Right to Climb

St Mary's Peak offers the best views over the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. This outstanding climb remains under threat of closure by the SA government.  St Mary's Peak - image from this Advertiser story The tale below is an early climbing report published in The Pictorial Australian, Monday 1 Feb 1892 . It captures the magic of this natural wonder and helps underpin why it should remain open for the public to enjoy.

Some renewed media interest in access bans at National Parks and Climbing areas following reports that climbers at the Grampians are facing covert surveillance by Park Officials leading to Stasi like behavouir from the Orwellian "Victoria’s First Peoples — State Relations Unit". The potential fines for being in the wrong place are up to $346,000, but with very poor signage how would you know? This mirrors the behavior of NPWS Park Officials chasing down walkers at Mt Warning and issuing notices to attend meetings or provide information that may incriminate them.  Four protesters who climbed on Australia Day with permission of Ngarakwal women are in legal limbo as NPWS delay taking any action on information they were forced to provide. Given these are summary offences it's likely the statute of limitation has run out and NPWS have missed their opportunity to issue fines. Wait and see. Sad to see the public sector playing lawfare with citizens' lives.  Mike Tomkins ( AC...

 Great article in the Spectator by Tony Letford Sacred sites – a warning to us all We are being misled about indigenous history Tony Letford They are at it again. Another group of First Nations people is trying to close a part of a national park because it is a ‘sacred site’. This time it is Mt Warning,  aka  Wollumbin, on the far north coast of NSW. It is ‘sacred’ to the Bundjalung people and, until recently, attracted over 100,000 visitors annually who took the 8.8-kilometre round-trip to the summit to enjoy the spectacular coastal views. Closing down walking trails around Australia because they impinge on sacred sites is increasingly common. When Uluru was closed down it was national news but the closure of less well-known sites such as St Mary’s Peak in the Flinders Ranges and various parts of the Grampians National Park in Western Victoria is passing almost unnoticed. A recent edition of the ABC programme  Four Corners  dealt with problems in Kakadu where t...

You wouldn't think the issue of religious inference with bushwalking would arise in the 21st century in our supposedly secular society. If you believe access to our natural heritage should not be restricted due to religious beliefs let your local member know how you feel. This article by Luke Griffiths from The Australian outlining what bushwalkers now face well worth the subscription price. Tourism concerns if sacred mountain sites declared off limits There are growing fears among tourists and business owners that at least two of Australia’s most spectacular mountain walks will be banned because they are sacred to indigenous groups. Sydney hiker Christie Davies at the summit of Mt Warning. Picture: Natalie Grono Read the rest HERE