Kakadu National Park Walking Strategy and Track Manual

Kakadu National Park Walking Strategy and Track Manual

Parks Australia

Inspiration

For tens of thousands of years, Traditional Owners have traversed the land of Kakadu National Park.  In modern times, visitors and bushwalkers have also taken to trekking through the area with good intent but with unsustainable or socially unacceptable consequences. What was needed was a tool to ensure respect for the views of the Bininj/Mungguy people while improving the quality, sustainability and profile of the walking opportunities in Kakadu.

Outcomes

Through an iterative engagement process involving Traditional Owners, Parks, tourism operators and bushwalkers, we’ve delivered a strategy that establishes a consistent, sustainable and visitor-focused approach to the planning, development, management and promotion of walking opportunities in the Park. The strategy merges pragmatic on-ground action, while identifying new opportunities and potential enterprise opportunities for locals.

The Track Manual fuses the talents of master track builder John Hughes and the views of the Traditional Owners with the landscape architectural skills of our practice.  The Manual is exemplary for its coherent presentation – the text succinct, the supporting diagrams, illustrations and montages clear and unambiguous. 

Critically, the projects guide visitors to traverse the landscape in a way that: respects the values of the Traditional Owners; addresses the sustainable construction of tracks; and ensures the continuing engagement of the Traditional Owners in active, management of their land.

Recognition

2019 Award of Excellence in Tourism, Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (Tasmania).

Photography: Jordan Davis