Dozens fined for entering restricted areas of Carnarvon Gorge

Wildlife rangers have issued dozens of fines to people entering restricted areas of a Central Queensland National Park to take selfies and touch sacred ancient Indigenous rock art.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services rangers have issued dozens of fines to people who have entered restricted access areas at Carnarvon Gorge National Park to take photos and touch indigenous rock art.

It may look like a harmless selfie on social media, but it can land you with large fines and even cause damage to ancient artwork.

In the past year, rangers from Carnarvon Gorge National Park have issued fines to dozens of people for entering restricted access areas of the park intent on getting that perfect picture - an act Traditional Owner representatives have labelled the ‘utmost disrespect’.

The acts are putting the Carnarvon National Park’s vivid Indigenous rock art at risk, with senior ranger Luke Male saying the rock art sites are of “international importance”.

Mr Male said in the past year rangers had issued 18 fines to people in the Carnarvon National Park for various offences including camping in a protected are and fire offences, as well as six $431 fines to people who had entered restricted access areas to take selfies or touch the rock face.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers have issued dozens of fines to people entering restricted access areas of Carnarvon Gorge National Park to take photos and touch Indigenous rock art.

“In some instances, they are posing in front of Indigenous rock art that is thousands of years old, or they’re actually touching it,” he said.

“The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service makes no apology for taking compliance action against people who break the rules because they believe they are influencers.

“The ochre stencil art of the region is unique, diverse, highly complex and spectacular, and the rock art is embedded within sandstone that is incredibly fragile.

“It is a great honour and privilege for us to be able to see these rock art sites, and touching them can damage cultural artefacts that are thousands of years old.

“The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting and preserving the natural and cultural values of our national parks, and we take a zero-tolerance approach to people who break the rules.”

Bidjara representative Leah Wyman from the Carnarvon National Park Traditional Owners Management Group Committee said visitors to the park could help preserve historical cultural sites and the environment.

“Our rock art bears thousand-year-old images and they provide valuable information about the lives and cultures of our people in the past,” she said.

“They are also important spiritual and ceremonial sites to us, and it is imperative that everyone stays on the walkways to ensure that Carnarvon National Park can be visited by future generations to come.”

Fellow Bidjara representative Kristine Sloman said the national park was a giant cemetery and the rock art sites were places where family members had been laid to rest.

She said getting off the boardwalks and walking around was of the ‘utmost disrespect’ and was akin to walking on a coffin at someone’s funeral.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers have issued dozens of fines to people entering restricted access areas of Carnarvon Gorge National Park to take photos and touch Indigenous rock art.

“Many people around the world have chosen to close their sacred sites due to destructive impacts, and it would be a great shame to resort to this type of action,” she said.

“Let’s appreciate, learn, nurture, and respect each other’s cultures and ensure no more of our sacred places are damaged or closed to the public.”

Mr Male said rangers would issue fines to anyone who entered Restricted Access Areas around the rock art, and routinely checked social media for selfies that have been taken unlawfully.

The official Carnarvon Gorge account on Instagram has issued warnings to social media users in the past, including to one risk-taking visitor who posted a photo on the edge of a cliff.

The warning stated the subject of the image had ‘clearly jumped the barrier erected by Queensland Parks and Wildlife for the public’s safety following recent cliff-fall’.

“We also receive information, including photos from members of the public about people who have broken the rules,” Mr Male said.

“People have to understand that the Traditional Owners remain connected to this place and the rock art within it, and they regard the entire Carnarvon National Park as cultural site.

“The artwork on the sandstone walls of Carnarvon Gorge is part of what makes Carnarvon National Park such an iconic and much-loved national park.

“The boardwalks are designed to give people the best possible view of the sites, and people don’t get a better view by leaving the boardwalk.”