Ancient indigenous rock art is being put at risk by thoughtless visitors who are ignoring the rules and getting too close to – and sometimes even touching it.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service says the popularity of social media is making some people intent on ‘creating self-indulgent, unlawful selfies’.
Senior Ranger Luke Male said the rock art sites at Carnarvon National Park are of international importance, but not enough respect was being shown.
“Some visitors to Carnarvon National Park think the rules don’t apply to them and they’re entering Restricted Access Areas to pose for photos,” he said. “In some instances, they are posing in front of Indigenous rock art that is thousands of years old, or they’re actually touching it.”
This woman was given a fine. PIC: Queensland DES
The Parks and Wildlife Service says it makes no apology for taking compliance action against people who break the rules because they believe they are ‘influencers’.
In the past year, rangers have issued 18 fines to people in the Carnarvon National Park for various offences including camping in a protected area and fire offences. It has also issued six $431 fines to people who have entered Restricted Access Areas to take selfies or touch the rock face.
“The ochre stencil art of the region is unique, diverse, highly complex and spectacular, and the rock art is embedded within sandstone that is incredibly fragile,” said Mr male. “It is a great honour and privilege for us to be able to see these rock art sites, and touching them can damage cultural artefacts that are thousands of years old.”
Mr Male said rangers will issue fines to anyone who enters Restricted Access Areas around the rock art, and routinely check social media for selfies that have been taken unlawfully.
“We also receive information, including photos from members of the public about people who have broken the rules,” he said. “The boardwalks are designed to give people the best possible view of the sites, and people don’t get a better view by leaving the boardwalk.”
The parks service says rock art must be protected because:
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Why are there so many ignorant people doing this?? Our education system is broken … reading and understanding is a lost art
They can read & understand they just don’t care, they’re selfish. If they get caught they should be fined and never be allowed in another national park. We’ve seen these idiots standing on the other side of the fences along the Great Ocean Road where you can see part of the rock is falling away due to erosion. If they were to fall someone would have to put their life at risk to rescue them or retrieve their body.
There’s some rock art there ??
‘Rock art? ‘
The disrespect doesn’t end there. Some time back (I think I read it in the Grey Nomad Times) the indigenous council at the Cape York tip felt they had to shut down the area with tourists plastering graffiti on anything that doesn’t move and defacating everywhere. I don’t know what it would take to stop narcissistic self-indulgent vandals but it certainly needs to stop.
Soon we will see steel barracades being errected to keep self entitled people out . Some sites in the Grampians national park are already behind steel fences sad but true .
Some people cannot be educated the people that read these comments here are minimal we need to get this knowledge out there to all camping caravanning 4X4 and any other travelling organization to try and help stamp this out. Many years ago there was slogans some said tread lightly.
Future generation will have to pay a guide to see Rock art into the future.
Just like the Pyramids and many other ancient items you pay.
Once people had respect for the property of others as well as for History and artifacts. But these days it isn’t a priority in the Education system. The young of today know their rights, but disregard the rights of others. It isn’t only the 3 “R’s”which have been dropped from General Education.
Stupid, ignorant, self absorbed, self entitled woman. The paltry $431 fine should be increased significantly. Please people respect our fabulous rock art.