Hi Amanda,
Thanks for your helpful and informed opinion on this. The phone
numbers are much appreciated. Some of those options are already on our
agenda now.
As someone who is going out there, I can also totally understand the
position that has been reached and whilst I'm disappointed I'm still
really excited about getting out the central australia in its present
condition.
I also think that right now is not the time to have a massive whinge
about it on a public forum. Certainly not helping anyone that's for
sure.
Dave
On 13/08/2010, at 10:28 PM, Amanda Markham wrote:
Hi all,
I've been sitting on the side lines. I'm the manager of anthropology
at an agency which protects sacred sites across the entire NT and a
dabbler in birding. I rarely post on this forum, although I often see
lots of birds in the Centre that people want to tick off their 'life'
lists.
In regards to sacred sites: there are many sacred sites in Central
Australia that you most certainly CAN stumble into and potentially
damage or break strict customs. Certain trees, particular hills, most
water sources are indeed sacred sites. There are ways of avoiding
sacred sites in the NT (you obtain a register inspection map from the
Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority - which holds a register of
sacred sites for all forms of land tenure in the NT, for purpose of
site avoidance). If people are entering sacred sites without
permission, then
you can be prosecuted under the NT Sacred Sites Act in addition to the
fine for entry into Aboriginal Land.
The NT has very strict laws in regards to sacred sites - no matter
where they are.
In regard to the Aboriginal land permits issue - I can only say that
the Land Council must have been overwhelmed with 80 permit
applications -goodness only know what the Traditional Owners thought!
Given that people had already gone in there without permits... no
wonder the answer was no.
Asking first and giving Traditional Owners more time to think -and
Land Council staff more time to plan these things into their
workloads- may have resulted in a better outcome.
All of us who deal with site clearances, permits etc up here are
extremely overloaded at the moment due to a number of very large
projects (like the Intervention/mining/Broadband cable). It's not fair
when people from interstate say to us 'drop everything, this is
urgent' and we're expected to order our staff to change their work
programs, reallocate vehicles, cancel fieldwork that's been planned
for months. Remote area fieldwork is also expensive - the fieldwork to
clear these permits would have cost several thousand dollars - staff
wages, fuel, travel time etc. In many cases, you can't just call
Traditional Owners up on the phone. You need to drive out several
hundred km and find the people you need to talk to. Thus, the costs
for the permit would in no way cover the expenses incurred in securing
it.
Yet, what I don't understand is why birders aren't turning to the
Centre's well known national parks for help?
You will probably find Princess Parrots in Watarrka National Park at
the moment. Has anyone called the rangers to ask? 08 8956 7460 . You
could also try Kings Creek Station and see if they've noticed any.
There are also Bourke Parrots on the far too infrequently visited Owen
Springs Reserve right now - just off Larapinta Drive, about 15km west
of the main Owen Springs access entrance. We've seen them.
I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't a few Princess Parrots in the
far western end of the West MacDonnell National Park and around
Tnorala (Gosse) Bluff Conservation Reserve. You could call the
Ormiston Gorge Ranger Station: 08 8956 7799 and ask.
Also, the manager at Glen Helen Resort is a keen birder. May I also
suggest calling him up to see if he's seen any Princess Parrots near
Glen Helen Gorge?
Finally, why not consider doing a 3 day trip around the Sandy Blight
Track? If you are serious and desperate to see them, then this is THE
best place. This is where I saw my first Princess Parrots in the wild
three years ago - it's absolutely brilliant country and the permits
are issued within 5 days without the need for consultation. You need
to get one from CLC and from the Ngaanyatjarra Land Council (08 8950
1711) for the WA portion. As this is a remote area, I would recommend
that you have 4WD experience, hire a sat phone and travel in a group
of cars.
I hope this is helpful and hopeful information,
Amanda
From:
To: ;
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:34:29 +1000
Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Princess Parrots issue
I'm no expert on this, so my answer might be naive. There is a long
history of abuse of trust by white people against aboriginal people.
They have fought long and hard to have the rights that they do have
over their traditional country. In Victoria, such rights barely exist.
To allow that many people to wander around is inviting someone to
stumble on a sacred site, etc. The area is huge, but searches will
most likely be concentrated in the more hospitable areas, which I'm
guessing might be where these sites are concentrated.
And don't forget that the reason given for the refusal wasn't just
the numbers, it was because people have already started to enter
without permits. If they decided to allow in 20 people at a time,
how are they going to enforce it if people are going in without
permits anyway?
It's really annoying that people can't get in to see these birds,
but if allowing them all in (and who knows how many would eventually
come - I'm shocked that there are already 80) might jeopardise their
future ability to excercise their rig8ht to deny entry (to miners,
for example), then who cares? The birds have been seen and
documented, and while it would be good to have the area searched
more thoroughly, it's just a twitch now. It's a very good thing that
everyone has been warned well in advance they won't have access.
That's just my opinion. I'd appreciate if anyone more knowledgable
about these things could comment further.
Peter Shute
wrote on Friday, 13 August 2010
4:29 PM:
Hi All
I have been reading this thread with interest. Being
originally from Ireland I have no experience in access
permits required for what appears to me to be a public access
area. I know the land is 'granted' to the local inhabitants
and if it was the size of a suburban block I would completely
understand - I don't want strangers wandering around in my back yard
either. But we're not talking about a quarter acre or even a 10acre
block here are we? with cattle? or crops? We're talking about
a hunting ground of vast proportions with no facilities -
it's not even a reasonable comparison. It seems to me to be a
ridiculous situation. Is this not a land for all Australians?
I can appreciate that the locals don't want people wandering
anywhere all over the place possibly disturbing the game or
interfering with their sacred sites, but visitors would stick
to the few established tracks across what seems to be a
wilderness, wouldn't they? The amount of time anyone from
'outside' would spend there would be severly limited anyway
and, with agreement, visiting vehicles could avoid
settlements to reduce any impact on the inhabitants.
Personally I see this as an outrageous outcome - that 80 or
so birders can be denied access to a huge area of virtually
uninhabitated countryside when a once in a lifetime
opportunity is presented. There is no intention to damage the
environment - far from it, injure, capture or destroy
wildlife - the very opposite, or inhabit, stay or live in the
area for more than a couple of days.
The only outcome from my perspective, I'm afraid, is a
further loss of respect or interest in understanding the
aboriginal beliefs and claims.
I'm sure there are those of you who will claim to understand
their fears, appreciate their needs and recognise their
beliefs. Sorry - this is an all Australian land (incidentally
I am an Australian citizen too) and my hard earned taxes go
towards supporting communities like this.
While I do recognise their need for isolation and the
opportunity to lead a way of life they feel they are entitled
to, barring access to other travellers under the conditions
decribed is just plain wrong. In fact being able to deny
access to anyone to what should be at least a public thoroughfare is
wrong. Incidentally what if you were 'lucky' enough to score the
first type of permit - the drive-only-don't-stop permit - and
you needed to go to the toilet? I'm not being funny, in
reality its a stupid proposition - just think about it for a
minute....
By the way I had no plans to go, being unable to afford it
because my taxes are so high.....
Colin
Brisbane
--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......==========
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