The owner of one of the oldest tourism businesses in the Northern Territory said it was impossible to continue operating after more than 20 years due to the increasing number of visitors.
The Lorella Springs wilderness park is situated on the edge of the Limmen National Park, and it features a variety of swimming holes and waterfalls.
In a statement, the owner of the Lorella Springs Wilderness Park, Rhett Walker, said he was forced to close the business due to the increasing number of visitors and the red tape that he had to overcome in order to improve the park.
He noted that the park would be closed to the public this year.
In addition to the bureaucracy, he said that the lack of support and recognition in the remote location of the park also contributed to the closure.
He noted that the red tape that he had to overcome had become too much for him to manage.
Walker said that he had dedicated his life to developing the Lorella Springs Wilderness Park, which was located in the middle of nowhere, into a thriving tourist destination.
He noted that it protected him and his family during times of vulnerability.
The park had been a part of Walker’s family for several decades. He said that it was only natural for them to expand the park’s offerings to include other people.
He noted that the increasing number of visitors had become a burden on the business, and it had become a victim of its own success.
He did not provide further details regarding the red tape and bureaucracy that he said contributed to the closure of the park.
The Northern Territory government, however, noted that it was working with the company to ensure that the operation would continue.
