Glass House under threat of closure.
The Glasshouse mountains for some time have been under threat of closure to satisfy the irrational demands of local Aboriginal Groups and likely the wishes of Queensland government park authorities who are finding it difficult to manage these beautiful places from the comfort of desks in the Brisbane CBD. No one is forcing people to climb. If people don't want to climb and enjoy the adventure, exhilaration, and look over the remarkable landscape to see how special it is, for whatever reason then don't climb. At the same time it is morally wrong to force your opinions and beliefs on others.
QNPS are now giving credence to this morally reprehensible view and endorsing a Naidoc week event at Mt Tibrogargan for which they urge people not to climb. Officially the climb is open - so in respect of our beliefs of freedom of movement in public places I encourage all readers if they live close (Brisbane is about an hour drive away) to make an effort and climb during that week.
My experience with Ayers Rock, Mt Warning, Mt Gillen etc has been that these short-term closures soon progress to full-scale bans on public access. Don't be fooled! This event is a trojan horse that will no doubt be manipulated by QNPS as an indication of public opinion and set the scene for a future ban. Let your feet do the talking and climb.
Mt Tibrogargan
“These hills… are remarkable for the singular form of their elevation, which very much resembles a glass house, and for this reason I called them the Glass Houses…” Captain James Cook, 17 May, 1770
Mt Tibrogargan is the third highest peak of the Glasshouse Mountains being 192m shorter than the tallest of the group (Mount Beerwah at 556m). The view from the summit is a spectacular vista over the surrounding coastal plain and the other 13 members of the Glasshouse Group. The trek to the summit is used on a daily basis by bushwalkers and rock climbers. The trail is steep and involves sections of scrambling up steep sections of the rhyolite rock. These areas provide good foot and hand holds. This is an exhilarating experience due largely to the exposure. I'd suggest first time climbers go with someone more experienced and son't attempt if the rock is wet after rain.
Some good advice in a post by Rhi at Aussie Bushwalking:
Tibro is a challenging climb but well worth the effort. It isn't for the faint of heart - most of the trail requires scrambling and there are few flat ledges large enough for several people to rest. It starts with an uphill trail until you reach 'chicken rock', which is the steepest portion of the climb. From there, it is more of a scramble than a climb, but it doesn't get easier if you're afraid of heights. At the summit, continue through to the other side for great views over the sunshine coast.
Good fitness levels are needed for this climb and wear good running/approach shoes with decent grip (no hiking boots!). Don't attempt this in the wet. I was glad to have had some rock climbing experience before tackling Tibro and I would recommend doing this hike/scramble with someone who has climbed before.
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