Wpływ zagospodarowania turystycznego na tożsamość miejsca na przykładzie Kings Canyon (Australia Centralna)
The impact of tourism development on place identity: The case of kings canyon (Central Australia)

Summary/Abstract: First discovered at the end of the 19th century and then forgotten, Kings Canyon in the MacDonnell Ranges is now, alongside Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the most important tourist attraction in Central Australia. The place appeared on Australian tourist map in the 1960s and has been gradually evolving ever since, with numerous tourist infrastructure elements being introduced into the natural landscape. At the same time, the place is constantly gaining popularity, which means that Kings Canyon is now visited by crowds of tourists. This article is based on the author’s two explorations of the site, first in December 1980 and then in March 2025. It was found that infrastructural changes, including the construction of an asphalt road, a car park with shelters and toilets, a comfortable route running along the bottom of the valley, the marking of several trails in the vicinity of the valley combined with the construction of a number of facilities, including stairs and bridges, have generally changed the character of Kings Canyon. Once a place accessible only to well-prepared, qualified tourists, today it is accessible to mass tourism. It should be added that the infrastructure has made it impossible to reach the most interesting places in terms of inanimate nature within the valley. In summary, tourist development has given a wide range of visitors the opportunity to reach the valley, but it has largely taken away the ‘spirit of the place’ – something that was absolutely unique half a century ago has become a standard tourist attraction.

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