anyone know if the track has been closed yet?
pahhhhhleeeeeze

i went there start jan it was open, there was a sign stating 15th jan closed. seen some pictures a day or two ago of full boulder town across the entrance.
all i can say is the MAIN entrance is shut.
if your a sneaky little google earth user there MAY be other options but you might be driving an extra half hour+

Looks like a bit of a walk

A good walk. Reward the keen.
alternate access ( the long way) won't last long.

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Razzonater said...
i went there start jan it was open, there was a sign stating 15th jan closed. seen some pictures a day or two ago of full boulder town across the entrance.
all i can say is the MAIN entrance is shut.
if your a sneaky little google earth user there MAY be other options but you might be driving an extra half hour+

Yep closed since the weekend. Council have said extra rangers have been assigned to patrol the area and no I don't want to argue about the legality of fines being given out
The main track has been dug out with an excavator near every "backtrack" access point too so I actually think this is more of a serious closure than last time.
At the end of the day we were allowed access on a private property and the bogans have ruined it for everyone.

Dinghy charter trips there and back??

Like a metro version of Kuta reefs ha ha

This seems pointless and annoying.

www.wanneroo.wa.gov.au/news/article/249/council_consideration_of_dewars_track_%E2%80%93_recommended_closure

Who ever wrote this damn "report" to the council should be sacked! Is it really that bad?

As per part B of this notice of closure the demonstration of enjoyment , laughing , smiling or having fun in general is also banned anywhere in the Wanneroo shire.

"What should you do if you see people using the track "?
Call the police

lmao tards

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KEARNSY said..
This seems pointless and annoying.

www.wanneroo.wa.gov.au/news/article/249/council_consideration_of_dewars_track_%E2%80%93_recommended_closure

Who ever wrote this damn "report" to the council should be sacked! Is it really that bad?

As per part B of this notice of closure the demonstration of enjoyment , laughing , smiling or having fun in general is also banned anywhere in the Wanneroo shire.

"What should you do if you see people using the track "?
Call the police

lmao tards

My main theory regarding the closure is, and they hint at it in the article, is that since the council have spent "significant" money on maintaining the track over the past 3-4 years that they have now left themselves open to liability (from my memory they rarely used to bother doing much with the track 8-10 years ago apart from briefly closing the track for one year, back when you used to be able to park on top of where the lookout is.)

For example, Joe blogs drives up a hill on the RHS of the track and has a head on collision with oncoming traffic. Joe bloggs then argues in court that the LHS is too "unstable/moguled" to drive "safely" on, therefor the council is at fault as they are responsible for upkeep of the track (under the agreement with the landowners.)

One thing is for certain is that traffic through the Derrs track has increased exponentially in the past two years, since Alkimos and Shorehaven became suburbs, rendering the bogans original sandpit unusable.

Went up the other day, the main track is closed and the secondary track was thrashed to the point that we didn't bother with it - nobody wants to spend hours digging a car out when there are waves. Still pretty crowded given the long walk in...

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Coohan said..
Still pretty crowded given the long walk in...

Hey all - long time listener, first time caller...

This topic has motivated me enough to finally put finger to screen, i just don't get the rationale behind dropping a boulder on the track dusting their hands and thinking the jobs done.
With the volume of bogan activity up there, how long before someone just ploughs over the hill adjacent to the blocked exit ? And when that happens and the rest of the public stream through and re-use the track, how will the Rangers police vehicles in the area ?

It just seems like a stop-gap measure at best and reeks of local council attitude.
What's stopping a dirt bike with board racks sneaking through or burning up the beach ??

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Coops11 said..
Hey all - long time listener, first time caller...

This topic has motivated me enough to finally put finger to screen, i just don't get the rationale behind dropping a boulder on the track dusting their hands and thinking the jobs done.
With the volume of bogan activity up there, how long before someone just ploughs over the hill adjacent to the blocked exit ? And when that happens and the rest of the public stream through and re-use the track, how will the Rangers police vehicles in the area ?

It just seems like a stop-gap measure at best and reeks of local council attitude.
What's stopping a dirt bike with board racks sneaking through or burning up the beach ??

Welcome Coops

DJMWA got it in one. By closing the track the council no longer carry any liability to anyone who is injured. Its that simple sadly
Thats the moral high ground Tracy and her team are running with. Its also a big part involved due to the cost of maintaining it, but they'll never agree to that..

A mate was in a head on collision over 25 years ago on the track. The other car and my mates car had to pay for their own damages because its was a non sealed road, but i guess the real concern will be when its a personal injury. Its a sign of the times

Is Tracy tall and curvy or tall and fat? I don't mind curves but tall and fat is a bit off putting. Sounds like a bitch at any rate...

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smicko said..
Is Tracy tall and curvy or tall and fat? I don't mind curves but tall and fat is a bit off putting. Sounds like a bitch at any rate...

She's actually short and not too dumpy but good pick up on my mistake

Fixed it for ya..

Thanks JB, good to finally get involved.

Yeh, I guess I was unconsciously alluding to the liability aspect in my post. How does plonking a boulder down remove them from a potential claim.... I'm sure there is more to their approach ( which I can't be bothered researching ) but from the perspective of someone who is involved in liability insurance underwriting (me) they need to take a different approach. There is just too much demand from the public to use this area, it's not going to stop us, just shift the problem elsewhere.

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Coops11 said..
Thanks JB, good to finally get involved.

Yeh, I guess I was unconsciously alluding to the liability aspect in my post. How does plonking a boulder down remove them from a potential claim.... I'm sure there is more to their approach ( which I can't be bothered researching ) but from the perspective of someone who is involved in liability insurance underwriting (me) they need to take a different approach. There is just too much demand from the public to use this area, it's not going to stop us, just shift the problem elsewhere.

The big problem is moto x bikes and quads tearing up the joint, if it was just surfers and the odd 4WDer going in there I don't think there would be a problem.

Funny thing is they put signs up along the track(for safety??)

The worst offenders are the tuckfards in 4B's that have to climb every dune simply because it's there, these knobbers have a far greater impact than bikes and quads.

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smicko said..
The worst offenders are the tuckfards in 4B's that have to climb every dune simply because it's there, these knobbers have a far greater impact than bikes and quads.

At least they actually 4WDing, we nearly cleaned up a quad bike a few months a go. We couldn't avoid him and he had to fly off into the scrub to avoid us.

Same as idiots using the track like a rally stage, it's just not on. Its an access track not a race track!!

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DARTH said...

Coops11 said..
Thanks JB, good to finally get involved.

Yeh, I guess I was unconsciously alluding to the liability aspect in my post. How does plonking a boulder down remove them from a potential claim.... I'm sure there is more to their approach ( which I can't be bothered researching ) but from the perspective of someone who is involved in liability insurance underwriting (me) they need to take a different approach. There is just too much demand from the public to use this area, it's not going to stop us, just shift the problem elsewhere.

The big problem is moto x bikes and quads tearing up the joint, if it was just surfers and the odd 4WDer going in there I don't think there would be a problem.

Funny thing is they put signs up along the track(for safety??)

It's definitely not the "odd" 4wd'er nowadays. The number of bikes and quads is minuscule compared to the amount of "enthusiasts" and bogans, even midweek now too.

I agree with coops, the next few months will be interesting to see what happens. I still remember stories of the Rangers trying to chase you down to give you tickets in the early 2000's (back when it was pretty much only surfers and fishermen who used the track.). For the enthusiasts the next legit track is pretty much another 15-20 mins up wanneroo road and nowhere near the coast, I can't see many of them bothering to go up there apart from the fisherman and campers.

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DJMWA said..

DARTH said...

Coops11 said..
Thanks JB, good to finally get involved.

Yeh, I guess I was unconsciously alluding to the liability aspect in my post. How does plonking a boulder down remove them from a potential claim.... I'm sure there is more to their approach ( which I can't be bothered researching ) but from the perspective of someone who is involved in liability insurance underwriting (me) they need to take a different approach. There is just too much demand from the public to use this area, it's not going to stop us, just shift the problem elsewhere.

The big problem is moto x bikes and quads tearing up the joint, if it was just surfers and the odd 4WDer going in there I don't think there would be a problem.

Funny thing is they put signs up along the track(for safety??)

It's definitely not the "odd" 4wd'er nowadays. The number of bikes and quads is minuscule compared to the amount of "enthusiasts" and bogans, even midweek now too.

I agree with coops, the next few months will be interesting to see what happens. I still remember stories of the Rangers trying to chase you down to give you tickets in the early 2000's (back when it was pretty much only surfers and fishermen who used the track.). For the enthusiasts the next legit track is pretty much another 15-20 mins up wanneroo road and nowhere near the coast, I can't see many of them bothering to go up there apart from the fisherman and campers.

Walking up is fine, wasn't much sand at the bottom of the steps last time we did it tho.

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DJMWA said..

DARTH said...

Coops11 said..
Thanks JB, good to finally get involved.

Yeh, I guess I was unconsciously alluding to the liability aspect in my post. How does plonking a boulder down remove them from a potential claim.... I'm sure there is more to their approach ( which I can't be bothered researching ) but from the perspective of someone who is involved in liability insurance underwriting (me) they need to take a different approach. There is just too much demand from the public to use this area, it's not going to stop us, just shift the problem elsewhere.

The big problem is moto x bikes and quads tearing up the joint, if it was just surfers and the odd 4WDer going in there I don't think there would be a problem.

Funny thing is they put signs up along the track(for safety??)

It's definitely not the "odd" 4wd'er nowadays. The number of bikes and quads is minuscule compared to the amount of "enthusiasts" and bogans, even midweek now too.

I agree with coops, the next few months will be interesting to see what happens. I still remember stories of the Rangers trying to chase you down to give you tickets in the early 2000's (back when it was pretty much only surfers and fishermen who used the track.). For the enthusiasts the next legit track is pretty much another 15-20 mins up wanneroo road and nowhere near the coast, I can't see many of them bothering to go up there apart from the fisherman and campers.

The council were constantly (So i was told) getting a lot of complaints from track users, about other anti social track users. Therefor them not being excused from any litigation if anyone was seriously injured. Now that its no longer legal to be driving in the area, any injuries simply are not a problem for council. Also fines will help fill their depleted coffers

Does it still even break?

I honestly wouldn't be too concerned about a few rangers. I use Eden Beach (Jindalee) for kiting/ swimming and every week the rangers are onsite talking of closing the beach and talking about $125 fines but everyday there are plenty of 4wd's still abusing the beach. They put up some warning signs last week. The next day they were pushed down.

I use the durs track to go fishing, is military road the next closest way in? When i went up there on the last LWE they had the track at the carpark closed but suggested we go in through the grove so they can't be too worried.

That's a different council.

They have one of those portable 'digital' motorway signs advising of the track closure on Wanneroo Road just before the Two Rocks turn off.

What's REALY sad is that when this went to council only one surfer rocked up to voice a concern.....ONE ( Onya Mogga!)
as far as the council are concerned if only one suffer cares enough about it to turn up there's no opposition to the track closure. That's how stuff works.

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Surf69 said..
What's REALY sad is that when this went to council only one surfer rocked up to voice a concern.....ONE ( Onya Mogga!)
as far as the council are concerned if only one suffer cares enough about it to turn up there's no opposition to the track closure. That's how stuff works.

I would go as far to say that we do care, and we as a surfing community simply "missed the boat".

I for one would have been there at the meetings with a truck load of mates to stand up for my stomping ground, had I paid more attention to the meeting minutes and upcoming topic discussions of the Wanneroo Council

Yea sure , guilty as charged but at least I still have my waves. That's all that really matters at the end of the day I suppose.

I also question if there really were that many complaints from track users, or were they from retires in the area. I remember them all kicking off with a slow down campaign on the roads in the area. The 4wd bogans definitely would have contributed to this closure

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KEARNSY said..

Surf69 said..
What's REALY sad is that when this went to council only one surfer rocked up to voice a concern.....ONE ( Onya Mogga!)
as far as the council are concerned if only one suffer cares enough about it to turn up there's no opposition to the track closure. That's how stuff works.

I would go as far to say that we do care, and we as a surfing community simply "missed the boat".

I for one would have been there at the meetings with a truck load of mates to stand up for my stomping ground, had I paid more attention to the meeting minutes and upcoming topic discussions of the Wanneroo Council

Yea sure , guilty as charged but at least I still have my waves. That's all that really matters at the end of the day I suppose.

I also question if there really were that many complaints from track users, or were they from retires in the area. I remember them all kicking off with a slow down campaign on the roads in the area. The 4wd bogans definitely would have contributed to this closure

Yep definately the 4wd abuse and other anti social behaviour. This type of thing has been going on for years but as the population swells around there so do the whingers and the squeaky wheel wins with governments.

I grew up as a grommet surfing the Spot and Derrs and even back in the late 70's and early 80's there were times when the track (the spot) was threatened to be closed, a result of pressure put on local and state authorities by only a couple of persistent Whingers who hated surfers basically, but 35 years ago a **** load of locals and regulars banded together and made a difference, and hey presto, great result. Way back then there were even respected and generally adhered to Road rules for the track. When they weren't there would be "discussions" if the boof heads stuck around.

They can never take the waves away , so that's at least something, and I think a bit of a treck to get some good waves aint such a bad thing anyway, but keep your eyes out, there's a requirement for local governments to allow access to the coast legally and this may be pursued as an angle to provide desent access. If all the surfers who live in the city of Wanneroo lobbied and all the others that use the place get onboard that would make a difference, but no support, no change.

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Surf69 said..

KEARNSY said..

Surf69 said..
What's REALY sad is that when this went to council only one surfer rocked up to voice a concern.....ONE ( Onya Mogga!)
as far as the council are concerned if only one suffer cares enough about it to turn up there's no opposition to the track closure. That's how stuff works.

I would go as far to say that we do care, and we as a surfing community simply "missed the boat".

I for one would have been there at the meetings with a truck load of mates to stand up for my stomping ground, had I paid more attention to the meeting minutes and upcoming topic discussions of the Wanneroo Council

Yea sure , guilty as charged but at least I still have my waves. That's all that really matters at the end of the day I suppose.

I also question if there really were that many complaints from track users, or were they from retires in the area. I remember them all kicking off with a slow down campaign on the roads in the area. The 4wd bogans definitely would have contributed to this closure

Yep definately the 4wd abuse and other anti social behaviour. This type of thing has been going on for years but as the population swells around there so do the whingers and the squeaky wheel wins with governments.

I grew up as a grommet surfing the Spot and Derrs and even back in the late 70's and early 80's there were times when the track (the spot) was threatened to be closed, a result of pressure put on local and state authorities by only a couple of persistent Whingers who hated surfers basically, but 35 years ago a **** load of locals and regulars banded together and made a difference, and hey presto, great result. Way back then there were even respected and generally adhered to Road rules for the track. When they weren't there would be "discussions" if the boof heads stuck around.

They can never take the waves away , so that's at least something, and I think a bit of a treck to get some good waves aint such a bad thing anyway, but keep your eyes out, there's a requirement for local governments to allow access to the coast legally and this may be pursued as an angle to provide desent access. If all the surfers who live in the city of Wanneroo lobbied and all the others that use the place get onboard that would make a difference, but no support, no change.

They can take away the waves.
A marina would be catastrophic.

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Buster fin said..

Surf69 said..

KEARNSY said..

Surf69 said..
What's REALY sad is that when this went to council only one surfer rocked up to voice a concern.....ONE ( Onya Mogga!)
as far as the council are concerned if only one suffer cares enough about it to turn up there's no opposition to the track closure. That's how stuff works.

I would go as far to say that we do care, and we as a surfing community simply "missed the boat".

I for one would have been there at the meetings with a truck load of mates to stand up for my stomping ground, had I paid more attention to the meeting minutes and upcoming topic discussions of the Wanneroo Council

Yea sure , guilty as charged but at least I still have my waves. That's all that really matters at the end of the day I suppose.

I also question if there really were that many complaints from track users, or were they from retires in the area. I remember them all kicking off with a slow down campaign on the roads in the area. The 4wd bogans definitely would have contributed to this closure

Yep definately the 4wd abuse and other anti social behaviour. This type of thing has been going on for years but as the population swells around there so do the whingers and the squeaky wheel wins with governments.

I grew up as a grommet surfing the Spot and Derrs and even back in the late 70's and early 80's there were times when the track (the spot) was threatened to be closed, a result of pressure put on local and state authorities by only a couple of persistent Whingers who hated surfers basically, but 35 years ago a **** load of locals and regulars banded together and made a difference, and hey presto, great result. Way back then there were even respected and generally adhered to Road rules for the track. When they weren't there would be "discussions" if the boof heads stuck around.

They can never take the waves away , so that's at least something, and I think a bit of a treck to get some good waves aint such a bad thing anyway, but keep your eyes out, there's a requirement for local governments to allow access to the coast legally and this may be pursued as an angle to provide desent access. If all the surfers who live in the city of Wanneroo lobbied and all the others that use the place get onboard that would make a difference, but no support, no change.

They can take away the waves.
A marina would be catastrophic.

There's no plans for a Marina in the vicinity of Ders, so that is incredibly unlikely.

There is however plans currently underway with the city of Stirling for a coastal swimming pool and offshore board walk at trigg point that will completely destroy the points fickle wave and and sand movement to the first car park. Never know in about 5 years there could be an epic bank build up off the back of it?