APY lands tourism and Permits??
Submitted: Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 08:35
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Member - Boobook
It's a while since I was in the APY Lands. I consider myself very lucky to get a permit, partly due to some advice given on this
forum ( Thanks S.L. )
At that time, 3 years ago I met the current Premier of SA at Ernabella. He appeared to be a very nice bloke. He said that there was talk of opening up the APY lands or tourism, but there had been some local issues. Since then of course, the nurse was tragically killed.
There are some of the most beautiful parts of the outback in this area. I'd love to go back, but it took 6 months to get the permit last time with constant work and calls. It was granted just 4 days before we got there - we were at Giles. We had actually started accept that we wouldn't get the permit. There is no way you could plan a trip there based on my experience.
Does anyone know if there are still plans to open up the land to tourism?
Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 09:45
Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 09:45
Hi Boobook
Since our first visit through there back in 1998, there has always been talk about opening it up, and that it what is seems.......just talk.
As we knew Aboriginal people living there, it still had to go to each community that we visited for their approval, and when my permit came back ( from memory less than a month ) the permit was classed as "Family Vist"
I still keep in contact with my aboriginal friends, but sadly a number of them are now deceased and have died at
young ages.
You will find that many Aboriginal people have no problems with people visiting their lands, and that the biggest hurdle to stop the area from opening up is from white people that wants to keep the area closed.
It would be fantastic to see it open up more freely, as like you know, the country through there is just unreal.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 09:48
Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 09:48
ps Boobook
I notice that you were issues with your permit with 4 days to travel through the area. When I received my "Family Visit" permit, it was valid for 12 months.
So I am not sure if things have changed, or I was just very lucky.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 09:52
Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 09:52
I may have worded that incorrectly Stephen. I meant that we only got the permit 4 days before our planned entry date. From memory, I asked for, and got about 14 days duration.
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 15:21
Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 15:21
Maybe they should open it up a bit more, the Australian Taxpayer has recently contributed $104,000.000 for roadworks etc.
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Reply By: Les - PK Ranger - Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 11:51
Sunday, Dec 16, 2018 at 11:51
I think it's almost impossible to get a permit to enter now without knowing someone in there, or working there.
We went to the northern part (Musgrave Ranges) to climb Mt Woodroofe in 2009.
For a nominal fee, we managed to piggy back on a trip by (think it was) Desert Tracks (?) out of
Yulara, who did school trips in there with the elders (Peter and family) and one trip a year to take a group in to climb Mt W, SA's highest peak.
We were fully self sufficient, just did our own thing in there, and besides bagging this hard to access peak, also managed to participate in the various talks, sand drawings, and songlines the locals did of the mountain and dreamtime stories.
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Reply By: Candace S. - Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 07:25
Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 07:25
Having read (primarily on this
forum) so many great things about the APY lands, I too hope they become more accessible! And while I'm still traveling!
Les, I'd love to add Mt. Woodroofe to my peaks list. :) I've only got two Oz peaks on there now.
My little list :)
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Follow Up By: Les - PK Ranger - Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 07:44
Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 07:44
Cool list Candace !
I'd love to have listed all mine like that, but our peaks in general seem too small to do this.
We have walked so many remote km through Australian states, many great iconic tracks, and usually detour off to bag significant ones as we pass.
I'm on a mission to bag the states highest 2 (or sometimes 3) peaks, and getting Meherry and Bruce this mid year, I'm left with Bartle Frere and Bellenden Ker, which I will pick up on a Cape trip either 2019 or 2020.
If you are going through the centre some stage later, try contacting the
Yulara tourism office and ask if they can refer you to the right place that takes school groups into Ngarutjara, the track goes south from Mulga Pk Rd, just 10 or 12 km south of Mulga Pk station.
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Follow Up By: Les - PK Ranger - Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 07:58
Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 07:58
I just looked up info on my computer files Candace, and it was Desert Tracks at the time in
Yulara, but that was 2009, and I can't find anything on them now on Google.
I did find some info from this peak bag site referring to SEIT.
peakclimbs.com
A google brings up info for them.
SEIT on google search
Sounds expensive to join them, but worth asking if keen to climb SA's highest peak.
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Follow Up By: gke - Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 09:18
Monday, Dec 17, 2018 at 09:18
Wow! How are your knees holding up? Isn't the Utah
red rock country fantastic?
Cheers, Graham.
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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Wednesday, Dec 19, 2018 at 17:02
Wednesday, Dec 19, 2018 at 17:02
LOL, yes the knees have had a bit of use over the years! They're hanging in there, but the cartilage is getting a little worn. I have a minor meniscus tear in the left knee. But I got some "gel" injections (not steroids) since two different docs didn't feel surgery was advisable. So that one is not hurting now.
These days, I do sometimes find an ice pack to be helpful if they do get a little sore.
Les -- thanks for the info. I do hope to get back to that part of the world, but it won't be next year. Perhaps if I delay a bit, the APY lands will become easier to access. :)
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