Scenic Rim Trail – Thornton to Spicers

[dkselw]

Scenic Rim Trail – Thornton Trailhead to Spicers Canopy Nature Refuge Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan

Has anyone been following this?
You can see the proposal at this website http://epbcnotices.environment.gov.au/referralslist/ and enter the referal number 2016/7847

The latest entry 20/12/2018 says "Final recommendation report completed", but no further details that I can find.

Last edited by dkselw on Tue 25 Dec, 2018 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Aardvark]

I did a search on the Spicers Canopy Nature Refuge Development proposal and there is a 115 page report.
It is a project of the Turner family of Gainsdale P/L
Eye opening to say the least. I regularly undertake walking all along there. It does concern me to have graded track between Sylvesters L/o and Bare Rock. It should concern all those people in my past who have so vehemently resisted suggestions for a constructed trail along the Scenic Rim. If this happens it will only be a matter of time before southern Main Range is in the firing line.
It's a sign of the times. Population ever increasing. More push for 'Great Walks'. I really doubt there is the economic value in these great walks. This seems to be about making it suitable for the Spicers retreat (that very expensive gastronomic experience appx $1500 a night, just west of West Spicers Pk ) to add to their guests experiences. No doubt they will benefit most. They would also likely think no one much travels between Sylvesters L/o and Bare Rock. It is one of only a few areas in SEQ to get an elevated off track rainforest wilderness experience.

[dkselw]

You can see some maps here https://spicersretreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2016-7847-EPBC-Response-Sep-2017-03-Annex-2-part-1_OPT.pdf
The full development proposal here https://spicersretreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/003-2016-7847-Referral-Attach2-DPEMP.pdf
The rest of the proposal documents are available at the link I gave in the first post. I however can't find any details of what "Final recommendation report completed" means, there are no attachments for that entry.

[cough]

Sadly it has been approved:

http://epbcnotices.environment.gov.au/_ ... npcMsSeRnY

[sln080506]

I have been following this and have been emailing a variety of people to raise concerns.
https://www.beaudeserttimes.com.au/stor ... a-mistake/

Both the queensland state government and the proponents are aware that there is existing users of the ‘new’ track, but their use has not been included this in any documentation in the environmental application you received for approval. There has been no consideration of the existing users of this walk. There has been no effort to prevent or offset the impact on these users.

The state government wishes to do the same thing in other national parks;
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work- ... ls?id=3040

I would recommend emailing and phoning your local politicians, spreading the word and making a fuss if you are concerned.

[ofuros]

I'd better hightale it to Blackfellow Falls & the Amphitheatre while it's still pristine...

Before the martian invasion arrives.

After reading it again...& again.... ...the camp is on the Mt Castle West fire trail, overlooking Glen Rock / Blackfellow creek valley, viewing the Amphitheatre and falls from across the valley.
Our pristine wilderness around the falls & Amphitheatre should be OK. Pulls head back in...
Maps supplied are a little unclear. Back to reading....

Last edited by ofuros on Fri 01 Feb, 2019 12:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[ofuros]

Mmm, not sure how viable its going to be...most of the sights along the route can be seen via daywalks on NP tracks & fire trails anyway. Camping available at Goomburra & Spicers Gap.

Although sunrise & sunset over the Amphitheatre from the firetrail would be nice.
I'll have to go for a mooch & take some pics before they move in.

Then again it's a toe in the door....what's next ? Our beloved Cunningham's to Teviot Gap ?

[CBee]

We are living in times where is not possible to get approval to hide a geocache in National Park, for environmental reasons...

[Moocattle]

I'm on the fence about this one.

I'm definitely for the whole eco tourism thing, and having read the proposal, it seems well thought out environmentally. Having said that, the best thing environmentally would be to do nothing at all right?
The four Philoria species we have in the scenic rim and surrounds (ignoring the Baw baw frog) have managed to miss out on chytrid so far, and we shouldn't add it to the list alongside their only other threat: climate change. While they are listed as endangered for being mountain-top endemics, they are still relatively abundant in their locales (similar to spiny crayfish species). Chytrid finding it's way into these waterways from negligent walkers could destroy their populations.
I think while there still are walkers who explore these parts without considering hygiene, they are few and far between to matter. Managing a group of walker potentially everyday and through frog nesting periods is a whole other level. Maybe this can be explained and mitigated through the private companies' guides, but having it also open to the general public is scary. It isn't too often that a new trail is opened up to the public, especially here in SEQ where trails are more likely to close through disrepair.... Think of those crowds.

On the 'already an established track' thing, I do agree. These places are special in that they are pristine environments, because they take a lot of effort to get there. We get a sense of pride and accomplishment for finding our way through the endless mess of lantana and Lawyer vine for that little view from a new perspective. We don't have big stretches of navigable and interesting wilderness near Brissy, like Sydney has Wollemi, so losing these little bits with a new beaut class 5 track through it is sad to see.

I think the main thing that irks me though, is that a private enterprise is exploiting our National Park with their 'Eco lodges'. Whose to say that at some point they block the trail head from Thornton for only private use, or shoo off anyone who comes close to the Mt Mistake farm house if you're not a patron of theirs. What happens when the owners want to move on to something else, and we get something similar to what happened at Lake Broadwater near Dalby. If it was just QLD parks involved, I'd be a little more on board.

I can see this eventuating into a stretch of official tracks running the length of the main range for sure. Maybe one day we'll have a proper long distance trail extending the length of the great divide .....

If I had known about this a little earlier I would've sent off some letters or at least ask some questions. Will have to keep an eye out for further developments.

Last edited by Moocattle on Thu 07 Feb, 2019 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Lyrebird]

This is my concern too. The Spicer's proposal seems pretty decent, and if they're limiting development to areas beside fire trails then it's less invasive than it might be. By the look of it they're modeling it on the Three Capes concept. However, it sets a precedent for other, less eco-minded companies to encroach on national parks with designs that aren't so friendly. Personally I would be far more comfortable with the idea if it were being developed by the government, rather than a private for-profit company.

No doubt the government will trot out the 'rigorous approval' line, but it only takes a change of government for that to go out the window. After all, the previous state government was tossing up whether to allow cattle grazing in National Parks . If we get that sort of mindset back in power then there's nothing to stop waterslides down Springbrook or golf buggy tours along the Border Track. The current zip line debacle in the Brisbane Forest Park is a shining example.

NPAQ (National Parks Association of Queensland) are monitoring this and I believe they have made submissions to the government. I have just rejoined the association, mainly because of my discomfort about this proposal. Spicer's may be run by the nicest company in the whole world, but in my opinion no company has a place creating restricted private spaces on public National Park land.

[ofuros]

Seems to be an extension of their 2day walk that's already up & running.
https://spicersretreats.com/scenic-rim- ... itinerary/

2day bushwalk pricing.
https://spicersretreats.com/scenic-rim- ... -day-walk/

Accommodation.
https://spicersretreats.com/scenic-rim- ... mmodation/

[dkselw]

Work has now started on the camps and access roads. The site of the Amphitheatre View Wilderness Ecocamp looks nice, not that I will be able to afford to stay there though. I hope when this is all finished we will still have access past the camp, as the camp is right beside the track.

I guess these notices are at least in part related to work on these sites:
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/park-alerts/17187.html
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/park-alerts/17233.html

[dkselw]

And now there is a fire in the area. It looks like it includes Point Pure and the site of the Amphitheatre View Wilderness Ecocamp.
The map is only rough, but it looks like some of it may be rain forest.

[dalehikes]

I hope their proposed Ecocamp sites were burnt to a crisp. Deserved delay on a project that stinks to high hell of bribes and undermining conservation for a profit.

The bribes aren't the worst problem, it is the precedent of private enterprise cutting new tracks through World Heritage land! *&^%$#!.

[dkselw]

I do hope not much of the rain forest has been fire damaged.
I really do not like the idea of Spicers being allowed to run vehicles on the tracks.
And how is this going to work?

Independent_walking_public.png (64.81 KiB) Viewed 27459 times

A lot of the proposed SRT is existing walking tracks/routes. Surely they can't make these one way.

[Aardvark]

Well, you can't really. Not all people will have the same objectives. Not all people will reveal what it is they are doing.
Other people only know what you tell them.
I do all manner of one or two day walks in that area and in all directions. I'd like to see them change that.

[CBee]

A business orientated structure to manage flows. To be expected.