itinerary!
Cheers
Stu
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Reply By: Bazooka - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 12:04

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 12:04
Single use fee seems high but the 2 week and annual fees are entirely reasonable imo. Hopefully improvements to facilities, user info etc will continue.
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Reply By: Duncanm - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 14:14

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 14:14
Interesting Stephen, thanks for the heads up. Just did a 10k trip with my son in Nov, Dec in SA, , NT, QLD and back to Vic and did use the NT app while at a few camp sites in NT. Their app is an absolute disgrace. Even when you do have reception. Let’s hope they fix it
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Reply By: Member - Wildmax - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 14:31

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 14:31
I don't mind paying, especially if the fees are used towards park maintenance and upgrading.
But the online booking system is crazy for travellers like most of us who don't have a fixed itinerary ..... obviously that is implemented by a bunch of bureaucrats who never travel more than a day-trip beyond their city homes.
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Follow Up By: Member - DOZER - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 13:00

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 13:00
watch this space, in 12 months, or 18, you will start to see more national parks popping up, bought from the proceeds pouring in......and at the same time, places like Lorella closing due to all the burning hoops the gov make them jump through.
This has been happening in NSW for a while, good example is murrumbidgee NP at Yenko, once a free camp by the river, now user pay.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Monday, Jan 16, 2023 at 21:08

Monday, Jan 16, 2023 at 21:08
Generally spesaking fees don't even go close to covering the costs of park establishment, admin and maintenance Dozer. The MVNP was established for very good reasons: Murrumbidgee Valley NP

NSW Camping Fees don't appear to be particularly unaffordable, depending on the park, although I have to say their website isn't very helpful.
Level....Adult ....Child (5-15)
1.............free........free
2.............$6 ..........$3.50
3............$11.50...$6
4............$16 .........$8
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 11:29

Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 11:29
Further to my post above Dozer. NSW NP advise that :
"For all Murrumbidgee campgrounds, there are no camping fees but a $6 booking fee applies. There are 50 campgrounds in the Murrumbidgee Valley national and regional parks, at this stage only three of them have dedicated webpages (Mamanga, Sandy Beach and Woolpress Bend), please note these pages indicate the $6 booking fee. At this stage the remainder are listed on the Murrumbidgee Valley campgrounds page which we are aware isn't ideal but are are currently working on improvements."

No camping fees but a $6 booking fee - and probably no specifically allocated sites or policing of same anyway. Why on earth would anyone bother? You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried.
-
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Follow Up By: Bushranger1 - Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 13:28

Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 13:28
They put that $6 fee on all free NSW campgrounds during Covid under the guise of having contact details in case of having to contact you if there was a cluster outbreak.
Suprise surprise the fee is still being applied.

Cheers
Stu
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 19:52

Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 19:52
Thanks Stu. Thought it may have been a usage number collecting exercise. Guess having a QR code poster was beyond them.
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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 15:49

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 15:49
.
There have been a number of media expressions recently of efforts to attract tourists to the NT with expressions like….
…. "The Northern Territory tourism industry is struggling and there are moves afoot to try and attract more visitors."…..
These announced fees are a strange way to go about it.
Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - Bigfish - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 18:51

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 18:51
The NT is struggling because all forms of government within the Territory(including the Territory itself) are bloody hopeless. They couldn't organise a line up for the dunny. The Territory is going broke big time due to mismanagement, fraud and shonky deals. I lived there for near 20 years and saw what a joke the place was becoming. Just look at the latest disastrous clearing of hundreds of acres of savannah land for a crop of rice which will make the owners rich but employ bugger all and vast majority of cotton producing farms/companies pay next to zero tax. For such a fantastic place the future looks grim with cowboy politicians, no idea ministers and backroom deals. Tourism is dying due to the mismanagement.
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Reply By: Rangiephil - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 17:36

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 17:36
And unless the rangers change their hours of work the backpackers will still arrive at 7PM and leave at 7AM and not pay anything.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 18:21

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 18:21
Only backpackers Phil?
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Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 18:36

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 18:36
I'm going back to walk part of the Larapinta later this year for the 4th time. I have no problems paying fees for the water they provide. I think these fees were 1st proposed a year ago.

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Reply By: Member - Outback Gazz - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 20:25

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 20:25
I can see tv licences being re-introduced in a few years the way this country is going !!
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 09:27

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 09:27
.
Geez Gazz, who would pay to watch the rubbish on TV?
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Outback Gazz - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 09:52

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 09:52
Howdy Allan

Not me - I rarely watch television these days, bit of news, footy and motor sport etc e.g. current Dakar ( go Toby Price ! ) and when I'm not in the shed or out in the yard I'm sometimes forced to watch a movie on netflix with the missus :)

Cheers
Gazz
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Reply By: Member - Cuppa - Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 21:22

Saturday, Jan 14, 2023 at 21:22
How on earth are they going to police whether fees have been paid or not at somewhere like the Mac Clark conservation reserve.... it's ridiculous.

For years the NT parks have been so well managed & great places to visit. This bean counter inspired booking system is going to wreck a good thing.
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Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 01:46

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 01:46
A classic is right on the Stuart Highway….who is going to police The Devils Marbles?

When ever we have gone past there is always lots of people there.

How are they going to police these parks, employ dozens of more rangers and them stationed at every National Park entrance?


The NT Government has bloody crazy.
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Follow Up By: Bushranger1 - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 08:38

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 08:38
They might use camp hosts like W.A.
Free Labor & absolutely no consistency as to what to do on arrival to different parks.
As a traveller with no itinerary I am never able to pre book so just turn up & if I can't get in just go & find a day area.
On several occasions I have had rangers say they are sick to death of copping complaints about the system & will not even ask to see booking details.
Good luck trying to move someone in that has setup in your booked site!

Bloody stupid online booking systems that only work for people on annual holidays.

Cheers
Stu
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Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 09:03

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 09:03
"Bloody stupid online booking systems that only work for people on annual holidays."

But they are the important ones, the ones in city office blocks.
Not fair if they can't have what they want, when they want it.

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Jim
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Follow Up By: Richard M29 - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 12:50

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 12:50
Well since NP's went to on line bookings here in NSW, and most of the east coast, we have not been to a NP. We will never attend another NP again whilst we are alive. I will be attending one when I'm dead as my missus, will follow my wishes to spread my ashes in one ( quietly though) as their is a fee for that as well.
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Follow Up By: Member -Pinko (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 13:20

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 at 13:20
I believe some have already got rego plate recognition already.

Digital entry coming to NSW National Parks - Environment NSWhttps://www.environment.nsw.gov.au › news › digital-e...
26 Mar 2021 — "Digital passes will be linked to vehicle registration and NPWS will start to use number plate recognition technology to confirm that ...
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Follow Up By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Monday, Jan 16, 2023 at 11:05

Monday, Jan 16, 2023 at 11:05
Just you see there will be parking metres next in places like Litchfield, Kakadu & Ularu.
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 07:32

Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 07:32
The online/telephone booking system was introduced in Qld. almost 10 years ago. It was a failure from the very start. If you do not have phone signal or internet connection you can’t book anything. The campgrounds are not “policed”, so try getting someone to move from the site you have booked if you rock up and someone else is on it.

Macca.
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Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 08:24

Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023 at 08:24
Have seen that very situation a few years ago at Boodjamulla National Park (Lawn Hill)

A chap rocks up with his camper trailer and a tent on his site. Massive argument, tent guy refuses to move saying he was there first, even though the guy with the camper trailer had his piece of paper with booking the site details.

The camper trailer guy lost his money and ended up going to Adeles Grove which in my opinion is far better.
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