Beyond mining: transitioning indigenous communities to sustainable tourism in Australia’s Northern Territory
研究澳大利亚北领地原住民社区从矿业转向旅游业的机遇与障碍，运用演化经济地理学分析制度锁定和路径依赖，发现需长期双向规划以支持社区主导的可持续发展。
Mining is a significant contributor to the Australian economy and the largest sector in remote areas and neighbouring Indigenous communities. Many mines will close within the next decade due to economic, geological, and/or social pressures, leaving these communities without viable or sustainable economic alternatives. Indigenous tourism is viewed by some Indigenous communities and landowners as an opportunity for financial, social, and environmental development, and when developed appropriately, could support Indigenous communities to leverage traditional lands and natural assets. Through a case study of East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia, this research explores opportunities and barriers for Indigenous communities transitioning from mining to tourism and the viability of tourism as an economic alternative. The study addresses the challenges of breaking institutional “lock-in” and path dependence by applying evolutionary economic geography theory to explore this transition. It was found that while stakeholders strongly support tourism development in the region, mining transitions are more complex and require two-way, long-term planning to develop growth strategies and promote community-led initiatives. This paper explores tourism’s future post-mining, the reuse of mining infrastructure, and land access issues to support sustainable economic development.