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Tourism

Introduction Parks Steady Growth Operators Guidelines

Introduction

Tourism is a growing industry on Aboriginal land and many Aboriginal communities and organisations are developing tours and activities to help you enjoy and appreciate the landscape and environment. There are also a number of non-Aboriginal tourism operators providing services on Aboriginal land, who operate by agreement with traditional owners.

Parks

Cultural and scenic tourism in jointly-managed areas like Kakadu National Park and Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park are outstanding successes of the Land Rights Act. These parks are on areas of Aboriginal land, leased back by the traditional landowners for all the world's people to enjoy. They attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. It is the Land Rights Act which has allowed these natural and cultural features to be protected and managed.

Steady Growth

Smaller ventures such as safari hunting, sports fishing, camping, boat cruises and scenic/cultural tours are being developed by the Northern Land Council and traditional landowners. In addition, the number of tourism activities on Aboriginal land occurring with the agreement of traditional owners is steadily growing.

Tourism operators are more and more interested in getting exclusive access for small groups of "eco-tourists" to the unique natural and cultural features of Aboriginal land.

Agreements for tourism operations on Aboriginal land contain provisions for access arrangements, fees, leases, use of local Aboriginal "guides", use of local Aboriginal contractors and training of local Aboriginal people.

Operators' Guidelines

The Northern Land Council has developed guidelines for tourism operators wanting to take tours on to Aboriginal land.

The guidelines allow for streamlined and consistent procedures. The guidelines are to make sure that all tourism proposals go through the proper processes of informed consent from Aboriginal landowners under the Land Rights Act. They will also assist NLC Regional Office staff to deal with expressions of interest in tourist developments on a regional basis.

Download the Tourism Guidelines