NPWS has had paper intentions forms for people borrowing PLBs for some time. They have now introduced an online intentions form for certain activities in NPs.
The purpose of this is not clear. They say specifically it will not be used to start a search. It will be sent to your nominated contact person as a record and they will have to notify the police if you are overdue.
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/sa ... ore-you-go
I had thought this was pretty much what my club did anyway, so did not think any more about it.
However, someone suggested the other day that it may be a way for them to gather information about who is using parks and what they are doing. This is information they do not have. All they know about is people who go to NPs for a picnic or barbecue, who have to pay an entry fee or can be surveyed. People in remote areas will never be known about.
Now you could view this in two ways. One is that it would be good for them to know that there is more to NPs than people having a picnic, and that their attitude might become slanted more positively towards bushwalkers. In this case, it would be useful for bushwalkers to complete the form.
But another might be that they want to know what is going on so they can regulate it.
Thoughts?