New South Wales National Park and Wildlife Service have been falsely claiming the risk of rock falls and landslides to summit track users is "Extreme". As an engineering geologist specialising in landslide risk assessment I found these claims to be ridiculous when I climbed the mountain in January. I have since discovered that NPWS organised a detailed geotechnical assessment of rock fall and landslide risk to summit track users by a leading geotechnical consultant in April 2018. However there is no mention of this report in NPWS information. It seems they are ignoring the findings of their own experts in their description of geotechnical risk on the mountain and they continue to promulgate misinformation and lie to the Minister and Public. I requested a copy of the consultant's report through the government' GIPA system and have now received a copy of the report.
Here's an example of how NPWS continue to report on rock fall and landslide risk on the Mountain, from their November Information brochure that remains available on their website:
The conclusion of the report by GHD (available in its entirety HERE) reads as follows (our BOLD):
The slope stability assessment has considered a broader context of the summit walking track from the carpark up to Helicopter Point 4. Numerous trackside and inferred hazards were identified. The probability of further landslides occurring is considered ‘almost certain’ yet the preliminary risk assessment suggests the overall annual risk of loss-of-life is Low. This is consistent with the anecdotal information that no injuries or fatalities have occurred, despite some 100,000 to 160,000 people walking the track each year. The lack of incidents is attributed to the very low probability that a person will be on the track and in the path of a hazard during adverse weather when the vast majority of landslide events are expected to occur. This reduction in track patronage is largely automatic with the closure of Mt Warning Road when the low-level bridge and causeway become impassable.
Despite the apparent low risk of loss-of-life from the preliminary risk assessment. Further geotechnical assessment and quantitative risk assessment is recommend to inform a track access management plan. In particular, to assist in deciding when to close the track and how strictly to enforce the closure.
NPWS have been caught lying about the Geotechnical risk of landslide and rock falls to summit track users. What will the Minister do about it?
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