Friday 8 March 2013

Cape Hauy Handrail - OR Taking responsibility for oneself...

Now that we face a handrail being installed on Cape Hauy (correct pronunciation here, alternatives from here), I present this reminder of the appropriate sort of sign to place in front of idiots who potentially might try to wander off the end of a fairly obvious cliff...

Click on the picture to read the detail, it's YOUR responsibility.


This one is on the way to the Maingon Blowhole, a nasty, steep, slippery gash in the earth which will consign you to a 40-ish metre fall into a sudden narrow rocky slot in an otherwise easy, sandy, flat coastal plateau, and then a rough watery, wave-washed grave at the bottom. This is undoubtedly the sort of thing you don't want to find unexpectedly on a dark night. You'll probably die on the way down, but if you don't then you will at the bottom. (Cheerful aren't I?) On a bright sunny day, only people with a deathwish would manage to fall into it, but meanwhile it's a noted and promoted family walk on VERY easy tracks from Remarkable Cave out to Mount Brown and Crescent Bay.

NPWS have done a risk assessment on their new highway to Cape Hauy which says that there needs to be handrails around the end of the cape. It's undoubtedly dangerous, but for goodness sake (note the politeness) it's supposed to be. It's the top of a cliff, a fatal cliff, it's one of the most brilliant places to sit and eat lunch in the whole flamin' world!!! A handrail will NOT improve it, but will in fact destroy the entire experience. YOU PRATS! 

We need some laws which stop people blaming "someone else" for their own stupidity. See Tasmanian Times for some further info and commentary.

1 comment:

Di E said...

Agreed, if people are fit enough to get to the cliffs, they are capable of appreciating the risks and looking after children etc. I couldn't believe it when I heard this news item!