The whole issue of safety in Australia’s remote and rugged national parks is likely to be put in the spotlight following the death of a tourist in WA’s Kimberley region.
A 68-year-old man from New South Wales reportedly sustained a serious head injury after he slipped and fell in Prince Regent National Park.
The ABC reports the traveller was flown by helicopter to Koolan Island airport where a Royal Flying Doctor Service crew was waiting to provide treatment.
However, he died soon afterwards, and his body was taken to Broome.
The man was a passenger aboard a True North cruise and was believed to have been travelling with family.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service tried to treat the man. PIC: RFDS
A True North spokesperson said the guest was participating in a shore excursion and lost his footing while descending a one-metre rocky decline, falling heavily.
The ABC reports that Prince Regent National Park is about 200 kilometres north-east of Derby and can only be accessed by boat or plane. The important conservation area is a popular destination with tourists.
However, over the years, there have inevitably been a number of tragedies in Outback areas. The challenge that national park authorities face in getting the balance right between ensuring public safety and allowing appropriate public access.
Earlier this year, for example, a man and his nine-year-old son died in a rockslide at Wentworth Falls following heavy rains. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Authorities acted quickly and temporarily shut the Blue Mountains National Park … with the exception of the Evans and Govetts Leap lookouts.
The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service has previously stated that nobody wants 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,” an NPWS spokesperson said back in 2019. “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.”
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Well we can always stay home and collect stamps.
Same thing could have happened in the garden at home. At least he was out there enjoying himself.
Just rotten luck. Taken to young.
I think what is needed is personal insurance, or an insurance fee paid to go to parks, caravan parks, or literally anywhere, so maybe a forced insurance plan that every body has for public liability. If it hits you in your pocket, personally, then you may be more cautious in what activities that you want to do.
Comes back to Personal Responsibility
I took a risk this morning and got out of bed, a risk I was willing to take so I could access things like national parks, yes publicly owned national parks that I don’t want some dictator taking over.
Accidents happen all the time, it’s a fact of life. We haven’t had a rise in accidents as a percentage because the rise in people partaking in things like this has increased incredibly.
The nanny stare will always win. Can’t have people going out enjoying themselves and falling over and hurting themselves! Better have Band Aid stations in case of monor scrapes and a helicopter on stand by for more major cases.
Fences will not stop idiots. In our travels we have seen people climbing over a fence to take a selfie while standing with their backs to a cliff edge – Wentworth Falls was one instance that comes to mind.
Many aged people who are at best not very fit and likely overweight without good balance but will try to prove they are capable of doing things that are obviously dangerous for them. Responsibility to yourself is a major factor and it should not spoil these places by creating restrictions for all.
My wife and I have travelled many areas of Australia without incident, however recently she tripped and fell at home while playing with our young grandson.
The result was a broken neck, which required fusion surgery to four vertebrae.
Accidents are usually just that, they can happen anywhere, anytime.