In March 2020 NPWS acted on its long term plans to close the trail. Under the cover of covid paranoia it launched a series of rolling “temporary” closures of the park. When other similar tracks in the state were re-opened Mt Warning remained closed. The game was given away when documents released through an FOI application showed NPWS intended to close the summit in late 2022. In August 2020 NPWS removed the chain and posts in secret claiming safety issues, leaving the posts and chain stacked roughly below the rock scramble. These claims were contested but NPWS did not conduct an independent third party review. A campaign to save the mountain was launched in March 2021 with the launch of the re-open Mt Warning Facebook group. Despite vocal opposition from locals and across the country the closure came about in October 2022 as planned, with the release of an Aboriginal Place Management Plan for the park. This saw the park closed due to concerns about the “cultural safety“ of visitors.
In response on Australia Day 2023 a small group from the Reopen Mt Warning group staged a protest at the summit. With the approval of Ngarakwal custodians they played a recording of Millie Boyd singing about the mountains. A repeat was staged on Australia Day 2024 with members of the Reopen Mt Warning Group joined by the newly formed Save our Summits Association and Sturt Boyd; Millie’s grandson. This protest climb appears to be turning into an annual event.
Share this post