The Great North Walk - Hornsby Rifle Range

[rcaffin]

So that people are informed here is the exact text from the Berowra Valley Plan of Management, the link is earlier found on this page.

This means no walking (see page 20) or riding (see page 22-23) on Quarry Road trail across Tunk's Ridge where the trail crosses the safety zone.

Amazing stuff. Totally ridiculous, but still amazing.

Considering the number of people who walk (stroll, ride, jog, etc) from Quarry Rd to the junction and then either to Galston Gorge or down to the river EVERY DAY of the year, I suspect the bureacrats may have picked up their marbles and gone home for the decade.

Cheers

[wildwalks]

This means no walking (see page 20) or riding (see page 22-23) on Quarry Road trail across Tunk's Ridge where the trail crosses the safety zone.

Weirdly this is correct. The Quarry Road to Tunks ridge crosses the Safety umbrella near the half way point. The safety umbrella technically ends just east of Michelle St trail.
Interestingly the GNW and the Stewart Street trail have warning signs about the 'safety risk'. There are no warning signs (I remember) on the quarry Road/tunks Ridge trail But there are signs to let you know that you can walk the trail and arrow signs giving distances. Roger is right that a lot of people do use this trail every day.

Matt

[wildwalks]

The other weird thing about this (that just occurred to me) is that NPWS is saying in their POM that people can't go on particular sections of tracks that are outside the park. The safety umbrella is a region excluded from the park -- so I doubt that NPWS can technically make rules that say you can't go on these sections of trail (although they can exclude you from section of trail within their estate). I get that they are trying to help keep the community safe, but this does seem all a bit silly.

Matt

[adb]

I run this area a lot, also my backyard. On the section from Quarry Road to Tunks Ridge camp site, there probably WAS one of the black signs with white lettering which mentions the danger. However, this sign has been 'relocated' to the section of single track trail that leads off to the west of the fire trail a short way before you descend to the camp site. There are several large rocks on the left where the single track trail starts and about 10m along the trail, the black sign is currently propped up against a tree indicating the danger zone is beyond (to the north) that!

It's rather odd that for a trail with no theoretical public access across the zone from Quarry Road, there are no 'forbidden' signs and not even any warning signs.

We've just had a trail run application rejected by NPWS on the recommendation of the NSW police due to the rifle range. The run was to be finished by 11am Sunday morning and was planned to use both the Quarry Road section of the fire trail along Tunks Ridge as well as the single track under the range on the eastern side of Berowra Creek.

Currently the Hornsby RSL rifle club shoot Saturday's from 1pm to 4:30pm, long distance shooting from 300m to 800m. I've been told the range is open for shooting any day from 9am to 5pm with smallbore [.22 cal.] shooting occurring on some evenings.

NPWS currently 'recommend' using the alternate route for GNW, going to the east of the range.

We are hoping to get a dispensation to be able to have an official event on that eastern side single track on one Sunday in the year before 11am, but I expect it will be a long, slow process and may have no success...

[Harry de Walker]

Two great runs (ok, more striding than running) through the Berowra valley recently.

One with the Rogaineers and the other with Gut Busters.

Appears they negotiated with the rifle range to make the events a goer - good work!

Proves that a bit of co-operation can keep everyone happy.

Outside of organised events the walk around alternative, up the ladder at the end of Manor, along Rosamond and down Clarinda is a good choice.

[wildwalks]

Hi adb

I think you will have more luck with this if you can be sure to clear the people off the quarry road trail section before 8:30am - before the rifle range opens. If it is possible to start from the end of Quarry Rd at 8am??
Matt

[Lindsay]

I've just read Matt's article in Great Walks on the GNW track diversion around the Hornsby rifle range. I can only agree that this is a bureaucratic decision that takes no account of the reality on the ground as opposed to some theoretical 'zero risk' policy. Did these decision makers even walk the track to see for themselves? Somehow I doubt it. In any case how is this track closure to be enforced?

[skibug]

..." In any case how is this track closure to be enforced?"

I would assume it never will be - it's one of those things where the authorities have made a rule for their own protection - so in the unlikely (seemingly impossible) event of a bullet caused injury, they will be able to argue in court that the individual knowingly walked into an area that was closed, and therefore took the risk and responsibility upon themselves. I cannot see rangers, or police, having the time, resources or interest in actually monitoring the track.

Of interest in all this are several problems, including:

The signposting is only in English, so non-English speakers are not catered for.
There is no warning for people entering the area from other points other than the trail-heads - ie bush-bashing, wading/swimming down the creek, or entering from private property bordering the park.
If these misdirected bullets are actually ending up in the bush, are protected species of native fauna at risk, and therefore hunting laws are being broken in the National Park?

One interesting aspect of this is that apparently a new hand-gun target range has been created at the Club, which is used frequently for police training. This ties in with a recent change in response strategies by police, which sees police being directed and trained to take a more aggressive initial strategy with armed/dangerous persons in public places, and as a result are undergoing more gun training ( http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/police ... 2663cf1973 ) - so the gun range is probably being used more frequently than previously. The increased use of the facility is possibly a factor in the latest risk assessment and track closure.

Skibug