St Mary's Peak on the banned list?

St Mary's Peak is the highest point in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. It's the end point for a spectacular scenic 20km bush walk that rewards with 360º views of the ranges, salt lakes and surrounding plains.
In 2012 Oliver Pfeil wrote the following on reaching the summit:

360° Perfection

The Lady of the Outback had been kind to us that beautiful autumn morning and, as I scanned across the moonlit valleys and far-reaching vistas of the Flinders Ranges, I was overcome with a mixture of relief, excitement and a feeling of total freedom that I was able to enjoy an adventure of such calibre in our very own backyard.

With a rising sun in the east and a full moon in the west, the 360° panoramic views of Wilpena Pound, Lake Torrens and the jagged backbone of the northern Flinders Ranges would forever be etched into my mind.

Other climbing tales for St Mary's include:

breathtaking 360-degree views of the Flinders Ranges

“Brilliant - St Marys Peak!”

The view from the top was worth it. Apart from taking a flight there is no other way to take in the vastness of the Flinders Ranges.

Image from Walking SA

This wonderful challenging walk, accessible to most people of moderate fitness with a little planning and a spirit of adventure, has been under threat for some time by the beliefs of the Adnyamathanha people who believe that the Peak is the head of an ancient serpent who’s body petrified forming walls of  Wilpena Pound and prefer you don't visit. 

Adnyamathanha people are asking hikers to stay off St Mary Peak in Flinders Ranges

Their request that visitors not climb the peak’s 1171m summit is similar to the Anangu people’s request that visitors to Uluru not climb it.

Few people undertake the walk and those that do have earned the right to go all the way to the summit without having to pander to another's religious beliefs. There is an existing marked trail and the walk does no damage. If the Adnyamathanha don't want to visit the summit that is their decision. They rob no one but themselves of the joy and sense of wonder of reaching the summit. The views at the top are far superior to those at the saddle lower down. It is a complete travesty that people are being made to feel guilty for simply enjoying the natural world. 

The ban on climbing Ayers Rock had its roots with a similar request, and like Ayers Rock a full ban is only a stroke of a pen away from becoming reality. If you believe the natural world is there to be shared and enjoyed write your Member of Parliament and make sure your views are known.