Freeways

Yesterday Cyan and I walked the Coastal Track in Royal National Park in Sydney.  The oldest national park in Sydney and the second oldest in the world apparently.  We did 27 kms in two half days.  Not bad for a fifty plus father and my eleven year old son.  I was pleased.  

Royal National Park is stunning.  The views are breathtaking.  The visitation is intense at times. 

Hopefully next week we will do another walk somewhere else.  Canyoning perhaps, Cyan hasn’t full experienced Canyoning yet despite our gentle starts.  Will be nice in the heat waves that are coming.   We are preparing to walk the Overland Track in Tasmania on his request.  Can’t wait.  Amazing father son time.  Yes there was lots of camera time between us. Lots of special talks that I will hold onto for years to come. 

Cyan tells me I don’t winge or complain.  Though I do have one major one that really bugged me on the walk.  So if you don’t want to read me offloading best to stop here.

I couldn’t help but think about the plastic raised walk ways they are currently installing on the walk. Kilometres of it. Sterile and modern. A sanitized nature experience. Plastic in a National Park, what are they thinking.  I can see it now, cheapest path per meter I suspect.  It looks like a asphalt freeway snaking it’s way through the bush.  Feels totally out of place.  It disconnects me from the earth.  No natural grounding with the soil.  I couldn’t stand it.   I really hope it doesn’t catch on and spread through other parks.  

I was also honestly horrified at the damage the contractors had done in installing them too.  One would think the main reason for installing them was for erosion control.  Yet a few sticks dropped in the old path seemed to suffice.  Plastic left overs dumped beside the track.  Loads of supplies helicoptered in and placed onto and crushing beautiful plants with an open space right next to them.

Pathing a track like that is an opportunity to reroute the track to more visually interesting routes and ones away from roads. To let old pathways regenerate.  We walked for 500 meters next to a bushfire road on the raised plastic track just two meters from the road.  Unbelievable.  

Winging over.  I imagine many of our tourists are thankful for the beautiful walkways that make the Walk feel safter and more defined.  Just not my cup of tea.   

Sawpit Creek picnic area Kosciuszko National Park, an area with gorgeous walks and beautiful trees.  Oh. Yes, it is meant to be all soft and moody.  ;)  Photograph and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2018