What you said about closing Mt Beerwah for Indigenous cultural reasons

The emergence of plans to close Mt Beerwah in the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast for cultural reasons has sparked an intense debate. HAVE YOUR SAY

Mt Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: Brett Wortman / Sunshine Coast Daily

The emergence of plans to close Mt Beerwah in the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast for cultural reasons has sparked an intense debate.
Climbing advocates Save Our Summits have obtained documents via a Right to Information request suggesting Mt Beerwah be considered for permanent closure.
Mt Beerwah has previously been temporarily closed after sustaining weather damage and graffiti.

Mt Beerwah is one of the more popular peaks in the Glass House Mountains to climb.

It was proposed in the documents that Mount Beerwah climbs could be replaced by a virtual simulator experience using drones.

Since the documents were obtained, Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell said there were “categorically” no plans to permanently close access to Mount Beerwah and any discussions to that end took place under the previous Labor government.

Mt Beerwah covered by fog. Picture: Billy Tillott

The move to shut access to Mt Beerwah, the tallest of the Glass House Mountains and a popular climbing peak, sparked intense debate amongst readers.

There were readers that criticised plans to close off access to Mt Beerwah for cultural reasons, slamming that reasoning as “woke” and “ridiculous”.

A selection of readers also criticised plans to replace scaling the 556m peak with the alternative offering of a virtual climbing experience - slamming the plans as “virtual nonsense”.

There were also readers that were in favour of closing the mountain - citing safety concerns and the regularity of resources being deployed to rescue climbers from the mountain.

See what you had to say below and join the conversation >>>

WHAT YOU SAID

‘This lunacy has to stop’

Les C

Enough is enough! Stop this rubbish now!

John

Why the secrecy if you aren’t planning something that will offend most Australians. All this woke rubbish needs to be shut down. As for replacing an activity that is all about exhilaration & effort with a sterile video.....please!!!!

LFC

Don’t be woke Premier, we voted you in for a reason.

Bazza & TBH

This lunacy has to stop ….

Doug

The national parks bureaucracy needs an Elon Musk type clean out.

wayne

Ridiculous woke rubbish

Marie

I thought Australia was for ALL Australians ?

craig

Why don’t we just close the country this is out of control ,seriously

Stevo

And the cultural reasons are .............. because we can.

Michael

Another chink away at the majority by a few wokies

Susan

This is getting absolutely ridiculous

Wilfred

The beginning of the end. Next we’ll be banned from going to the beach.

Henry Root

never been a cultural issue in my lifetime so why now?

‘Of course this mountain should be closed’

Andy

I have climbed the mountain several times and have noticed an increase in damage by inconsiderate tourists. There is also the tax money saved from the numerous rescues and airlifts each year

Walter

Great idea ,this will stop someone having to be rescued every second week by the air ambulance and resources can be used elsewhere..

Alan

Of course this mountain should be closed, why?

Because far too many people are being rescued at great cost and risk to the rescuers.

Nearly every week, someone gets into trouble on these Glasshouse Mountains and it’s because most make poor decisions about ability, weather or safety and then expect to be rescued.

Maybe as a compromise have organised group climbs like the Sydney Harbour Bridge so that better decisions are made and the risks are lowered.

Linda

If the closure was for safety reasons I’d be for it - seems hardly a week goes by without a rescue from a glasshouse. Then hold leader led walks where people can be monitored and helped.

Katy1053

hmmm I wonder if tourists starting treating our war memorials like crap, destroying them, graffitiing them - whether or not we would start limiting access? Likely, and every Australian would be happy to do saying something along the lines of they don’t deserve it visit it if they won’t treat it with respect.. wonder why they can’t apply the same logic?

Chris

Shouldn’t it just be closed to those for whom it has cultural significance? Just as religious rituals apply only to followers of the religion.

Queenslander

How many have been rescued from that area? That would most certainly put a stop to that

‘Virtual nonsense’

Zee

A virtual climb. What a load of rubbish.

John

Virtual nonsense!

Leanne

Oh Brave New World that has such people in it.

Sounds like Aldous Huxley knew where things were heading.

Virtual climbs ?? We may as well all stay in bed and watch life from

there…..

Mark

Virtual climbs using drone technology is a complete waste of taxpayer money. Whoever came up with this idea in government should be sacked.

oldlawyer

Presumably the virtual climbs can be paid for with virtual ( valueless) money, or will be free. People who like to climb (not me) like a real physical challenge. Mrs. Oldlawyer

Chris

Any chance we can also have virtual Welcome to Country ceremonies……. Preferably 4 hours before the main event begins?

Monika

Who wants to climb virtually 😣

Sandra

How are hikers going to feel about virtual climbs, not quite the same.

Hannah

The fact the government public servants think a hike to the summit could be replaced with a virtual climb tells you they have no understanding of the public’s interest in being outdoors and enjoying nature. Wouldn’t it be nice if the government at public servants actually served the majority of Qlders

Don

Replaced with a virtual experience. What the ...

Blue

Simulated viewing the mountain using drones. Gives new meaning to the term fat cat bureaucrats. No need for any body movement at all.