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Grampians Access 2019 7-Mar-2019 At 7:13:38 PM f_abe

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The benefits of a more aggressive, private sector response to parks come in both economics and education. “If people don’t see the beauty of nature then they’re not going to care about it,” he said. “And if they’re not going to care about it, they’re not going to protect (it).’’

I work in the government sector.
I get how it works.
An organisation supports an activity by helping construct an alternative access track to a place of recreation to avoid conflict with aboriginal heritage and ensure its long term viability (i.e. Gallery track that avoids the cave with artwork that I should know the name of cos I’ve walked past it a hundred time but can’t remember).
Then it gets memo from someone who has to justify their position.
This place of recreational activity is suddenly then banned by a knee jerk reaction to an event that took place many miles away because it happens to be nearest to the red circle they hastily drew on a map so their immediate superior can’t criticise them for not justifying their position.
To show it’s not a knee jerk reaction they draw a heap of red circles on their map and choose 8 at random to show they’re being fair and reasonable before they colour in the rest of their map in red.
The supervisor then passes this on to justify their position that they can justify the position of the people under them so they can justify their higher position and pay.
This person then re words whatever the justification is so the CEO can justify to the public why their department is so justifiable.
Somewhere along the line the original justification proved to be a little vague, so someone has the bright idea to raise the issue that was raised in 2003 but at the time effectively endorsed the recreational activity by publicly stating that a certain recreational activity was allowed despite the apparent grey area of being a banned activity. Lists were published stating the recreational activity was allowed following devastating fires and floods.
Everyone was happy back then.
But then someone received a memo.
In the meantime, 4wd’ers continue to plough up tracks, foreigners continue to litter their way up well made paths, often holding onto large railings that in no way compromise the beauty of the park. Aboriginal heritage is conveniently packaged in the “how quaint are those handprints, where do I buy a photo” behind iron cages, and paid glamping is seen as a much better way to protect the environmental and cultural heritage of the Grampians than people who might actually have a connection to the pace.
And I’m left to ponder the fact that the years (literally) I’ve spent soaking up the magic of the place are in fact completely worthless because…well…I don’t pay enough for them to be valid.