Mt May to Cleared Ridge

[Bird]

Evening all,

This is my first post, but this forum has been a great resource.

I am a teacher at a Brisbane secondary college. Every year I take a groups of students on a four day hike around Mt Barney National Park finishing with a hike up Mt Maroon. We start our hike at the base of Mt May on Waterfall Creek Rd.

Traditionally we hike up the four wheel drive track then take a quick detour up Mt May before coming back down and continuing on the boring road up to Cleared Ridge for lunch (red line below). My questions is whether there is a better (more scenic) route up to Cleared Ridge. I wouldn't mind if there was something that was a bit more of a navigational challenge for my students also. I have marked a track I think would be the most logical (blue track below).

I am interested to know if anyone has approached Cleared Ridge from this direction and whether you have taken an alternative route up.

Thanks,
Bird

[tomh]

While camping at the Lake Maroon Holiday Homestead I did walk the area behind the Homestead close to (just to the NW) your blue line. Generally easy country - certainly more interesting than the road and a survey would be worthwhile. It is private property so I suggest you ring the Homestead owners on 5463 6256 for access and other information.
Staff at the Maroon Outdoor Education Centre (5463 6333) may also be able to help. There have been keen bushwalking teachers with local knowledge based there in the past.

[Bird]

Thanks Tomh,

I will contact the Homestead and the Maroon Education centre and see what they have to stay. I will definitely go out and have a look around before I take the students out there.

We end up doing Maroon on the last day so I don't mind missing out on Mt May if it means a more interesting walk.

Thanks again.

[facebox]

Maybe start up the Mt may track from the bottom at Waterfall creek camping area. Up and over Mt may would cut a lot of boring road walking.

[ofuros]

I'm looking over that very ridge at this very moment ...looks like there's an out building & a shack up on the start of the ridgeline...so
definitely check with the land owners, if you want to traverse this ridge.


.....via tapatalk.

[Private Landholder]

I see by the attached map that a suggested track from the yards and heading west has been marked.

Please be aware of the following -
a) this block that the yards are on is private family property and is a working grazing property, and as such agricultural chemicals are used on the animals and on the vegitation.
b) Maroon Outdoor Ed Centre (Education Queensland) are they only group that have authority to travel across our property.
c) There is a gazetted easement (unformed road) that accesses the ex Kokoda owned educational block.
d) Access through our block is on the road only - I'm sure you'd like us to drive across you lawn and walk uninvited through your residential block (yes - it is the same)
e) Don't *&%$#! when you're being yelled at and having displeasure expressed with what we have to hand (fencing pliers, crow bar, spray unit)

Don't complain - its our private property.

[Private Landholder]

The only group with access to this block, the block the yards are on (and marked out on all topographical maps), is the Maroon Outdoor Ed Centre.

Don't even think of traversing this block on any route other than the road. It is a working property. Don't park at the yards, don't drive or walk off the road, don't camp. How about we access your private property and walk uninvited through your backyard. Its why we have signs on the gates and trees.

And don't complain if your found, you will experience an unpleasurable event.

Private Property Owner.

PS: I enjoy bushwalking but maybe I've got a bit more respect for my fellow land owners and would ask before putting a map up like this. Don't bother asking, no access is going to be given, at all, ever, because of events just like this.

EDIT by Admin - map removed.

[ofuros]

All very good points, Private Landholder, which is why most of the reply's nudge him in the direction of
contacting the landholder or Maroon Outdoor Ed first.....
I'll leave a message for the Admin Team, they should be able to remove the attached map for you.

Ooroo,
ofuros.


P.S Message left for Admin 10mins ago......

[newhue]

Fair point Private Landowner. I was going to suggest the phone number be removed from public forum access as well. I think the post was done in the interest of bushwalking and educating kids to the outdoors with intended respect for you, and asking for access before any further action taken. However, your points are valid. I too do not like strangers in my yard. I would not like people talking publicly about accessing my back yard. We have forgotten ourselves here, and private message would have been a better scenario. And certainly no harm with the person intending to do the walk go for a drive and meet the land owner.
Please consider most of us understand and respect your view, only the few are disrespectful, and annoy and frustrate all of us. I hope, in time, your view can soften. My kids like bushwalking, you are in a beautiful part of the world, and would be a shame to hear no if we ever passed your way.
Take care and thank you for your perspective. I apologise for my fellow walkers.

Merry Christmas
Jason

[ithomas]

Not sure Jason why you have to apologise on behalf of all bushwalkers to a bully such as Private Land owner. A person makes a completely legitimate and polite enquiry, uses a map from which it is next to impossible to establish land tenure and totally impossible to estabish contact details and yet has to suffer uncalled for comments from an abusive and potentially violent person. No apologies from me and I see little merit in the overblown, exaggerated argument put forward by the bully. How appropriate that it was posted on Christmas Day. I bet his name is Mr Scrooge.

[north-north-west]

Bully? A private landowner, who is trying to run a working property, and has has issues with illegal access and disruption to stock in the past. They're quite within their rights to make it plain that people aren't permitted to wander willy-nilly through their land. Are you going to call me a bully because I keep my gates shut at all times and have repaired all my fences to prevent people using my block as a shortcut?

[ithomas]

North-North-West - being a landowner does not mean that you have the right to verbally abuse or threaten a person or a group of people who have done nothing to deserve it. The initial request was in good faith and polite. The response by Private Land Owner was abusive and bullying. I think that his post, not the map, should be removed from the forum. I do not think that I or anyone else have suggested that walkers should cross, enter or interfere in any way with the property in question. I have very simply pointed out that Private Land Owners response, in the context of an innocent request for information, was juvenile, intemperate and yes - bullying.
Ian

[gayet]

Bully? A private landowner, who is trying to run a working property, and has has issues with illegal access and disruption to stock in the past. They're quite within their rights to make it plain that people aren't permitted to wander willy-nilly through their land. Are you going to call me a bully because I keep my gates shut at all times and have repaired all my fences to prevent people using my block as a shortcut?

+1

ithomas
I believe the landowner is quite right in voicing his concerns. The map is posted as a means of accessing his property. It is private property and no mention was made of that in the initial posting. I can understand the slightly strident note in PLs second post. I do not see it as bullying, but as an understandable response to ignorant assumptions likely to be made.

Yes, the OP was advised to seek landowner permission. And he indicated he would do so. It should also be noted the PL response is some 1 yr, 8 months after the original post so perhaps he has had some problems in that time with people trespassing on his land? If so, could someone have seen this map on this site and ignored the advice re seeking permission? Don't jump to conclusions without knowing all the circumstances.

[ithomas]

The land owner has every right to voice his concerns. It is his property and he can do what ever he likes with it. That does not give him the right to be abusive and threatening on a forum such as this. Just like you Gaye, I do not all of the circumstances and to be frank, that makes not a whit of difference. The post from Private Land Owner was more than a 'little strident' and the original post from Bird was 'ignorant' only in the sense that there was a lack of knowledge - it was far from disrespectful. An abusive, threatening post is an abusive threatening post and so I believe that Private Land Holder has disregarded decent standards of communication.
Ian

[newhue]

ithomas, I fail to see what is abusive and threatening about PL's post. He/she is just saying how it is. I think you need to harden up a bit.
Just for one second put yourself in PL's position. The OP has put up a map of your land asking the public for ideas of how to traverse it. Then a phone number is put up which I guess is how PL found out about this thread eventually. Most farmers I have met like their privacy, piece, and quiet. Most are accepting and allow access if treated with respect and curtsy. Now some walkers may call, some may seek permission, some will not. But if PL has noticed strangers crossing the land in the past, perhaps more than once, than he/she just might start becoming annoyed. Then to discover a thread on crossing their backyard, which is their income, may see one get what you call abusive and threatening. I dare say then to have someone like yourself calling them a bully only guarentees no access will ever be allowed as long as the estate remains in that family.
Now if you would politely post up a map and phone number of where you live we will see how you go.

[weighty walker]

I'm with you ithomas I too found PLO post a bit intimidating.

[ofuros]

It's his land...his rules.
Too many people have walked, camped or parked their car
on his land without permission.... He's just venting his frustration.


Sent from my X550 using Tapatalk

[ithomas]

It seems that most people have not bothered to read what I have written. The owner can do and say what he wants to on his own land (subject to his actions being legal). Nobody has suggested otherwise. What I have said and will now repeat for the last time is that he has no right to be abusive and threatening on this forum. These are two very different points. And as for hardening up, thanks for the suggestion but I am happy with who I am.
Ian

[Art]

For that effort you could could almost bypass it and go to Montserrat lookout. A very nice view East toward the Eastern peaks,
but you’d probably be best to find your way first without the kids for that one, at least for a direct route.
Similarly, the same effort takes you all the way past Lower Portals, and into the gorge waterfall if it’s running (Barney Creek).
Is Cleared Ridge of the significance to subject yourselves to the hike in?
In my opinion, your real gain only begins when you are past Cleared Ridge headed down the Yamhara Crk trail.

EDIT by Admin - as the map is now removed, this topic is locked.