Life’s An Adventure says no to private huts in our national parks

In a recent letter to the editor of outdoors publication Wild, Life’s An Adventure MD Mark Norek has vented his anger around the issue of private development in our national parks, arguing these current and planned private huts are aimed at a select group of people willing to pay top dollar for the experience whereas the general public receive no benefit from this at all.

 

 

Dear Sir,

I write to you unfortunately to discuss the National tragedy unfolding across National Parks in Australia. The greed that is undeniably evident of some commercial operators and their coercion with the National Parks that want to commercialize our National Parks for financial gain and not what they were established for everyone to enjoy.

Putting a private lodge and cabins into National parks is an act of environmental vandalism and is preventable. It seems State Governments are willing to sell off their crown jewels for a pittance. Apparently in deals to hood wink the general public.

It is a national Tragedy which needs more media attention. We have less and less wilderness area’s in Australia and we need to start protecting what is left.

What I find outrageous is the way State Governments are selling the rights to one commercial operator to have exclusive rights in a National Park. National Parks should be for everyone – rich and the less fortunate. To sell the rights to one operator and then have tax payers pay for their marketing is quite outrageous and frankly, quite disgusting.

I would like to see a coalition of tourism operators that oppose any development in parks and wish to see a more sustainable approach to commercial operation in a national park. We must ensure the parks are open for all persons to walk either on their own (in a tent) or on walking tour ulitizing existing accommodation or if the operator wants to build a lodge, building this on nearby private land.

It’s great that the State governments are finally waking up to the demand for the Parks and wilderness areas, however please make them accessible for all and not the privileged few.

It has always been the vision of Life’s an Adventure to operate walking tours through-out Australia in this sustainable approach. For instance in Kangaroo Island, we can successfully run a tour without putting up cabins and other intrusive development in a wilderness area. We wish to give back to the local community and tourism providers by using local accommodation, restaurants and operators by simply providing walks in and out of the Park on a daily basis.

The Parks are for every one and not the select privileged few.

Mark Norek
Managing Director
Life’s an Adventure