There is often a lot of talk about vandalism and disrespectful behaviour in camping areas and national parks … but that is far from the whole story.
For every action there is a reaction and, for every act of littering or property defacing, there are people – paid and unpaid – who are there to fix the problem and make things better again for visitors yet to come.
Grey nomads are no strangers to the concept of picking up other people’s rubbish and many of them are also no strangers to volunteering their time and efforts to improving the environment. And they are not alone.
Volunteer groups like the Friends of Mount Remarkable have been making a positive difference in reserves and parks and campsites across the country, and their contribution is often overlooked.
The Mount Remarkable group has been assisting with the development and maintenance of South Australia’s Mount Remarkable National Park for the past 27 years, and it seems they are only just getting started.
The Flinders News reports that monthly working bees over recent years have involved members in track clearance, repairs and maintenance of signage, seating, huts and campgrounds, the removal of African Boxthorn and other weeds, and guided walks in the park.
Over the coming year, the Friends group will be conducting bush camp patrols, installing trail markers, repairing heritage ruins, clearing tracks, and controlling weeds.
Friends of Mount Remarkable and the many other similar groups across Australia, we salute you.
