Friends and colleagues mourn tourism identity Sylvia Wolf

Sylvia Wolf, a passionate champion of tourism in the Northern Territory, has died. The former Tourism Top End president will be remembered for her drive and ambition advocating for the NT.

Tributes are flowing for long-time Territorian and former president of Tourism Top End Sylvia Wolf.

Ms Wolf, 77, died in hospital in Adelaide on Wednesday after being admitted late on Tuesday night after a long battle with cancer.

“Sylvia spent much of her distinguished career in tourism passionately advocating for the Top End and the Northern Territory,” Tourism Top End chief executive Glen Hingley said.

“Sylvia holds a special place in the heart of Tourism Top End as she was our president for many years and further to this a revered life member.

“During her tenure as president of Tourism Top End, Sylvia was the key driving force behind Darwin’s Tope End Visitor Information Centre being in the location it is today at the former Reserve Bank building.

Former Tourism Top End president Sylvia Wolf died in Adelaide this week.

“Sylvia was a strong advocate for the Top End’s tourism industry, ensuring the industry needs were recognised and supported where necessary.

“Sylvia represented the Top End and Northern Territory at trade and consumer shows around Australia and internationally. She also helped grow a number of tourism businesses in Darwin and Katherine.

“Sylvia’s passion, drive and commitment to constantly improve is a key reason the Association is the peak industry body it is today.”

Ms Wolf was born in England and migrated to Adelaide in 1969 with an Australian, Alex Wolf, who she met while working at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Sylvia Wolf receives a hug from then Tourism Minister Paul Henderson after winning the Tourism Ministers's Perpetual Trophy at the 21st NT Brolga Awards.

After working as a Myer’s job training manager, Sylvia and Alex arrived by caravan in Darwin in 1972 where she worked as manager of the Asti Motel.

From there they moved to Katherine where she managed a number of businesses including Corroboree Motel before taking over as manager at Mataranka Homestead.

She returned to Darwin in the mid 1980s and became Tourism NT chairperson and a member of the Northern Territory Government’s tourist bureau as well as helping to develop the Thrifty car rental business.

Known among other things for her flamboyant hairstyles, Ms Wolf was highly regarded as a vocal and active advocate for the Northern Territory.

She participated in the Territory’s emerging democracy in the early 1970s and worked with former Katherine-based Country Liberal Party politician Les MacFarlane in the lead-up to the first Legislative Assembly elections in 1978.

She was on the Northern Territory Tourist Bureau board when it ran the highly successful “Never Never Know if you Never, Never Go” tourism campaign featuring Daryl Somers.

She won three Brolga Awards for her contribution to Territory tourism.

Former NT Tourism commissioner Lyn Adrian posted on social media that Ms Wolf did not want a funeral and had donated her body to science.

“Am hoping to arrange something at the Glenelg Surf Lifesaving Club where we used to have our regular Sunday lunches and is the location where my favourite photo of Sylvia was taken.”

Former Tourism Top End president Sylvia Wolf.

Friend and former Solomon MLA Natasha Griggs also paid tribute.

“Sylvia was a fantastic Territorian,” she said.

“She was a trailblazer and her contribution to tourism and the important and valuable status it now has in the Territory economy was significant,” Mrs Griggs said.

“Beyond that she was great fun, great company and a great friend to many with her enormous professional and social network.

”She was such a larger than life character who left a positive legacy and made a significant contribution wherever she left.

“Others are now benefiting the trailblazing work she did for tourism in the territory.”

Mike Wilson, former NT Tourism Commission manager, also paid tribute to his friend.

“Having worked for NT Tourism for 27 years, I can say Sylvia single handedly did more for tourism in the Territory than any other person or organisation,” he said. “She was involved in everything and with her personality and character everybody knew her. She had tourism at heart.”