For grey nomads and other tourists travelling in WA’s south west, the giant karri trees of the region are among the many highlights.
However, there are fears that travellers are now staying away due to the closure to climbers of the iconic Gloucester Tree near Pemberton.
The ABC reports that, for decades, people have used pegs in the trunk to climb almost 60 metres to the top of the Gloucester and Dave Evans Bicentennial trees without using a harness or being under supervision.
However, both trees have been closed for months as structural engineers work out how to make the trees and infrastructure safe.
The towering trees of the southwest are a major tourist attraction. PIC TerriAnneAllen / Pixabay
While not all grey nomads may be ready, willing or able to climb the trees, it seems that some disappointed visitors are already changing their itineraries to bypass Pemberton, resulting in the loss of millions of tourism dollars, after the closure of the Gloucester Tree.
Graeme Dearle, who runs a tourism business, told the ABC the closure was a ‘real concern’.
“To have our main attractions closed, it’s a serious blow to our tourism industry,” Mr Dearle said. “Our international visitors and interstate visitors are keen to check these trees out … you can’t do this anywhere else in the world.”
Shire of Manjimup President Donelle Buegge said the closure of the trees to climbers was a further “blow” to the region.
“We’ve copped a few hits of late with the deregulation of dairy, deregulation of potatoes, closing of the native forestry so we really have been thrown into tourism quite heavily,” she told the ABC. “In the short term, I would like to see [the trees] opened somewhat, so that people can still climb that little way up, take their Instagram photo, and they’re happy with that … in the long term, I’d like to have it revisited … to be able to get to the top.”
According to the ABC, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions hasn’t ruled out closing the trees for good.
However, acting regional manager Tim Foley said it was not something he was keen to see happen.
“If anything, our commitment is the opposite of that, to really keep the climbing trees experience,” Mr Foley told the A|C. “I think there are options to look at, you know, [like the] replacement of a lookout platform at the top of the trees versus a partial climbing option.”
Mr Foley urged people not to bypass the region on their travels.
“There’s so much to see in the Pemberton areas … We definitely want people to come here and still visit the tree,” he said. “Still book the trip and hopefully if it’s in the next year or two there will be the opportunity to come back and climb the trees in some shape or form.”
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Yes, climbed them some years ago. Seems as though the fun police are dead set on closing lots of activities enjoyed by travellers with the excuse it may be damaging to some environmental situation or some other ‘airy fairy’ ridiculous thing that they seem to make up on the spot
Worried about the consequences shou an unfortunate incident happen. The local bodies should take steps to ensure any climbers are physically able to do the climb and wear appropriate safety equipment. Sure, there are some bravados who think they don’t need any of the “sissy” stuff and these will always want to show off. This is OK but the local authorities should have legally binding notices or such to cover themselves for these types of people taking stupid risks, ie fall and hurt yourself then no compensation and pay your own expenses relating to the stupidity.
My husband climbed the Pemberton tree many many years ago and we have revisited the area a couple of times since without the desire to climb it again. Visiting this area just to admire the majesty of these trees is still worthwhile.
Also, the general area around Pemberton is worth visiting and exploring. Whatever the decision re climbing the tree is made don’t ignore this area of South-West WA. Make the most of what this area has to offer. And this comment comes from an interstate traveller, not a local.
I totally agree.
If people avoid an area just because they my can’t climb a tree, they must have a very narrow outlook as they travel.
The area is fantastic & has much to offer visitors besides climbing a tree
I climbed the tree in 1968 21 years old at the time the wind blew up as I was admiring the view and have a smoke scared the living daylight out of me cured my climbing addiction
We went to the Gloucester tree some years ago and watched a family with four children climb dangerously up the tree with only thongs on their feet. They could have sustained serious injury had one of them fallen. I’m all for stopping people climb it. Jenny, Canberra
I have no desire to climb the trees, but a visit to the area over fifty years ago and again twenty years ago is still nagging at me to go yet again to see the enormous Karri trees of the area. They are so magnificent.
White knuckles and sheer fear have prevented climbers from falling off for decades. For someone 6ft tall its hard enough, but for shorter people really challenging.
But let’s not forget if something does go wrong, like an adventurist teenager “freezes” half way up, or an unfit person suddenly gets a pain in the chest through exertion or acrophobia – then that climb becomes a “workplace” for a rescuer, the SES, a Ranger, the Police, a paramedic. It’s law that an employer has to foresee risk to employees and act accordingly. There’s no way around that.
There is NO WAY that current climb would ever pass a workplace OSH design test even with some more bandaid re-engineering. And faced with a genuine need to rescue what do the above officers do ? Not a question of if – only when.
If it had a safe stepped and platformed spiral staircase around it – the thrill seekers wouldn’t want to climb it. Visitors wanting to see a tree canopy would just go to the Valley of Giants Tree Top Walk. (Some people even get scared on that !)
Perhaps there’s a market for a commercial Zip-Line down there for those that thrive on a bit of fear – like some of the great ones out of Melbourne etc. But low off peak visitor numbers would probably prevent financial viability in WA. The OSH compliance with operating a zip-line would be enormous in itself. All those shackles and harnesses and pulleys, and making sure that people didn’t do stupid things.
At the end of the day that climb was only ever for forestry people back in the day to spot fires. No OSH regulations back in those days. They came 50 years later. It’s amazing the climb has lasted this long.
Couldn’t imagine having to climb up and down it every day carrying your own toilet can. Yuk.
Agree wholeheartedly Cliff. There’s a reason you can’t do this “anywhere else in the world”. It’s called unacceptable risk.
https://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/site/gloucester-tree
Just an update. It seems there is a recently opened ropes adventure course in Pemberton. DBCA appears to be supporting it on their website for those seeking a bit of adrenaline. but it is a commercial offering – looks like about $65 pp, so a $ couple hundred for a family.
A correction to my own Post is that the Gloucester tree was recently closed in entirety, until further notice, after previous spike replacement, to allow structural work to proceed on the higher platforms up to around 50 metres,(imagine hanging off a spike from the top floor of Dumas House in Perth) not for any other workplace risks to employees with a need to climb it such as effecting rescue – its sounds like climbing spikes without fall arrest to a height of a 15 story building is OK for now for on duty employees. Tourists and general public climb at their own risk subject to warning signs at the base of the tree. Not sure that is legally sufficient for non-English speaking climbers.
Well said Cliff. When, not if, someone gets hurt or falls there will be an outcry. I visited the area on a very windy September day in 89. Without a harness, no way known would someone with a little common sense climb.
I too climbed that tree four years ago, got close to the top. A wonderful experience and beautiful views that l don’t think is available anywhere else in Australia. Have there ever been any accidents there? No one is saying that. The Fun Police are at it again!
I have climbed Gloucester and Diamond trees numerous times in the past on our travels down south and when, as a teacher in metro primary schools in the late 70s and 80s, I took the city kids on a week’s camp to the country every year. Gloucester tree was one of everyone’s favourite.
I remember that on every camp, I would have to climb the tree with the group of 5 kids, so I would end up climbing it at least 5 or 6 times in a day, one after the other. Mind you, I was a lot younger and fitter then.
Probably would not climb it now with primary kids as there are a lot of other amazing things to do in the area, and it would currently not pass a simple OHS assessment.
Perhaps the climb could be improved and it could be open to the public for several of the safer months each year. I feel it would be a shame for this iconic tourist experience to disappear completely to deny many physically competent people.
Too many of our amazing tourist experiences in WA seem to be teetering on the edge of extinction.
Anyway, that’s my thoughts. Cheers
My wife and I both climbed the Gloucester tree. Waiting for our turn,I observed a young girl climbing down and she could hardly reach each rung. We decided to be at the head of the next group of 6 so that we would not be held up. It all went well until my wife decided to rest a while and the guy behind her passed her. When we got to the top and crawled through the manhole onto the platform, this fellow half my age was completely out of breath. Turns out he was a construction worker at a mine site . At the time, I was a height safety training officer teaching people how to work safely at heights and issuing them with “tickets” giving them accreditation to work at heights.
I am going to sound like a reformed smoker or perhaps a one time croc shooter saying it should not be done without any equipment. Anchor points, static lines, fall arrest blocks and harnesses. This, as others have observed would greatly increase safety and costs. All of the anchors points would require 6 monthly inspections as would some of the other devices. Different size harnesses and qualified people to fit them to the climbers.
a wonderful experience in getting to the top but the costs of bringing the tree into today’s OHS would be prohibitive.
Just saying!
I have climed both trees.
I can see a health & safety issue there.
Trees are to be admired, especially old, significant ones. I’d come to the town just to see them if they were well advertised in Google and local VIC centres.
Why people feel the need to ‘conquer’ anything big or dangerous, not giving a thought to the fact they’re slowly destroying it’s beauty, is beyond me. It’s more to do with their ego trips, like bungee jumping. My heart swells and I get the biggest thrill to just walk through a grove of ancient trees. Promote the trees in a different way. Grey nomads, at least, will visit.