The Northern Territory’s Litchfield National Park is set to grow by 20 per cent, in the largest addition to the popular tourist attraction in more than two decades.
The NT government has purchased Silkwood, a 30,000-hectare parcel of land that borders Litchfield’s south-east boundary, which it says will give Territorians and visitors more places to camp, four-wheel drive, swim and hunt.
The $7.5 million property is located 120 kilometres from Darwin near the regional town of Adelaide River, and includes the popular Robin Falls.
The government says the acquisition — the national park’s biggest expansion in 25 years — will also make untouched waterfalls, gorges, hot springs and 4WD tracks available to visitors.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the multi-million-dollar deal would conserve “what makes the territory special”.
Lands, Planning and Environment Minister Josh Burgoyne said the purchase would secure long-term environmental protection for the pristine region.
“30,000 hectares of escarpments, woodlands and wetlands are being returned to public hands, protecting territory ecosystems and wildlife while opening up a range of incredible new recreational opportunities,” he said.
“This isn’t just a map change — this is a transformational and visionary investment in our lifestyle, livability, and landscape.”
Parks and Wildlife Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the government would work to identify opportunities within the new area, including “a new dedicated hunting reserve”.
“Silkwood has been on the market since last year, and there were real concerns that a private sale could limit future access.”
Tourism, economic opportunities
The announcement follows a dip in NT tourism post-COVID, but recent data from the Australian government’s trade and investment commission suggests the territory might be bouncing back.
While most jurisdictions recorded a decrease in domestic travellers during the March 2025 quarter, the NT saw a 34 per cent increase — up 45,000 trips compared to the March 2024 quarter.
According to the NT government, more than 250,000 people visit Litchfield National Park each year to see much-loved sites including Wangi Falls, Buley Rockhole and Florence Falls.
The national park’s southern expansion is expected to boost those numbers further, which the government said would create “new opportunities for local tourism, services, and economic growth” in nearby Adelaide River.
Publican Tim Carter, who owns the Adelaide River Inn Tourist Park, described the expansion as “great for the Territorians that love to get out there every weekend”.
“There’s worries of people purchasing [regions like Silkwood] and closing them up, so for this to be open to all the punters, will be great.”
He said the announcement came during a “huge” tourism season that has kept his business “flat-out” during the dry.
Adelaide Rivers local Marty Bishop told ABC Radio Darwin she was also “very pleased” to hear Litchfield’s borders would be expanding.
“It’ll be a good thing, it will stop any nasty developments over there,” she said.