Q: Lauren, congratulations on the new appointment. What are you most looking forward to about the new role?
A: I’ve been fortunate to have worked on the board for the past 12 years, but it is a real honour to be appointed Chair.
I truly love Kakadu. I love working with our Traditional Owners who have such wisdom and connection with the land, and together our goal is to make Kakadu a ‘must visit’ destination for Indigenous culture and experiences.
Q: It’s been a tough few years for tourism in general. What are some of the challenges that tourism to Kakadu has faced?
A: We have had several issues following the COVID disruption. From a tourism point of view, disruptions were caused by the upgrading of Darwin Airport’s runway. This restricted domestic and particularly international services and possibly contributed to higher airfares, reducing demand for travel to the Top End.
The good news is that this work is almost completed and we are seeing a major ramping up of airline services into Darwin Airport, including increased international flights by Singapore Airlines and, significantly, the commencement of direct services from Singapore to Darwin by Qantas.
This will help facilitate the rebuilding of our key European markets, which have been the most impacted by the lack of airline accessibility over the past five years.
In Kakadu, some of our prime attractions have been closed for extended periods, but there is now a program of major infrastructure funding underway, which will significantly improve year-round accessibility.
Q: That’s great news. What are some of the other positive developments happening to boost Kakadu Tourism?
A: Six years ago, the Federal Government promised large-scale funding to upgrade the infrastructure around Kakadu. Work is only just beginning now. The delay was frustrating, but the plans are now being actioned and the result will be to significantly improve the visitor experience at key attractions such as Twin Falls, Jim Jim and Maguk.
The best news is the scheduled reopening of Gunlom Falls this season. The waterfall and swimming holes are truly iconic, having been made famous in the film Crocodile Dundee, which first put Kakadu on the world’s tourism stage back in the 1980s.
The re-opening will mark an important milestone for Kakadu as it will be based on the decision of Traditional Owners in agreement with Kakadu National Park.
That is how the park’s future must proceed. This is Aboriginal land and the home of Bininj/Mungguy people who have lived in Kakadu for more than 65,000 years.
Visitors who haven’t been to Kakadu for a while will notice that we have upgraded our hotel facilities at both the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel and Cooinda Lodge.
At Cooinda, we added luxe Yellow Water Villas to our existing hotel lodge rooms, glamping and camping facilities. We’ve also added additional tours focused on bush tucker, DIRD Full Moon Feasts with Kakadu Kitchen’s Ben Tyler and Indigenous interpretation of the night sky on Yellow Water Billabong.
Equally impressive is the emergence and success of locally based tourism ventures such as Kakadu Billabong Safari Camp, Yibekka Kakadu Tours, Kakadu Cultural Tours, and Ayal Aboriginal Tours.
Appreciating the region through the knowledge of expert guides can make all the difference to a Kakadu visit.
Q: Why does Kakadu remain such a popular tourist destination for both Aussies and overseas visitors?
A: Kakadu is a living cultural landscape. It has been home to Aboriginal people for more than 65,000 years. It is the oldest living culture on earth and yet it is readily accessible just three hours’ drive from Darwin.
The point about Kakadu from a visitor’s point of view is that it is not manufactured in any way. It is authentic. The culture that began so many thousands of years ago lives on. You see it in the landscape. You see it in the ancient rock art. You see it in the painting and weaving that visitors can get involved with. You see it in the animals, with the crocodiles being the closest things to dinosaurs on earth.
David Attenborough loved Kakadu for its fauna and flora. You can cruise on Yellow Water Billabong at sunrise or sunset and see an incredible array of wildlife set against this remarkable backdrop.
While crocodiles may be the main event for visitors, there are more than 250 bird species in Kakadu and one of the highlights of the year is Kakadu Bird Week at the end of September. It is one of the best times to visit.
Another great time to be in Kakadu is during Taste of Kakadu in late May, as the climate is becoming cooler and visitors can experience the region through food, culture and tours of our best attractions.
This is when you can sit with Traditional Owners over a crocodile tail or buffalo cooked in a ground oven. You can go on bush tucker walks, sit with the ladies and learn to weave. It is this connection with the Traditional Owners that makes Kakadu so special.
There is a definite move towards ‘slow tourism’, experiences, cultural immersion and genuine interaction with Indigenous peoples. Kakadu offers all of that and quality accommodation at both the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel and Cooinda Lodge.
Q: Do you think enough is being done in Australia to promote Indigenous tourism and to involve First Nations communities in tourism decision making?
A: What my experience in Kakadu and the Northern Territory has shown me is that you only make progress if you truly involve Traditional Owners. This is their land and heritage, and in the end, visitors want a genuine experience with the opportunity to meet and learn from the local people.
We have learnt a lot in the past three or four years about ensuring that Traditional Owners are at the centre of decision-making about Kakadu’s future.
Indigenous tourism can add significantly to what Australia offers international visitors, but there needs to be greater collaboration between the government, industry, traditional owners and the community to ensure we deliver genuine and culturally appropriate experiences.
Q: So what are your hopes for the future of Kakadu Tourism in 2025 and beyond?
A: Rebuilding Kakadu’s tourism will need to be a collective affair. It will involve all groups involved with tourism in the Northern Territory.
That means Tourism Australia, Tourism NT, Tourism Top End, the airlines and specialist tour operators such as AAT Kings, Outback Spirit, Autopia, Ethical Adventures and so many others.
We have a unique product that showcases the best of Australia’s landscape and culture; we just now need to put all the ingredients together to rebuild numbers to the Crocodile Dundee era, when Kakadu represented a new frontier in tourism experiences.
Our biggest goal for the future is the greater integration of First Nations’ experiences into our tourism offer. We’ve started this through our collaborations with Ben Tyler and his Kakadu Kitchen, and the DIRD Full Foon Feasts have been very successful.
We’ve now launched a Wetland Cultural Tour led by Kakadu Billabong Safari Camp. Visitors can enjoy a Bininj-led cultural journey through Kakadu’s stunning Home Billabong and Axel Waterway aboard our state-of-the-art electric vessel.
The tour offers an intimate exploration of the wetlands, bush tucker education and savoury tastings of locally inspired canapés per person, infused with unique local flavours.
This is the sort of experience that helps visitors get an authentic insight into the landscape and people of Kakadu.
