In March 2022 ACM revealed that the original budget of $7.9m, signed off in July 2021, had massively blown out to an estimated $14.8m.

But now it looks questionable whether $14.8m will be sufficient with Mr Fleming flagging it was hard to get value for money.

In a NSW Planning, Industry and Environment document, seen by ACM, a three-stage delivery of the project was suggested, supported in part by reallocation of other capital funds, to allow construction of the accommodation complexes at Mowarry Point and Hegarty's Bay to commence as planned.

The walk extends from Ben Boyd Tower to Green Cape Lighthouse Station.

Stage 1 would include building two new huts at Mowarry Point and Hegartys Bay to deliver a two/three walk but it would require a further $1.15m - in addition to the $7.9m - to complete and so NPWS suggested this should be taken out of the capital budget, something used for the ongoing maintenance/improvement of park facilities and tracks.

NPWS has already stated that it is carrying out works to upgrade the Bittangabee Bay visitor precinct and a track upgrade for access to Mowarry Point in Ben Boyd National Park but that these planned works were separate to the Light-to-Light Walk Project.

In the Senate budget estimates hearing Mr Fleming was asked by Penny Sharpe, Labor's Shadow Minister for Planning, Environment and Heritage what stage the Light to Light Project had reached.

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In response Mr Fleming said the project had received environmental and cultural heritage approvals.

"Given the significant escalation in costs really across the board over the last 12 months, we won't have the funds to do the whole thing at the moment, so we are going to do it in stages," Mr Fleming said.

Asked for a further explanation Mr Fleming said even then, it would be dependent on the department getting value for money, something he said was "difficult" for a lot of projects at the moment.

"The first stage, though, of what is sort of called Light to Light would involve realigning the track and then doing up one of the other campgrounds, and the huts would be the final stage," Mr Fleming said.

This is a different approach to that cited in the departments own documents as it sought a variation on the original $7.9m funding deed.

The huts were to be stage 1 at a cost of the original funding of $7.9m plus $1.15m from the capital budget, followed by (stage 2) an upgrade to Green Cape Station accommodation and "essential track works" at a cost of $2.775m. Stage 3 would "complete the project to a world class visitor experience" for $2.575m.

Despite the cost blow outs Mr Fleming said the huts were very basic.

"I mean there is no power, there are no lights, so they are not fancy huts - but they would provide a different way of experiencing the park for some people who don't want to camp in a tent," he told Ms Sharpe.

One of the issues for those opposing the project, is the development of hard infrastructure in what is a wilderness area.

An amended strategy was released for Light to Light Walk in August 2021.

The plans include new hut accommodation and facilities at Mowarry Point, formalisation of the existing campground at Mowarry Point and new hut accommodation and facilities at Hegartys Bay.

In September 2021 NPWS said both the Mowarry Point and the Hegartys Bay accommodation would include six twin share huts, three eight-person share huts and one communal hut, with basic kitchen and dining area.

The proposal also included the formalisation of the existing campground at Mowarry Point which would comprise 10 tent sites and a double pump-out toilet. No water would be provided.

Mr Fleming said he had spoken with the National Parks Association and was happy to go down and have a chat to them on the ground about some of their concerns.

"The money that we've got will allow us to do some of the stages. We may get more money to do other stages, we will see, but it will be value for money if we do it, and certainly I'll talk to the National Parks Association.

"We are trying to make sure that it is rolled out in a way that obviously is environmentally sustainable and sensitive.

"The desire is to ensure that we've got a range of experiences for people. Some people want to go and walk and camp. Others want to go and stay somewhere. We are trying to get the balance right and are happy to keep talking to people about how we do that," Mr Fleming told the Senate budget estimates hearing