Lamington National Park Right to Information Insights

In 2022 and 2023, QPWS were seeking to close public access to the Whitinbah Wafers (trad) and Wildside (sport) crags beside the road leading to Binna Burra in Lamington National Park.

The area was added to the National Park a few years earlier and was adjacent to the Poondahra Crag which QPWS had previously closed - QPWS referred to the proposed closure of Whitinbah and Wildside as the ‘Poondahra extension’.

ACAQ made strong submissions against the closure, and obtained our own environmental assessments on the site. It was clear from our meetings with QPWS at the time that they were determined to close the area.

It was a close thing, but on 30 June 2023 QPWS decided to not proceed, for now at least, with the closure.

ACAQ has now obtained (more than a year post our application) documents relating to the proposed closure of Whitinbah / Wildside and the closure of canyoning access in Lamington.

How close was it? - well they had already printed the closure and penalty signs. The closure was approved by local rangers as well as the Principal Ranger, Gold Coast and supported by others at that level. However a recent change of internal authority meant that closure had to be approved by the South East Queensland Regional Director. The Regional Director decided to not proceed with the closure at this point but the site would continue to be monitored.

You can access the 1200 or so pages of the documents here (you will need to have a google account to access).

 

Some of the more interesting and concerning items to ACAQ include:

1. It is clear that parts of QPWS wanted to prevent climbing and other rope based activities in Lamington. This was no doubt contributed by installation of safety bolts and fixed anchors at Wildside, as well as some access track construction, and installation of ladder rungs.
2. That said there were no safety bolts at Whitinbah Wafers, and ACAQ understands that there were no bolts in Black Canyon (which was closed), so bolting itself was not the sole driver.
3. The case for the closure was summarised in a June 2023 briefing note to the Regional Director (doc B-3). However ACAQ considers that many of the points are misleading at best, and contradicted by other comments in the disclosure. Some examples are:

   • The briefing note states that there are Aboriginal cultural heritage issues, concerns about climbing by Traditional Owners etc. However an email of 20 June 2023 (doc B-65) stated that the Traditional owners had not done any assessment of the site and had not indicated that the cliffs had cultural significance. The note also states that the cliffs are close to the (culturally significant ‘egg rock’) but fails to highlight that there is no realistic way to access egg rock from the cliff nor that the Great Walk graded track already passes right past the base of Egg Rock.

   • The note says ‘ecological reports have identified the need to protect sensitive cliff top and rocky pavement areas, which contain a high number of threatened species’, The particular species which was seen as the best justification was Westringia rupicola (doc b-65). While the Ecological reports said that it would be found on between 60-100% of cliffs in the area, they did not find it in the survey (doc d-198) however, they did find it and took photos on the Lower Bellbird graded track - although of course there is no suggestion of closing walking tracks as a result - they just wanted to close the cliffs used by climbers where they couldn't find it.(doc c-98). ACAQ’s own survey did not find Westringia on the cliffs, but did see it on the road side with evidence of spraying by Council.

   • The note does say that ACAQ opposed the Poondhara extension. It says that ACAQ supported other closures. This is false. ACAQ did not provide any views on the non-climbing areas. Similarly, the notes say all other parties supported all the closures. However, from the documents it appears that the level of support was merely saying ‘we don't go there so it does not impact us’. (see doc D 162 and 163 from O’Reillys - which only really covered the Black Canyon closure in any case, and doc F 164 from Bushwalking Qld saying we spoke to our clubs, and they are not impacted by closures.

4. There are documents which confirm that past actions of Rangers in seeking to claim that climbing in the park required a permit were false and in fact it appears there was some doubt as to whether the proper processes were ever followed to properly require a permit for abseiling.

5. It appears that QPWS were not aware of how strongly ACAQ would have fought to keep climbing access open. They were ‘surprised’ that we publically stated that Whitinbah and Wildside remained open for climbing, though bolting was not allowed, after the decision to not proceed with the closures at the time. (doc d147) and some were upset by this. Similarly, they were looking at the ACAQ June 28 2023 agenda as saying they hoped that ACAQ were advising our members that Lamington was off limits (doc c-102). Those at the meeting would know that ACAQ said we were waiting on the decision and if it was unfavourable we would likely take legal action to challenge it.

6. In respect of the canyon closures it is clear that they were specifically targeting canyoners. Originally, those closures were for a broader area and would have impacted bushwalkers etc. They narrowed those closures in order only impact the smaller user group of canyoners otherwise they would have ‘struggled to get it supported’ (doc b-28)

7. On 30 June, on the morning of the day the Regional Director made the decision, the following points were made in an internal email (Doc G-18).
   a. The site is far from pristine. Weeds, thicketing, oceans of lantana etc.
   b. The current impact from track work and bolting is far from terrible. Most of it is, in my (sic) opinion and given the history of the site, not significant and quite recoverable. Bolting is old-style, low key and has been there for some time - likely pre-national park and the track/associated works are not that bad / easily recoverable. In fact, it is difficult to empirically demonstrate that several decades (at least) of climbing access has significantly damaged the site. The most damage has come from poor fire regimes and weed encroachment.
   c. Current and historic use is low. This might be a good reason/opportunity for an RAA.
   d. Numerous filters are naturally in place that will keep the use low.
   d. The recreation (rock climbing) value is high / potentially v high. It is good quality rock and an excellent site for climbing. Climbers are not currently touching anything further afield in the Lamington complex.

ACAQ has identified many other matters that we will take into account in making future submissions to QPWS both in respect of Lamington and elsewhere.

Since that decision, in 2025 ACAQ has been made aware of installation of ‘no abseiling signs’ in Lamington despite the withdrawal of the requirement to obtain a permit to abseil, and the placement of signage for the Black Canyon signs on two separate occasions in the wrong location to falsely assert that other areas were closed. We have made formal complaints in each case which have led to the signs being removed. You can see our complaints to QPWS and their responses here.