I would think that it is part of the great Australian tradition of
traversing the Wallaby Track to set up camp anywhere you can get away
with it. This is particularly the case during the grey nomad
migration season where you will find caravans parked in a great
variety of situations. I suspect that physical access difficulty is
the main barrier to camping trespass.
Regards, Laurie.
On 19/08/2010, at 11:59 AM, Simon Mustoe wrote:
Alan,
From what I can understand, most people pulled out or haven't gone
yet. I was wondering if the "8 groups" referred to people that CLC
had ACTUALLY caught trespassing, or was this a but of "journalistic
license", after Tim Dolby's post that stated CLC were aware of 8
groups intending to head to the area, who didn't (yet) have
permits. If it was the latter, then the Age piece could be
misleading.
So, if Lindsay Murdoch from the Age could clarify this, it would be
great to clear that up.
Personally, I was generally happy with the article except for that
one line - since I am a birder and I feel a little annoyed at being
labeled a trespasser. If there was evidence that 8 groups have
trespassed, then so be it. If this isn't the case, then it is
unfortunate, particularly as the birding community appears to have
largely accepted the CLC's decision and is acting with full respect
to the traditional owners' wishes. The only failure, to start with,
was uncertainty about the permitting process - but the CLC were
swift to clear this up and are to be commended for their quick and
honest assistance.
Unless the Age was acting on advice that 8 groups had actually
trespassed, what it has done, is condemned birders, who let's face
it, are just watching birds. There is nothing particularly sinister
about that - the issue is trespassing. Whether or not birders could
be implicated in any trespass is a personal matter that really has
nothing to do with birders as a whole. Birders are not bikey
gangs ... they are just individuals out looking at wildlife. There
is no representing force, collaboration or coordination behind their
activities - aside from a few discussions on birding-aus, but then
you could label grey nomads, four wheel-drivers and anyone else for
similar misdemeanours if that were the case. This is a fact
seemingly overlooked in the article.
If people trespass, they do so because they themselves have chosen
to. So whether there is or is not evidence of trespass, I do believe
that some readers of the Age, perhaps, could be left with the
impression that birding is a sort of organised crime, where we all
intend to trespass and no matter what happens, will do everything we
can to secure that 'tick' - which of course is absolutely
hilarious....as anyone knows, who has tried to organise large groups
of birders to do anything in close to a coordinated way ; )
Regards,
Simon.
From:
To:
Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Princess Parrot in the News
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:09:54 +1000
Over the past couple of weeks, I noticed that there were many e-
mails posted
on birding-aus from people who were planning to go searching for
Princess
Parrots. It's interesting that none of them have posted anything
subsequently about the outcomes of their plans. Perhaps they all have
dipped, and are embarrassed about it? Or, perhaps they don't want
to put
down in writing anything that suggests they may have trespassed?
Alan Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of John
Penhallurick
Sent: Wednesday, 18 August 2010 4:18 PM
To: 'Tim Dolby'
Cc:
Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Princess Parrot in the News
Tim,
I am surprised that you are considering still going to Alice
Springs given
what the Age (accurately) reported. As far as I am aware, you
cannot enter
any of the aboriginal lands where the parrots have been reported.
I spoke
to a ranger in the Watarrka National Park yesterday, and asked if
there had
been any sightings in the northwest of the park, the only northern
area
accessible by road. He said no, and that he himself had been there
last week
and had not seen any Princess Parrots
Dr John Penhallurick
86 Bingley Cres
Fraser A.C.T. 2615
Australia
email:
Phone: Home (612) 62585428
Mobile:0408585426
Please visit my website: http://www.worldbirdinfo.net
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