DB44 (23-07-19)
As it's supposedly to close permanently in October, I wonder how long it will take for visitor numbers to drop and they re-open it again. Cynic? Moi?
I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...
DB44 (23-07-19)
I think it is far more interesting when you go and its in full water fall
I walked around it 10.4km... Then went back and started to enjoy a beer, when a massive storm that had been tracking down from Darwin arrived, there was water flying off roofs everywhere..
I gathered the clan and we drove back down to the Rock, with us in traffic was an Indigenous mob in a Falcoon
So we figured this was a special thing... If they were bothering to go.
Drove around the whole Rock watching the massive water falls, then ran into where they pooled at the bottom.
It was deep, there were frogs chirping everywhere, instant creeks forming.....
I didn't climb it out of respect and also, i don't think i really cared too
I actually found the rock quit boring and didn't know what all the fuss was about... Its just a rock.
Walking through Kata Tjuta was 10 times more interesting and spectacular
Last edited by ol' boy; 18-07-19 at 01:35 PM.
If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!
Thala Dan (24-07-19)
ol' boy (18-07-19)
we arrived at the rock years ago and it was raining. Spectacular!!
eeprommemory (20-07-19),ol' boy (19-07-19)
Great time to be up there
AFL at Alice Springs
Murder on the Dance floor..... in Melb v West Choke
If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!
here is pic of the new viewing area.
Unfortunately this is one of the great places in Australia I have not yet visited. And I'm not going to whilst this ridiculous ban is in force. This is a wonder of my country and belongs to me in common with all Australians, irrespective of race or birth. To allow one tiny group to do this is an outrage.
alpha0ne (23-07-19),hinekadon (23-07-19),Jma (23-07-19),Reschs (23-07-19),VroomVroom (23-07-19)
Ban starts on the 29th of Oct, 2019.
You have tonnes of time.... There is no current ban.
(in fact, you've had 2 years of advanced noticed)
Plenty of cliff faces where they don't allow climbing around Australia, plenty of areas up north where white fella not allowed without permission.
And in my view, there are 1000's of places in AU you are not allowed to camp, sleep, drive your vehicle, etc for some minority reason.
And they already have closures for climbing the rock, its closed 3 months of the year and has been for years, then depending on temperature, and other factors IE: Potential rain fall, high winds, low clouds..... Its closed a LOT of the time already!
This current mad dash to go climb the rock is hilarious, people ONLY doing it because its being taken away from them, the FOMO crowd.
And i'll bet 80% are ONLY there for that reason and would not even be considering going otherwise
Humans, a funny lot... Their poor lives, so much poorer from the ban, how will they move on.
To say its one of the great places in Australia you have not yet visited and that you wont be going while this ban is on is a interesting line of thinking
Is it now less great because you cant walk on it?
One thing is for sure, there will be record numbers climbing the rock on the 25th of October, 2019!
Personally , there are bigger travesties in our own local areas with Parks closing off access to areas and tracks that people might use on a monthly basis, than some rock 2000km away that most would visit once in their life.... In fact, plenty never go at all.
Last edited by ol' boy; 23-07-19 at 07:33 AM.
If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!
Thala Dan (24-07-19)
i think the visitor numbers will drop off big time , for a couple of reasons . Its a bit to do with personal goals.
If you are going there you need to spend a lot of money , and if you wont be allowed to climb it , as your own personal goal , then its considered a waste of money which you can put towards some other travel adventure. I did Mt Fuji in Japan last year for far less money than what it would have cost to go the rock !! And saw a lot more of Japan as a bonus.
same way as young backpackers go to the rock , its there as a personal challenge , to show their friends what they have achieved on thier trip to Oz. It wont be the same if you cant climb it.
Only 16% currently climbed it anyway (before this mad FOMO rush), climbing has been in huge decline since the '90's, while visitor numbers have been on the increase.
Lets not forget how this decision was reached in the first place
There has been no word on what they will do with the chain hand rail and posts.
The "REAL" climbing experience would have been when that aid wasn't there!
I haven't found anywhere what the penalty is for climbing after the ban or even whom will enforce it.
As you say vroomvroom, it costs a lot of money to get there, i'm sure a fine of $600 is well worth "if" you got caught climbing the rock post ban
And, would international backpackers even pay it at all???
Of course, the alternative is let everyone climb it, remove the drone ban, install some proper "Parks" steps to the top and build a cafe with toilets up there.
Then add Wheel Chair access.... Maybe we can have a glass walking platform like in the Grand Canyon?
Go Tourism!!
Probably the single biggest reason most places in Australia are now gated, closed, over managed, full of rules, restricted, accident areas and commercialised.
And why a good majority of local (Aussie) people don't go to these tourist traps.
Last edited by ol' boy; 23-07-19 at 11:25 AM.
If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!
Thala Dan (24-07-19)
at kings canyon i only saw one sign that said you could NOT do something.
i also saw a sign that said drones are permitted it will be in my dash cam video that i kept.
A lot of what you say is of course correct. There are many areas closed for many reasons. But this is one of the great landmarks of Australia and in fact the world. The climb is being closed at the behest of a tiny minority for absolutely no good reason. I was intending to go there one day, but now will not bother. My hope is that no one else will either.
Last edited by DB44; 23-07-19 at 03:29 PM.
Jma (23-07-19),VroomVroom (24-07-19)
when i was there and climbed the rock i was surrounded by dozen's of cultures all getting torn apart next year by 1 culture supported by centerlink payed for by dozen's of cultures.
Anyone seen that picture of climbers on Mt Everest you better believe that it is 4x worse on the rock at the mo due to the cut off time
Can see why they want to put a chair lift In
At least we haven't sold it to the Chinese..... yet.
If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!
Mount Kosciuszko is one of the great landmarks of Australia (our highest "mountain") but you can't drive your car to the summit any more....as you once could.
Those who wish it closed believe that they have a several perfectly good reasons for doing so.....just as there are perfectly good reasons for no longer allowing people to drive their cars to the top of Kosciuszko........or tramp all over parts of the Barrier Reef.........or access places from special reserves in the Victorian Alps to islands in Bass Strait and offshore remote W.A
Yeah....I've got some nice camping and fishing spots up in the Alps where I hope exactly the same thing.
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