Brickbats to the S.A. Government Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.
During several crossing of the Nullarbor Plains, we have enjoyed the vast open spaces and breathtaking views of the Great Australian Bight and Bunda Cliffs. We had been looking forward to spending 2 nights at our favourite camp site at the Cliffs, when planning our homeward leg from W.A, but sadly we were surprised to find on Wiki Camps that this camp site has been fenced off for the purposes of re-vegetation.
Out of curiosity, we locate the campsite entry point, it had been fenced off to stop access, but the most alarming thing was, the entire track to the cliffs has been literally ripped up.It would have taken seriously heavy equipment to tear up the limestone track, leaving it shredded and littered with large pieces of stone.Parking the van we bypass the fence that proudly states this is a "re-generation program" by the South Australian Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources, we stumble the rutted track to revisit the Cliffs, for old times sake. We were angry and distressed at this State sanctioned environmental vandalism, under the guise of re-vegetation! Brickbats to the SA Government.
It doesn't make sense, of the 100,000 hectares of the Nullarbor there is just a couple of these free camps, established for many years. In fact my wife first camped here 30 years ago. They are respected, free of rubbish and the only sign of their use are some charcoal remains, footprints and tire treads, and drifting sands cover these quickly. Why we ask?
I think it is more to do with possible litigation against the state if anyone is injured, or worse due to the instability of some of the cliffs in some parking areas where (the state??) has built and maintained a track to the dangerous area.
Cheers Neil
Dougwe said
06:50 PM Nov 11, 2015
Welcome to the gang The Duke, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Sounds very sad indeed but councils and shires have their own agenda's and don't bother asking their communities. Fine to close the area for a while to re vegetate but why distroy the road in ????
jules47 said
07:58 PM Nov 11, 2015
Welcome to the forum The Duke (John) - mind if I call you John? We came across the Nullarbor in late September, in quite a hurry for various reasons, and it wasn't till we had arrived over in WA that I realised, I hadn't seen the Bunda Cliffs - now I know why!
We did camp overnight outside the entrance to the Whale Watching centre at Head of Bight - called the White Hut or something like that -not a bad free camp, there were a few in there as well - only saw three whales, from a fair distance.
Brickbats to the S.A. Government Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.
During several crossing of the Nullarbor Plains, we have enjoyed the vast open spaces and breathtaking views of the Great Australian Bight and Bunda Cliffs. We had been looking forward to spending 2 nights at our favourite camp site at the Cliffs, when planning our homeward leg from W.A, but sadly we were surprised to find on Wiki Camps that this camp site has been fenced off for the purposes of re-vegetation.
Out of curiosity, we locate the campsite entry point, it had been fenced off to stop access, but the most alarming thing was, the entire track to the cliffs has been literally ripped up. It would have taken seriously heavy equipment to tear up the limestone track, leaving it shredded and littered with large pieces of stone. Parking the van we bypass the fence that proudly states this is a "re-generation program" by the South Australian Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources, we stumble the rutted track to revisit the Cliffs, for old times sake. We were angry and distressed at this State sanctioned environmental vandalism, under the guise of re-vegetation! Brickbats to the SA Government.
It doesn't make sense, of the 100,000 hectares of the Nullarbor there is just a couple of these free camps, established for many years. In fact my wife first camped here 30 years ago. They are respected, free of rubbish and the only sign of their use are some charcoal remains, footprints and tire treads, and drifting sands cover these quickly. Why we ask?
I think it is more to do with possible litigation against the state if anyone is injured, or worse due to the instability of some of the cliffs in some parking areas where (the state??) has built and maintained a track to the dangerous area.
Cheers Neil
Sounds very sad indeed but councils and shires have their own agenda's and don't bother asking their communities. Fine to close the area for a while to re vegetate but why distroy the road in ????
We did camp overnight outside the entrance to the Whale Watching centre at Head of Bight - called the White Hut or something like that -not a bad free camp, there were a few in there as well - only saw three whales, from a fair distance.