City Protest By North Shore Horseriders
Just Horsing Around with $200,000 of Taxpayers Money?
The National Parks Association today said that tomorrow's planned protest convoy by upper North Shore horseriders through the City, Saturday morning, 4 September, is a further demonstration of the horseriders' lack of understanding of the rights of other citizens and the environment.
"The horseriders are protesting at proposals to limit the appalling damage to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park from their activities yet they have severely damaged the amenity of this major park for other users as well as physically damaged the park", said Noel Plumb, NPA's Executive Officer.
"Their planned convoy, claimed to number over 200 4WD's with horsefloats, may well severely inconvenience many City shoppers and workers on Saturday and further pollute Sydney's air with yet more car fumes and hot air from the 'lets trash National Parks' brigade."
"NPA will have information available in the City for any interested people on Saturday morning, together with colour photographs of the quagmire created in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park by these self styled 'responsible' horseriders."
"The taxpayer is going to have to fork out over $200,000 to repair damage caused by the horseriders and to restore the worst affected track.. The horseriders are supposed to pay park use fees but we believe that it has been costing the National Parks and Wildlife Service more to collect the fees than they bring in from unwilling riders, even before you allow for the cost of constant track maintenance and repairs. "
"The Park, one of the most popular and well used in the State, is being vandalised by a selfish and privileged group who have shown that they are completely irresponsible. Some trails in the Park are now a series of mudbaths caused by the churning up of the wet track by these selfish people."
"We challenge anyone to visit the area and not be appalled at the damage.
"Park walkers, bush fire services and park managers cannot use some tracks without further damage. There is mud and slush knee deep in places and some of the 25 plus bogs stretch for more than 20 metres. Runoff is travelling to Cowan Creek whose Catchment Management Committee has previously expressed concern at the damage to water quality from horseriding."
"Other park users are now faced with a series of foul smelling bogs littered with horse dung . There is no way around them except to create yet more side tracks to the main trail. The horseriders immediately use these sidetracks and are cutting them up too.".
"NPA has an expert report by an eminent hydrologist which confirms that this damage has been caused largely by horseriders. There is no excuse. They have persisted in using these tracks despite the long period of wet weather over this winter and the result on this sensitive shale/sandstone country is devastating. The weight of the steel shod horses on the wet tracks simply cuts them to pieces and builds on the damage already caused by the horses in the dry."
"The notoriously ant-environment and anti-national parks political party, The Outdoor Recreation Party, has been hanging around protest meetings by the horseriders. We expect them to pop up on Saturday earnestly assuring everyone that there should be 'access for all 'when what they really mean is 'go anywhere, anytime, anyhow you want in National Parks' , regardless of the damage or disturbance to other visitors."
"The North Shore horseriding lobby seems to be learning a few tricks from such people. They are claiming to be supported by rock climbers and boaters who are facing some minor changes to their current Park access in order to protect important natural values in the park and improve the amenity for the other half a million visitors a year to the park. We do not believe that any climbing or boating group genuinely concerned about the environment would be supporting the horseriders in their attack on the Park's managers."
"The horseriders and their vociferous lobby group should hang their heads in shame. It is not the Park's manager who should be fired, as demanded by the horseriders, for trying to control this damage through a new Plan of Management for the Park. It is the horseriders who should be sacked from the Park.."
For further information Noel Plumb 0412 975 575 or 9233 4660
NPA has extensive photographs of the damage and is prepared to take any interested journalist/camera crew to the area. This would involve a walk of a few kilometres and take about 1.5 hours to see the full area but an effective look at some of the damage could be managed in 30/40 minutes.
3 September 1999