The relationship between landholders and tour
operators form an important element of successful tourism in the
Kimberley—the majority of tours take place on the vast
pastoral stations of the region, access to which is given by the
landholders. Landholders are also the principal suppliers of
facilities and services.
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The relationship between landholders and tour operators form an
important element of successful tourism in the Kimberley—the
majority of tours take place on the vast pastoral stations of the
region, access to which is given by the landholders. Landholders
are also the principal suppliers of facilities and services.
The Kimberley region forms the western part of Australia’s
tropical savanna landscape. It covers an area of approximately
424,000 km 2 .
New research by the CRC has shown that this relationship is
still in pretty good shape—despite tour operator concerns
over recent years that access to properties had decreased. A new
CRC report, The relationship between landholders and tour
operators , does find however, that there have been some
notable changes between 1997 and 2004. While access to some areas
and services/facilities were ‘lost’ new sites, services
and facilities have become available on various properties.
According to the report, tours to some pastoral leases ended for
a number of reasons including:
- a pastoralist re-focusing on grazing;
- facilities one key site destroyed by floods had not been
rebuilt;
- change of ownership;
- some leaseholders are scrutinising arrangements with tour
operators as a result of increased awareness and perceived risk of
liability and associated insurance and tenure implications.
Research leader Romy Greiner says that another element in the
mix is the increasing effort by land management
authorities—as well as some pastoral lessees—in
pursuing unlicensed activities and camps.
“This may contribute to a general perception of reduced
‘freedom’ and access options,” she said.
“This perception is particularly strongly held by the
community.”
On the whole however, the research found that the relationship
between landholders and tour operators was generally seen as good,
based on trust and mutual understanding. However, there was
evidence that some tour businesses and their tour guides may not
fully appreciate the land tenure situation in the north Kimberley
nor understand the conditions and responsibilities under which
landholders operate—including lease conditions and the
realities of running a pastoral enterprise in a remote and variable
environment.
The report details the key pressures on tour operators and
landholders in the region, and warns that without a thorough
understanding of the industry’s impacts and an integrated
tourism management plan for the years to come, “tourism
growth may not yield the economic and net benefits sought by the
industry and the community in general.
