Bushwalking bans in the MacDonnells?
Alex Sampson reports
Photo by Glenn Tempest
The West MacDonnell National Park is the largest and most significant conservation area in Central Australia and a nationally and internationally important bushwalking site. However, there are plans to close off some of the main walking areas.
The main concern is that there are a number of flora and fauna that are damaging the area and as a result the council has proposed to develop designated ‘Conservation’ and ‘Special Protection’ zones. This means vehicle and walking access will be monitored or stopped in priority areas to aid site rehabilitation and stop the spread of some plants and weeds. Park managers say this is necessary to restore some areas and to prevent further land damage, as well as protect Indigenous heritage sites.
The West MacDonnell National Park has long been a popular bushwalking area due to an exceptional diversity of natural and cultural values and its rugged gorges and mountains, which shelter an outstanding collection of endemic, relict and threatened plants and animals.
One of the main concerns experts have relates to the spread of three introduced grasses: buffel, couch and Mossman River grass. These species were originally introduced for grazing livestock and have since spread uncontrollably, with the help of animals and bushwalkers. Park management wants to stop the spread of the grasses to less affected areas by minimising access to the badly affected land. This will effectively close off popular bushwalking tracks for what many claim is already a lost cause. According to some walkers, the grasses have already spread beyond control and closing the area off won’t make any difference.
Bushwalker Glenn Tempest, who has spent over 80 nights in the area, says damage from the 30 or so visitors the area attracts each season is nothing compared to what the wild cows and horses do to the land. ‘The area is already infested with the grasses and wild animals, so it makes no sense to me,’ he said. ‘It’s got to be some of the best walking in Australia, it would be a real tragedy if they closed it off.’
The proposed changes will include the development of specific ‘Visitor Zones’ that will retain the unspoilt views and natural character of the park while accommodating high-volume tourism. In some locations the public will be excluded from visitor zones to allow for essential services, workshops and private living areas for park staff. Theoretically ‘Conservation Zones’ will protect natural ecological processes while also allowing low-level access for visitors seeking a sense of remoteness. The ‘Special Protection Zones’ will provide high-level protection of sites of Indigenous cultural significance.
The aim of the development will be to minimise disturbance, maintain ecosystem health and promote resilience to current threatening processes. Park management programs such as fire, weed and feral animal control will be the priority based on recommendations from conservation management strategies, traditional owners and expert advice. Where possible park officials say they will provide low-level management intervention.
