AusLeisure

The Northern Territory Government has advised that at $5.5 million tender to develop walking trails infrastructure in the Nitmiluk National Park Gorge has been awarded to GHD.

Part of the Northern Territory Government’s $103 million Turbocharging Tourism stimulus package to attract visitors, the contract will see the creation of a new Nitmiluk Gorge Walk, linking the Gorge Tourist Precinct with the western edge of Butterfly Gorge.

Working closely with the Joint Management Board, Jawoyn Traditional Owners and park rangers, the GHD led design team will design boardwalks, bridges ramps, hand-rails and any other built infrastructure needed for an exciting but safe walk along and across the gorge escarpment  while collaborating with stakeholders to inform the design intent, which  is to align the walking trail linking the Gorge Tourist Precinct to Baruwei Lookout to allow mountain biking (MTB) to IMBA Green Circle Trail Difficulty Rating (TDR), where possible, creating a shared use MTB and walking trail utilising existing trails and management tracks where suitable.

GHD will also develop a shared-use trail linking the Gorge Tourist Precinct with Southern Rockhole, Pat’s Lookout and Jedda’s Rock and design shared-use visitor nodes at Baruwei Lookout, Pat’s Lookout and Jedda’s Rock accommodating both walkers and cyclists needs.

The design phase is expected to be completed by the end of next month.

In addition to the $5.5 million turbocharging investment, Nitmiluk National Park is undergoing important infrastructure works under a previous government $10 million package to upgrade, refresh and develop tourism infrastructure in the park that began in 2017/18.

The package includes:

• First Gorge jetty replacement and refurbishment of adjacent footbridge to improve the visitor experience - tender to be released in the next quarter 
• Construction of a slip-lane and carpark on the Gorge access road to support the development of a new cultural walk and Nitmiluk Tours Cultural Touring site - completed
• Replacement of a walkway between the first and second crossover on the ‘wet season’ side of Nitmuluk Gorge - final stages of installation
• Upgrade of 17 Mile Valley track including a new Katherine River crossing and stabilisation of 17 Mile Creek crossing to allow vehicle access to Biddlecombe Cascades, to support the development of a new overnight ‘glamping’ experience.

There is also the refurbishment of the adjacent day use and picnic area footprint being delivered as part of the Gorge Tourism Precinct Project. This project also includes a new masterplan, the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre upgrade and refurbishment, landscaping and a water play area.

Images: How the skywalk will look (top) and the Nitmiluk Gorge (below). Courtesy of the Northern Territory Government.

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