The challenge that national park authorities face in getting the balance right between ensuring public safety and allowing appropriate public access is being perfectly illustrated by the ongoing situation in the NSW Blue Mountains.
Following the tragic death of a man and his nine-year-old son in a rockslide at Wentworth Falls on Monday afternoon, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Authorities acted quickly and shut the Blue Mountains National Park … with the exception of the Evans and Govetts Leap lookouts.
It is thought that recent torrential rains have left many areas unstable.
Two other members of the family caught in the landslip were critically injured in the accident.
NSW National Parks confirmed the five-kilometre loop was inspected days before the landslide as part of a routine assessment program.
In a statement, it said that ‘unfortunately, it is not possible to predict and eliminate all natural risks such as rockslides, which can occasionally occur around the state’.
While there is still plenty of rain falling in the entire Sydney area, there are still some who feel the closure of nearly the entire park in response to the tragedy is an over-reaction.
Local environmentalist and former director for the Colong Foundation for Wilderness, Keith Muir, told the Blue Mountain Gazette that it was ‘equivalent to closure of ocean beaches after a fatal shark attack’.
“It’s a very sad event but it’s a very rare event and needs a nuanced approach rather than a shutdown of any at-risk walking track,” he told the paper. “The Parks service and the council can’t protect the public from every single tree or every single rock in the park, it’s just impossible.”
Given the remoteness and ruggedness of many of Australia’s most scenic national parks, and the huge numbers of people visiting, it is no surprise that there are a steady stream of accidents.
And this growing list of incidents and tragedies has left national park authorities facing something of a dilemma … how do they balance maximising the safety of visitors with allowing them full access to the incredible beauty of Australia’s stunning gorges, trails, mountains and rock pools.
Last year, the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service said nobody wanted to see a national park filled with obtrusive fences but sometimes it says it is left with little choice.
“Before people enter dangerous areas such as cliff tops and tidal rock shelves, we urge them to think about the consequences of their actions,” said an NPWS spokesperson. “Safety is also a personal responsibility and park management encourages visitors to be aware of their own physical abilities and experience when deciding on which activities to undertake in our national parks.”
And if it was to happen again what would be said.( you know dame well what would be said( BLame blame) the right decision was made out of respect for the people involved.There is a risk with everything we do you cannot keep rapping people in cotton wool , nature is its own boss
Sadly the blame and then engage a lawyer is what drives the cotton wool rapping.
The Americanization of Aust.
Closing the Park temporarily is a wise thing. People have to be responsible for their own safety also. Making enquiries before going is the best thing, but not always the highest priority if already out sight seeing.
Having managed the odd National Park, this is generally a No Win situation for everyone. I do wonder if this family sues the Govt, will they win on negligence? Will the case be settled out of court, will a case be lost or thrown out of court? I have seen all of the above happen. What I do know is that the court says there is ‘a’ level of risk taken by visitors to National Parks so my advice is dont waste your time and money to sue Nat Parks if you slip on a loose rock somewhere (even on a walking trail), you will lose. However things become murky when a limb drops off a tree in a campground and injures a camper, this depends upon risk assessments done by qualified persons… or not! Other murky areas are: diving into a river straight off a sandy beach in 40cm of water, hitting head into sand and coming out a paraplegic (yes there was a sign with Do Not Dive icon at the site), seems like a case of negligence on the visitor, Nup! The particular State Govt forked out around $1million. It is my belief National Parks generally should not be closed unless there is ‘widespread’ danger aka a big fucking fire and its very dangerous aftermath or ‘maybe’ a big rain event and very real possibility of landslips, either way Nat Parks are damned if they do and damned if they dont so give them a go as I just know that Ministers and lawyers are right up their arse at the moment trying to pin blame on someone for this landslip.
The National Park I think have done the right thing. They are trying to protect people from anyone else getting hurt. I agree with the 5 comments below, we cannot wait to put the blame for everything that goes wrong onto others. It’s about time that we started taking responsibility for our own actions and that’s not to say that the family that have had this horrible tragedy are to blame either or the National Park authorities, you cannot predict nature and you also cannot blame anyone for what nature brings.
This sort of thing is not unique or unexpected it’s all part of nature world wide and happens more often than you think, Warning signs fences and alerts of dangers help to a small degree but can’t prevent natural events causing death or injury, it’s bad enough when these advisory signs and fences are ignored putting rescuers at risk but it’s insane to close a wilderness area off or expect some compensation for a natural event causing death or injury.
The great ocean road is a good example of hypocrisy, road signs in Chinese and English to remind drivers of what side of the road we drive on given the huge numbers of deaths and injuries over years of road accidents and rock falls, This road should have been closed on its history alone if that’s the answer, as it’s the only access road to the most spectacular national parks and most dangerous coast line the country has to offer.