ABC: Gunlom Falls area (Kakadu) to be closed

So I assume that some of the handouts will also cease. If the income is down so should the outgoings.

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Is there a difference Alby?

The outcome is the same Alan so maybe not ?

A beautiful national park in Colombia - the snow-capped Nevado del Cocuy - is an amazing place to go walking/climbing above the snowline. It was possible to go for multi-day walks at ~5000m .

There were tensions between the traditional keepers of the area, for whom the snow caps are sacred, other communities living and working outside the national park, and illegal businesses operating in the area, however a delicate balance was being maintained.

Then a group of insensitive clods who had climbed up to the snowline chose to play a game of football, record it on video, and publish the video on youtube. The result was that the traditional keepers were incensed, raised their concerns, and the parks authority closed the national park. After about a year, the park was reopened, however for day access only, and so while it is possible to enjoy the area, you need to be pretty fit to be capable of reaching the snowline and leaving the park again in one day. Multi-day walks are no longer possible.

Although there are rumblings that vested interests of various groups are behind the closure, I am sure that the situation would not have arisen had the thoughtless tourists not been so insensitive (the sacred nature of the area is well-publicised, and emphasised when you get your park pass). At least we can now visit the park, albeit for day use only; let's hope Gunlom will be reopened before too long, and that the need to respect the traditional owners is clear.