Darwin Festival, NT AFL and NRL matches in limbo amid travel bans

The Darwin Festival and the Top End’s AFL and NRL matches are under threat from the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict border restrictions to be enforced.

The Lighthouse in Festival Park is one of the most popular venues for the Darwin Festival. This year’s festival is under threat due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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THE Darwin Festival and the Top End’s AFL and NRL matches are under threat from the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict border restrictions to be enforced.

Darwin Festival organiser Ian Kew said the festival’s committee would discuss the future of this year’s event in coming days.

“We were hopeful that we would have been able to hold the festival in August, and we were working back to what the critical dates were for us to make a decision,” he said.

“Now with the decisions by NT Government to close the borders, which we aren’t sure when that could be lifted – it’s looking like six months – that would overlap (with) the festival taking place in its current form.

“We need to sit down and think about it.”

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Mr Kew said there would be discussions with government, sponsors and stakeholders over the coming week to reach a decision on what way Darwin Festival could be delivered, if at all.

Darwin Festival organisers initially told the NT News last week they planned for the festival to go ahead, starting August 6, although they indicated that would be subject to change given the evolving circumstances.

An AFLNT spokesman said it was uncertain how the two-month AFL season hiatus would impact on the two AFL fixtures to be held in the NT.

“AFLNT will be following whatever recommendations the AFL make,” he said.

“Once we’re at that point (May 31), there will be a reassessment.”

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NRL NT general manager Nigel Roy echoed similar sentiments about the viability of NRL fixtures in the Territory this year, saying uncertain times mean decisions were evolving almost daily.

“The COVID-19 virus has thrown up a lot of challenges for the NRL,” he said.

“The NRL are still working on the impacts on the virus in the sport, and the game up in Darwin is one of the scenarios they are still working through.

“We’re working with those parties on a daily basis.”