Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

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Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby lefroy » Sun 16 Feb, 2020 5:49 pm

Is it just me or does the feature article on Lake Oberon in today's Mercury make you feel a little uneasy? The Mercury FB page is brimming with 'we should try this' and 'definitely on the bucket list'
This is not the overland track and the editorial has just put it into a very accessible basket....
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby benoloughlin » Sun 16 Feb, 2020 9:15 pm

I hit a pay wall.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Mon 17 Feb, 2020 6:11 am

The Arthurs have suffered badly from the decision to close several other tracks indefinitely. On a trip there late last year the campsites were all overflowing. Around 15 to 20 people at every spot.
Nothing to see here.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby RicktheHuman » Mon 17 Feb, 2020 10:25 am

I was on the Warthurs last weekend for an overnighter. It was busy. Counted one group of 7! they would fill a campsite if not already full...
I camped high on Procyon to avoid the crowds.
I was well aware to not camp anywhere sensitive and found a nice flat rocky area.... If the big groups continue to fill campsites it may well lead to people camping in sensitive areas.
Most I spoke to on the track were either returning from or going to Oberon. No coincedence that Oberon that is getting tonnes of attention on Instagram of late....a compounding problem?
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby philm » Mon 17 Feb, 2020 10:34 am

If a lot of other tracks remain closed perhaps there needs to be a permit system to limit numbers. Not ideal I understand but it may be necessary. However with permits can come the temptation to charge track fees etc...
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby tastrax » Tue 18 Feb, 2020 9:49 am

I would be more than happy to pay a fee to know that I wasnt going to have to fight for a campsite in a remote area or that I would meet no-one on my walk - that would be a true 'remote experience' worth paying for.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby tastrax » Tue 18 Feb, 2020 9:54 am

its also not a new idea to permit such places - first came out in 1994 - https://tnpa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/ ... -Vol-1.pdf

Suffered from the usual 'not in my backyard' opponents that somehow thought Tasmania was immune to what had happened everywhere else in the world.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby Nuts » Tue 18 Feb, 2020 10:13 am

If groups had a register for all these popular walks i'd check it before setting departure dates. And contribute (if taking a group).
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby Son of a Beach » Tue 18 Feb, 2020 10:36 am

I think it's a sad thing to have to make a booking or pay a fee to go for a walk in the park.

BUT...

I think the time is coming where it may be better than not doing so. Sadly.

I am starting to appreciate how truly blessed I have been to do most of my bushwalking before the overcrowding necessitated bookings and fees. My kids aren't so lucky.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby stepbystep » Wed 19 Feb, 2020 1:43 pm

The massive increase in the numbers doing Oberon return is a direct result of mass exposure by instagram influencer photographers.
They take no responsibility for what they do and there's at least a couple of them on this forum. I cringe every time I see a story on the Warthurs now ... another nail in the coffin.

And yep the place will get more and more trashed. I'd put money on the sputniks being full to overflowing by now.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby RicktheHuman » Wed 19 Feb, 2020 4:46 pm

stepbystep wrote:The massive increase in the numbers doing Oberon return is a direct result of mass exposure by instagram influencer photographers.
They take no responsibility for what they do and there's at least a couple of them on this forum. I cringe every time I see a story on the Warthurs now ... another nail in the coffin.

And yep the place will get more and more trashed. I'd put money on the sputniks being full to overflowing by now.


This issue really gets to me at the moment. I love all of the sw wilderness but I have my favourites as we all do, and this place is probably mine. I best gear up for the winter traverse I've always been meaning to do...it may be the only way for it to feel wild again.

My social media photos are now only shared with a small number of friends. A number of mates also share this view.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby philm » Wed 19 Feb, 2020 6:43 pm

Yes the issue is all the exposure of the WA's now means every person looks at the pictures and they look amazing so lets just pack a few thing and visit. Most have little experience and no idea which creates further issues. There are of course many factors leading to the WA becoming so popular but social media is certainly a main contributor and also limited other walks being open in the SW of Tasmania following the fires. I ticket system may be inevitable and I think most people are willing to pay to experience the wilderness without hoards of people. This is the sad reality of many parks in USA - Yosemite is a classic case in point. You would not want to go near the park in summer due to the crowds. Perhaps it is time for a ticket system to limit numbers before it is too late.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby ofuros » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 7:08 am

I'm afraid our world is in constant flux, nothing ever stays the same for long.
Reminiscing about the past or complaining about the communication platforms we use today won't fix the increase of foot traffic on our ever popular adventurous walks...if your wilderness experience or more importantly the wilderness itself is being affected sooner or later Parks will have to step up & put in place a better people management system.

Just Google Western Arthurs Bushwalking...lots of track info & pics from various sources, even from our very own Bushwalking forum.

My 2cents worth...
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby Mechanic-AL » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 9:33 am

ofuros wrote:.if your wilderness experience or more importantly the wilderness itself is being affected sooner or later Parks will have to step up & put in place a better people management system..


People management really seems to be the most practical way forward. Its time to put the needs of the wilderness ahead of the needs of the people. ( all of us ).

I'm not sure about expecting Parks to step up though........aren't they just the puppets ?
And the politicians have their filthy money grabbing hands firmly wedged up the back sides of the puppets.

While the politicians are intent on turning the wilderness into a giant theme park places like the Western Arthurs dont stand a chance.
"What went ye out into the wilderness to see?
A reed shaken in the wind"?
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby Nuts » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 10:00 am

Promote, neglect, implement control measures.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby lefroy » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 10:14 am

I guess aside from the impact on natural values, my post was aimed more at people's health and safety. This is an area that commands respect and preparedness for some pretty ugly weather. I get nervous when these areas get made to look too achievable. Kinda like the 'geeves effect' hmmm now where did that ridiculous idea get to anyway???
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby ofuros » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 12:18 pm

It's billed as the most spectacular & hardest Tassie walk...so like moths to a flame, it's always going to attract a few walkers that'll bite off more than they can chew.

Besides, I can't see to many of the Mercury's readership actually looking at the article/pics & deciding, Hell yeah ! C'mon honey, let's give it a go !... :wink:
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby lefroy » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 12:36 pm

Ofuros-take a look at the Mercury Facebook page, it's covered in people saying those exact words!
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby ofuros » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 3:17 pm

Will have a quick lookysee.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby ofuros » Thu 20 Feb, 2020 3:31 pm

So much scrolling I almost fell asleep... :wink:
Anybody can post ' let's give this a crack' on social media....doesn't mean they're up to the task in the real world or actually going to go through with the idle boast. :lol:

Just my ex-tassie living opinion, there's going to different viewpoints it makes life more interesting. :wink:
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby RicktheHuman » Fri 21 Feb, 2020 12:10 pm

ofuros wrote:Anybody can post ' let's give this a crack' on social media....doesn't mean they're up to the task in the real world or actually going to go through with the idle boast. :lol:


But numbers on the range suggest they're going through with the boast...
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby TentPeg » Fri 21 Feb, 2020 8:17 pm

Interestingly the Mercury article noted the source of dad and son's inspiration to undertake the walk was a Dombrovskis picture that had been hanging on their wall for a long time. Last century's equivalent of social media maybe.
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Re: Western Arthurs feature - The Mercury

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Sat 22 Feb, 2020 5:43 am

TentPeg wrote:Interestingly the Mercury article noted the source of dad and son's inspiration to undertake the walk was a Dombrovskis picture that had been hanging on their wall for a long time. Last century's equivalent of social media maybe.


Lol, maybe.... but then again maybe not.
Nothing to see here.
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