Victoria recently closed 1 million acres of National parks which suddenly woke up the 4x4 community , and they are taking on the Government, now the WA government to ban Horizontal Falls ,
Always got a fantastic excuse that satisfies the masses , but the end result is always loss of freedom.
www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/wa-government-to-phase-out-iconic-horizontal-falls-tourist-experience/news-story/eff002a2346876e8f98523ab1fbd4c6d

Mt Warning also closed + always feel only just tolerated in National Parks,as they would rather lock it up ,but still pay for the privilege .

Myall Lakes campgrounds sometimes closed for months,and walking tracks not maintained. Taking a boat in there not encouraged,as car/trailer storage restricted,and no fuel at The Ferry = all too hard !!

As a country or a state or even a local council we get what we vote for. Vote for people who will un ban it.

Below is a newspaper heading from May 2022
"Fears up to 28 injured in horror boating incident at Horizontal FallsAt least 20 people have been wounded, with 12 sustaining serious injuries, following a boat incident at a popular Australian tourist attraction."
I 4WD, sail, and have lived & travelled extensively in the Kimberley area. It's a great lifestyle.
But is it any wonder access to this area is now being restricted? Litigation from the 2022 accident will go on for years. I can just see the Barrister's smile if there was another such event.
"Your Honour, despite the WA Government being aware this was a very dangerous location, they still allowed tourists into the death zone that is Horizontal Falls." and tax payers will be covering the costs.

To add to Bushdog.
This is a very remote area. If something does go wrong (and remember not all boaters/sailors are as conscientious as we Breezers) the logistics of getting assistance in or injured people out are tremendous. This would be a major consideration to the closure.
The SES in that area have enough to deal with already.
recovery.dfes.wa.gov.au/recoveries/kimberley-floods-recovery

There is a lot to see in the Kimberleys.
So, yeah. Close the Horizontal falls.

Mmm.
So we ban people going there because it is dangerous and remote.
Offshore sailing is dangerous and remote.
Ban offshore sailing!!
How about another view. People who go there take responsibility for their own decisions.

the Mindset of Safety = protecting people from themselves,has become all pervasive,with lawyers/insurers pushing it along .

Myall Lakes used to have open camping along the foreshore,then a paperbark limb felled a tenter. Closed,and now designated sites well back from the shore, Could have developed better,with some common sense !

Select to expand quote

Planter said..
the Mindset of Safety = protecting people from themselves,has become all pervasive,with lawyers/insurers pushing it along .

Myall Lakes used to have open camping along the foreshore,then a paperbark limb felled a tenter. Closed,and now designated sites well back from the shore, Could have developed better,with some common sense !

Sadly common sense ain't so common.

Select to expand quote

MorningBird said..
Mmm.
So we ban people going there because it is dangerous and remote.
Offshore sailing is dangerous and remote.
Ban offshore sailing!!
How about another view. People who go there take responsibility for their own decisions.

No it wasn't banned because it was dangerous and remote.

The tour operators that punch their vessels through that gap have 4 300hp outboard on the back. I asked a skipper of one once how many outboards does it take to get through at the peak and you would need 3 to get through and 2 will/might hold your position (it was demonstrated during the tour). Tours are not conducted 3 days either side of Spring tides as the fall from one side to the other is about 2 meters. Of course though there is a period of slack tide, but from memory it's not very long, maybe only 10 mins.


So why on earth do some yachties think that their little tender with a 10 hp outboard can traverse the falls. Your last comment MB is absolutely correct, but I you already know that that is not how the world operates.


But I suspect that just like a few other parts of the Kimberly's that have become inaccessible, it is more culturally driven hidden behind safety.

Select to expand quote

Toph said..

MorningBird said..
Mmm.
So we ban people going there because it is dangerous and remote.
Offshore sailing is dangerous and remote.
Ban offshore sailing!!
How about another view. People who go there take responsibility for their own decisions.

No it wasn't banned because it was dangerous and remote.

The tour operators that punch their vessels through that gap have 4 300hp outboard on the back. I asked a skipper of one once how many outboards does it take to get through at the peak and you would need 3 to get through and 2 will/might hold your position (it was demonstrated during the tour). Tours are not conducted 3 days either side of Spring tides as the fall from one side to the other is about 2 meters. Of course though there is a period of slack tide, but from memory it's not very long, maybe only 10 mins.


So why on earth do some yachties think that their little tender with a 10 hp outboard can traverse the falls. Your last comment MB is absolutely correct, but I you already know that that is not how the world operates.


But I suspect that just like a few other parts of the Kimberly's that have become inaccessible, it is more culturally driven hidden behind safety.

Back in the 70s I was based in Broome with the Navy (detached there with the Fleet Air Arm patrolling for Indonesian fishing boats that were landing on the Kimberley coast). We often flew over the falls and saw it rushing at the peak. If anybody made the decision to traverse it in such conditions, even with three outboards, the Darwin theory will get them at no loss to the species.
I really believe that banning stuff because idiots cock up is yet another step towards the end of personal responsibility.
Some years ago I was involved in Navy sailing, one of the reasons that was put for selling the five Swarbrick S111 Navy had back then was because offshore sailing was too high risk. I supposed at the time that fighting a war must have become low risk. I expect that view has gone now because Navy One now competes in the S2H under the Navy banner.
Authorities have a habit of banning stuff for stupid reasons.
I agree that culturally driven thinking might also be at play up there.

Pay the cash ,,, you get the access
All about power and the dollar