Roadhouse to Recovery grants awarded to 17 roadhouses across the Territory

The Territory is famous for its wayside inns and roadhouses and soon some of them will be revamped. We reveal the full list of upgrades planned for your favourite pit stops.

A Red Centre tourist hotspot hopes to attract more families with a new state-of-the-art playground, thanks to a cash injection.

Kings Creek Station has received $135,768.32 as part of the Northern Territory’s Roadhouse to Recovery grants program.

Owner Tony McFadzean said the station was grateful to receive a portion of the $4.6m given to 17 regional or remote caravan parks across the NT.

“We were previous grants program allowed us to complete a Wi-Fi enhancement across the property which has significantly enhanced the visitor experience,” he said.

“Most recently we received a grant to make a dollar-for-dollar contribution to build a new children’s playground supporting campers and travellers alike.”

Mr McFadzean said the winter brought a flurry of tourists in comparison to previous years.

“This season has been outstanding particularly when compared to the previous two years, which as you expect was very lean for us and throughout the centre of Australia,” he said.

“Our growth over last year is significant but it is that unknown of the overseas market and how that will help us finish of the year.’

The Roadhouse to Recovery program, in its third round, offered grants of up to $150,000 to undertake infrastructure projects to improve visitor experiences in the Northern Territory.

As part of the grant program, operators are required to match the contribution.

In the Top End, there were 14 successful recipients sharing more than $1,575,000 in grants, including the CMCA RV Park at Humpty Doo, Tumbling Waters Holiday Park, Adelaide River Inn and Aurora Kakadu Lodge.

There were three grants awarded in Central Australia, Kings Creek Station, Barkly Homestead and Renner Springs Desert Inn, all sharing in over $435,000 in funding.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce at Hotel Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said the program was welcomed by roadhouses and wayside inns stretching right across the depth and breadth of the Territory.

“The improvements that benefit the travelling public are already visible from the first two rounds of the highly successful program,” he said

“2022 has had a strong drive season, it is just starting to ease off and the time is right to make these upgrades ahead of what is predicted to be another cracker season next year.”

Full list of recipients

Adelaide River Inn – $150,000

New large eating area, supermarket/store and kitchen

Barkly Homestead – $150,000

Install five new cabins

Batchelor Holiday Park – $76,022

Upgrades to pool area/shade and mini golf, 10 new campground concrete pads, upgrade/seal roads

Big4 Breeze Holiday Park Katherine– $150,000

Two new two bedroom cabins, one cabin being accessible compliant

Borroloola Hotel Motel – $25,909.09

Upgrade airconditioners in the rooms, install solar flood lights and upgrade the electrics for the swimming pool

Cooinda Lodge Kakadu – $150,000

Full renovation of the ablution block located at the bistro

Corroboree Park Tavern – $96,025.50

Upgrade visitors swimming pool with accessibility access

Daly Waters Pub – $81,560.14

New check-in area separate to bar, larger dining area and souvenir area, new store room next to kitchen

Gorge View Bush Retreat – $150,000

Electrical upgrades of camp kitchen, install 12 new safari tents, build kiosk/pizza bar and install new pool

Humpty Doo Hotel – $41,271.50

Ablution block accessible compliant for Humpty Doo RV Park

Kakadu Lodge Caravan Park – $150,000

Install four new cabins

Kings Creek Station – $135,768.32

New children’s playground

Mary River Wilderness Retreat – $150,000

New playground, jumping pillow and ablution block accessible compliant

Renner Springs Desert Inn – $150,000

Upgrade sewerage services and electrical pillars for new powered sites. Twenty solar street lights around the park, new water tank and BBQ area/shelter

Riverview Tourist Village – $131,281.00

Road repair, internal changes to cabins and ablution blocks upgrades

Savannah Way Motel – $142,838.16

Purchase of two bedroom family cabins

Tumbling Waters Holiday Park – $80,397.00

New park activities hub (6mx6m demountable) and seal the parks roads for dust suppression