After four years of shifting excuses and Machiavellian BS that was supposed to pass for "public consultation," the NSW NPWS has finally rubber stamped the closure of Mt Warning to everyone except a select group of Aboriginal men.

The Wollumbin Consultative Group, which the NSW government has pinned this on, is more secretive than ASIO. Meanwhile, plenty of locals, including a large number of the actual traditional custodians, have been protesting the closure for years. I was at one of their protests a few months ago, and several Aboriginal groups with apparently competing claims on the area were all in attendance, and they were unanimous in their opposition to the closure.

Expect more of this if the voice gets up. It is unaccountable and corrupt by design. It will be used to blackwash whatever hairbrained vote-buying scheme the government comes up with, but does not want to take responsibility for.

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/wollumbin-mount-warning-summit-track?fbclid=IwAR2fbFX9HsZeaslaeZ3rGbZ9-Xxbw_f9-IyT8db8BHSpU0nBX1h6wF2MBvM

"Wollumbin (Mount Warning) Summit track and Aboriginal Place will remain closed. Decisions about the future of the summit track will be made by Aboriginal custodians, represented by the Wollumbin Consultative Group (WCG), which represents a range of Aboriginal groups and families, including men and women with a connection to the site."

There is another public meeting about Mt Warning at the Uki pub tonight, 5pm.

Good on ya Frank.

Aussies ‘locked out’ of national parks to protect cultural heritage

Frank Chung

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/aussies-locked-out-of-national-parks-to-protect-cultural-heritage/news-story/a0c60533e6e2cd98bf01df020a36d207

A growing number of Australia’s most beautiful natural environments are being closed off to the public for opaque cultural heritage reasons, with one commentator labelling it a “crazy” trend that’s creating “bad vibes” between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

In NSW, the four-year closure of Mount Warning in the Northern Rivers region’s Wollumbin National Park has been a long-simmering controversy.

The breathtaking mountain, which once attracted more than 100,000 people a year, was initially closed to the public amid Covid restrictions in 2020 and in 2021, the local Aboriginal owners requested the track be closed permanently.

The Wollumbin Aboriginal Place Management plan stated that the mountain was considered a “men’s site” and that the “sanctity” of Wollumbin Aboriginal Place “may also manifest physically”, making people sick or putting women in “physical danger”.

“For example, if women access areas that are restricted to men, women are in physical danger and likewise for men,” the plan stated.

The closure sparked protests as some people defied the ban to climb the peak. It was revealed earlier this year that the private security guards had been hired to the tune of $7000 per week to keep people away from the mountain.

NSW parliament is now preparing to debate whether Mount Warning should be reopened after a petition, sponsored by Libertarian MP John Ruddick, gained more than 10,000 signatures.

“The petitioners of New South Wales state that Mt Warning, which has been walked by visitors young and old for generations, has been closed to all but select Indigenous males by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, in violation of liberal democratic principles,” the petition said.

“The petitioners request that the House call upon the Minister for the Environment to reopen Mt Warning’s summit track so it can be enjoyed by all, regardless of race or gender.”

Mr Ruddick told 2GB’s Ben Fordham earlier this week that it was about time the issue was properly debated.

“Mount Warning is one of the biggest reasons people come to NSW,” he said.

“Mount Warning is the most beautiful national park NSW has. Mount Warning is a warning to all of our other national parks. We’ve got to draw a line in the sand here.”

NSW Environment and Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe has indicated she no plans to reopen the mountain, however.

Speaking on his Friday program, Fordham said “if you think this is an isolated case, think again”, as he outlined several similar examples.

In 2019, climbing was banned on Uluru, ending a decades-old tradition for visitors to the Red Centre, in recognition of the rock’s cultural significance to the Anangu people.

Fordham argued that the while “most Australians accepted it” at the time, “it was just the thin edge of the wedge”.

“Then it was the Grampians in Victoria, many iconic rock climbing routes were closed to the public in 2020,” he said.

“The shutdown was allegedly to protect rock art, including some art that is invisible to the naked eye — let that sink in. Then they came after the Glass House Mountains in Queensland. Restrictions have been proposed on three summits in that area, including Mount Beerwah.”

And in South Australia’s Flinders Rangers, St Mary Peak, the highest point which “people have been climbing for decades” was also now closed.

“Now there are signs requesting visitors stay away from the summit,” Fordham said.

“But wait, there’s more. In Alice Springs, Mount Gillen has been shut, walking tracks have been closed. Are you starting to see what’s happening here? Australians are being locked out of more parts of their own country, and in many cases Indigenous people can’t agree on the reasons why.”

He added: “Make no mistake, we are damaging tourism with this, we’re punishing people who’ve done nothing wrong, and we’re essentially creating bad vibes between Indigenous communities and other communities. I reckon future generations will think we’re crazy.”

Last year, a section of rock at Mount Beerwah, considered a sacred Indigenous site to the Jinibara people, was defaced with a message reading “Jesus saves just ask him”.

Jinibara elder Kenny Murphy told The Guardian at the time that he believed the vandalism was “clearly payback” for efforts by traditional owners to stop people climbing the mountain.

“The mountain is very important, it’s like our St John’s Cathedral, it’s a special mountain to us,” he said.

“Why can’t we have that respected? It’s just bulls**t what they’ve done, this is a birthing site, it has a special meaning to us, but Jesus is clearly the only spiritual thing this person understands.”

He added, “They want to show that there isn’t anything significant to the mountain, they would’ve cried if it was their cathedral. They can’t just leave us alone, they’ve killed our way of life, killed all the animals, poisoned our waters, and now this. It’s a big insult to us.”

A new management plan proposed for outback Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre by the SA government suggests banning members of the public from walking, driving or boating on the lake bed without permission from the traditional owners.

The public would be allowed to view the inland lake from the air or from two designated visitor areas — Halligan Bay Point Campground and the southern information bay off the Oodnadatta Track.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-19/kati-thanda-lake-eyre-proposed-management...



White people should start restricting Aboriginal access to white 'sacred sites' and culturally significant sites.
Oh, wait, what? Wacism!!

**pulls up convenient rock for breakfast fireside chat:-

"You know, they originally named Blacktown in Sydney because it was the Black's Town, a sort of Wesweto of settled Sydney region.... and it was known - and still is, for its high crime rates, general lawlessness, violence and so forth....though it has spread a bit to Doomside nearby and Blunt Force Druitt and praying to St Marys ... all pretty much 'houso' and known for their violence, drugs, crime and lots of wife-bashing and kid-killing.... for 'Blackie' just look at that Anita Cobby thing so long ago - those bastards will never walk the street and live.... but hey ... that is the mentality or lack thereof of far too many 'out that way'... JaSin knows in his oddball way, and calls it out....

Anyway - I guess it comes as no surprise that the ball-licking NT 'government', while sucking up to the weeping and wailing of a few 'Elders' about how things 'should' be handled (wow 10 yo kid in home law kills self - FFS) etc intead of enforcing one law for all ... actually moves ahead to install a review into 'relationship violence against women and children in communities'.... and they don't mean the Buddhists of Alice Springs either, and even the SA 'government', while sucking up to a 'treaty' and massive land gifting to a few losers still suffering from the blast effects of Maralinga ringing in their ears and making them think it's 'spirits' (Johnny Walker is better), is cutting the booze to Ceduna again and plotting to hand over control of the salt Lake Eyre to a few salt walkers.... (LMFAO) ... so as to placate the 'spirits' again.... I guess some sheila out there in the hot sun and in hangover recovery 'hears' whales singing their path across the Lake......

Well - if simply expecting the whinging minority to abide by the new rules post their old Empire by Force and Genocide days and accept that 'the old days are gone, with the slaughter and possession by force of arms' ... and even England no longer 'owns' India etc... is too much for the whingers - I guess we'll just have to impose it on them.... punch down on them the same as they are trying to do to the majority.... no sense in that but it's inevitable some day... Albo the Idiot has started the New Frontier Wars.... only this time it will be on terms of unconditional surrender.... I'm sure of that.

He and his ilk should be aware that the dragon is awakening...

Well.. long day ahead on the March On Canberra - the Australian Invasion of The Gaga Strip .... so we'd best get going...."

The hugely popular petition to re-open Mt Warning will be presented to NSW state parliament on May 9 for debate. Let me know if you are interested in being in attendance in the gallery.

Missed that presentation in Macca Street...

Let's not lick the balls of words and figures here..... I'm more interested in the hard figure that 76 out of 81 deaths of women in the NT since 2000 are Aboriginal.  93.8%...  15.2 times more than Everyone Else ....across 30.8% of the community .... that equals 49 times higher rate than Everyone Else.....

Hmmm ..... let's hear it... mothra's good with this one.... but will need to take it up with the NT Coroner....

93.8% of deaths of women by murder since 2000, in the NT, are Aboriginal women.

I suspect that is why the security guards were there. Probably just as much to protect the people doing protest climbs as to report them. I am not aware of any recent reports of vandalism, but most people climbing it do not leave their car in the main carpark.