Dear Sydney Morning Herald,
I am concerned about the choice of headline on SMH webpage today; 'How one bushwalker could be to blame for latest biosecurity crisis'.
We bushwalkers get a fair amount of criticism for being 'risk-takers' and 'unprepared' when things go wrong, such as being overdue - and it does not help promotion of the otherwise healthy, quiet and thought-inducing activity to have these words put out there to rest on the casual readers thoughts.
The initial outbreak of Myrtle Rust occurred in the vicinity of a short loop walk alongside the Wisemans Ferry Road, alongside the Hawkesbury River. Any person can walk the Mill Creek Walking Track in any type of footwear, although to complete the loop is of over 10km.
And vehicle parking of any type is adjacent to the start of the walk. Which leads to the rest of the article; bushwalking on Cape York (for Bamaga is mentioned) is not anywhere near as common as nearer to Sydney. To get to Bamaga, 1000km north of Cairns is normally undertaken by a 4WD vehicle, not a bushwalker on foot (although that has been done by others). '...hats, tents and other gear' is used by 4WDs, motorcyclists, photographers, fishermen, and shooters, too. Dispersal by wind cannot be disregarded, either.
And so we see, any walker - and/or driver could have spread Myrtle Rust. I only ask that more considerate phrasing be utilised for notable headlines. Bushwalking may have lead to the introduction of
Puccinia psidii. A bushwalk along the Mill Creek circuit would have also found the initial site of concern. Four years ago when running trails nearby also in Dharug National Park, I encountered crates of methylated spirits to use by spraying the soles and other surfaces of my shoes to counter the effects of this fungal disease.
With thanks,
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/thi ... nd-parkinghttp://www.smh.com.au/environment/dozen ... zyrko.html
Live everyday as if it were your last... one day you will be right.