Backlash over Mossman Gorge Sale to US giant
The sale of the operational assets of the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre in far north Queensland to the American-owned tourism giant Journey Beyond has sparked a backlash from local communities.
While the deal was framed as a step toward formalising the return of land to Traditional Owners, local Indigenous operators have said they have been overlooked in the sale process.
In December last year, it emerged that the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) was to sell the operational assets of Gorge cultural centre and Ayers Rock Resort (collectively owned via Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia) to Journey Beyond.
Criticism of sale
Journey Beyond is a tourism operator owned by the American private equity firm Crestview Partners.
Critics, including the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN), argued that selling significant cultural and economic assets to a foreign-owned private equity firm contradicted the ILSC’s statutory mandate to acquire and return land to Indigenous Australians for their lasting benefit.
Leaked meeting minutes indicated “problematic” consultation with local groups, such as the Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation (BBNAC). Some community members and board members reportedly felt uninformed about the sale process.
Limited power
Indigenous business leaders expressed frustration that the ILSC did not prioritise or properly explore a consortium of Indigenous-owned entities to keep the assets in local hands.
While the ILSC defended the deal by stating the underlying land would be returned to the Kuku Yalanji people of Mossman Gorge and the Anangu of Yulara, critics have argued that owning the land without controlling the business operations leaves traditional owners with limited economic power.
The ILSC has said the deal would deliver over $500 million in long-term benefits to First Nations communities and secure the long-term viability of these tourism destinations. The is expected to be finalised in early this year.
