Traditional owners have moved to close parts of Kakadu over a “lack of respect” for sacred areas by Parks Australia.

Local outrage will see the Kakadu National Park area of Gunlom closed to the public at the start of the peak tourism season.

Gunlom Land Trust chair Mick Markham says the decision was “a result of Parks breach of our lease agreement and lack of respect for our sacred sites”.

Mr Markham said access to the South Alligator River will be blocked off in coming days.

“We have to protect the sites, it's our religion. That site has been there for over 10,000 years, when the salt water was eroding the cliff face,” he told the ABC.

Several nearby sites will remain open.

There is a court battle going on between the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) and the federally-run Parks Australia. The Indigenous group argues that Parks Australia has allegedly committed sacred site offences and did not have authorisation to build a walking track near the popular Gunlom Falls infinity pool.

“The traditional owners apologise to the tourists but for us to get our point across, we feel this is the only way,” Mr Markham said. 

In court, Parks Australia has used the Commonwealth’s legal immunity in relation to the Sacred Sites Act in Kakadu National Park.

It is possible that the High Court will be asked to decide whether sacred site protections apply in Kakadu National Park.