Canning Stock Route Press:

Ngaanyatjarra Council press release 14-03-07:

The Ngaanyatjarra Council is currently implementing a permit system with assistance from the Australian National Four Wheel Drive Council (ANFWDC). This will be in place by the beginning of May.

The ANFWDC will administer the permit system – which means they will also be the contact point for information about the permit system. The permit package will contain emergency information, codes of conduct, a map of places that tourists can access with a permit. You will be able to pay for a permit and download it from the ANFWDC’s website.

Vehicles in a group, whether private or commercial tour are required to hold an individual permit for each vehicle for the applicable cost and duration. Tourist operators will be able to obtain a permit valid for one year, while each vehicle in the tour will be required to obtain an individual permit for the applicable cost and duration of the trip.

The Ngaanyatjarra Council met with Martu people in Jigalong last week. The first outcome of the meeting was agreed to by consensus of the group, which was that tourists could leave the CSR to access specific sites as long as they had a permit.

The second aspect of the meeting was to map the sites where tourist could access. It was agreed to by consensus of the meeting that tourists could access:
• Sunday Well
• Durba Springs (on the condition that the tourists remained on the track when travelling to the Springs)
• Diebil Springs
• Onegunyah Rockhole
• Western section of Lake Disappointment (a map of where the boundaries are will be provided in the permit package)
• The Track to McFadden Ranges – although they requested people only camped in the range rather than trek until they had established areas where they were happy with people visiting and trekking.
• Helen Hill
• Turtle Hill
• Slate Range
• Ural Native Well
• Libral
• Lake George
• Lake Winifred.

There were a number of areas that Martu requested that tourists do not access until the audit of all the Aboriginal sites along the CSR has been completed and assessed, and a management plan developed. Based on the data collected from the audit, the restrictions will be reassessed during the course of the next three years. These places include:

• Mt Shoesmith
• Wandurba Rockhole
• Billigilli Well
• Jenkins Track
• Percival Lakes
• Callowa track (which leaves the CSR close to Well 35 and heads to the west)
• Savoury Creek track
• Killagurra Spring
• Biella Spring
• Calvert Ranges, and the track to Calvert Ranges and beyond (this was a strongly unanimous decision by the group)

The meeting agreed that if Tour Operators wanted to conduct tours to the Calvert Range (or to any of the other restricted areas), then they may submit a proposal for the consideration of the WDLAC research committee, who may possibly assist to organise a Martu guide to accompany them to the Calvert Range (for a fee). This will be subject to the availability of the TO’s for that area. In addition, the decision to restrict tourist access to Calvert Ranges may be reconsidered after the site has been audited and management strategies implemented within the next couple of years.

The Ngaanyatjarra Council is working with the State Government to ensure that these restrictions are complied with.

Although some of the abovementioned restricted sites are located within the CSR reserve, they are still registered Aboriginal sites under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. Access to the Aboriginal sites by tourists could incur prosecution as it constitutes interference.

There will be signs at the entrance points of the CSR and at some of the key track that will advise people of the Aboriginal Heritage Act and requirement for a permit.