An iconic Kimberley camping spot in Western Australia featuring stunning beaches and red cliffs has officially closed its doors to visitors. However, hope remains that it won’t stay closed forever, a report said.
The shocking closing of Kooljaman at Cape Leveque was announced last month amid a boom in tourism in WA.
Campground operators complained about the state of their infrastructure—which they couldn’t afford to replace or redevelop.
It was closed on Sunday following more than 30 years of operation.
The site is run by the Djarindjin and One Arm Point communities, who lease the property to the Kooljaman Land Aboriginal Corporation (KLAC).
KLAC chairwoman Rosanna Angelus said her family had high hopes to grow Kooljaman as a tourist destination, but the lack of communication between the landowners and lessees led to the closure.
However, she also said that she was in talks with local leaders on how to proceed with the work at the site and reopen Kooljaman.
“There is hope for Kooljaman,” she said.
She then called on the government for support, saying:
“Going forward, if renovations and new developments need to happen, it needs a whole injection of funding to support the next stages of Kooljaman.”
The Kimberley Development Commission has commenced a review of business operations at Kooljaman, and the state government is considering it.
