The AG met on 2 March. We discussed Code Red days, the proposed long distance walk, other group walks and plans for a bike riding workshop, were updated on the Brush-tailed Rock wallabies and monitoring of other small mammals, fox control (33 foxes trapped since Christmas, in addition to those killed by baits), met two new staff (Andrew Roach Team leader Visitor Services, and his partner Jacinta who will be working for DSE out of the Halls Gap office). However the bulk of our time was spent discussing a strategy for bush camping. How do we ensure that bush camping in vulnerable areas is restricted so that it doesn’t damage the park values? And how do we do this without alienating the camping community? There are at least 275 identifiable informal camp sites, many of them in inappropriate areas or of inappropriate size.
Our next meeting is a visit to Wilson’s Prom NP in May.
Margo S