Mt Warning: Park Ban will go ahead this year

Mt Warning: Park Ban will go ahead this year - help needed.

I spoke with the acting NSW NPWS northern region director yesterday about Mt Warning. Nothing said gave me any confidence that NPWS will not ban the summit walk over the coming year.

I expect the temporary ban currently imposed will be extended on false "safety" grounds in May while NPWS move to formalise the Aboriginal Place determination made in 2014. This will likely ban access to areas on the mountain above 600m - an area of approximately 447 hectares (see map below) to everyone except those authorised by NPWS or the Aboriginal group NPWS deal with. This group does not represent the views of owners like late Ngaraakwal Elder Marlene Boyd who said in 2007 "how can the public experience the spiritual significance of this land if they do not climb the summit and witness creation!"

Mt Warning - Public will be banned from this area.

Changes will be made through a new Master Plan for the park that will be open for public comment but I got the impression little the public say will impact what is already being planned. I'm not sure whether the Aboriginal group NPWS liaise with have any plans for access arrangements in the future. It would be interesting for instance if they started charging for access independent of NPWS.

The only way a positive outcome for Park users will arise is with Ministerial intervention. The Minister - Matt Kean - may not want to go down in History as the man responsible for banning bushwalkers from enjoying the awe and wonder of Mt Warning. Please send your objections to him via this email address... office@kean.minister.nsw.gov.au

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Right to Climb

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