“As an outdoor enthusiast, I believe it’s my duty to take an active stance on issues affecting our natural world.” – Darren Edwards

The Fight Against Luxury Development in Protected Areas

Australia’s wilderness areas and national parks are facing an unprecedented threat from commercialisation and luxury development. Keep It Wild Australia explores the growing trend of high-end tourism ventures in protected public lands, the environmental and social consequences of these developments, and alternative approaches that preserve both natural values and public access.

The Growing Threat to Australia’s Wild Places

Across the country, our most treasured natural landscapes are being transformed into playgrounds for wealthy tourists—via luxury lodges, exclusive guided walks, and high-end accommodation built within national park boundaries. From the rugged wilderness of Tasmania to the rainforests of Queensland, this trend is compromising the very essence of what makes these places special.

The pattern is alarmingly consistent: developments are marketed as “eco-tourism” or “sustainable nature experiences,” yet many are commercial ventures offering limited public benefit while permanently altering the character of wild landscapes. This kind of greenwashing conceals environmental degradation and entrenches inequality in access to nature—under the guise of sustainability.

Victoria’s Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing Master Plan exemplifies this troubling trend. As detailed in recent reports, land legally protected “for the benefit of the public” is being repurposed for private profit. The plan seeks to transform the region into a “playground for cashed-up tourism,” softening technical terrain and replacing wild campsites with luxury lodges.

Similar developments have been proposed across the country. In Queensland’s Great Sandy National Park near Noosa, plans for luxury cabins along the Cooloola Great Walk were recently abandoned following sustained public opposition and environmental concerns. In contrast, New South Wales’ Ben Boyd National Park near Eden is still slated for eco-tourism cabins that would displace existing campgrounds. These proposals continue to alarm those concerned about the creeping permanence of private accommodation in national parks.

Why This Matters: The Value of Genuine Wilderness

Nature is more than scenery—it’s essential to our wellbeing. Research consistently shows that access to nature delivers significant mental health benefits. In Australia, studies have found that visits to protected areas improve mental health and lead to productivity gains of up to 11% for people who visit at least once a month. Notably, the therapeutic benefits for people experiencing mental health challenges are 2.5 times greater than for mentally healthy visitors.

When access to these places becomes a luxury instead of a right, we deny these benefits to those who may need them most. As researchers point out, “access to nature in national parks is one of the few free mental health boosts available to the less well-off as well as the wealthy.” National parks are not just scenic retreats—they are places of healing, connection, and refuge. These spaces must remain open and accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few.

LUXURY LODGES = WILDERNESS LOST

James McCormack, editor of WILD Magazine, explores what’s really going on in this two-part piece.

Luxury Lodges = Wilderness Lost

Luxury Lodges = Wilderness Lost

PART 1

Our national parks are under attack. Privatisation, in the form of luxury lodges and other accommodation for walkers, has gained nationwide momentum. In this, Part I of a two-part series, we look at breadth of the problem across the country.

(This story originally featured in Wild #178, Summer 2020)
Photo: Walls of Jerusalem from Lake Malbena, Tasmania. Credit: Grant Dixon

Luxury Lodges = Wilderness Lost

Luxury Lodges = Wilderness Lost

PART 2

Our national parks are under attack. The push for luxury lodges and other within-park accommodation, has gained nationwide momentum. In this, Part Two of a two-part series, we look at the root causes and broad implications of these developments.

(This story originally featured in Wild #179, Autumn 2021)
Photo: Get set for the serenity of Tasmania’s South Coast to be shattered. Credit: Dan Broun

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“We are a plague on the Earth. It’s coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. It’s not just climate change; it’s sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now.”

David Attenborough

“As an outdoor enthusiast, I believe it’s my duty to take an active stance on issues affecting our natural world.”

Darren Edwards

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Barbara Ward
“If you’re an enthusiast of the outdoors, you need to be an activist to protect the outdoors, because otherwise you’re just a self-involved hypocrite.”
Rick Ridgeway