small gripe for Telowie Forest

You were in the Forestry tracks if you camped on the range north of the large tower.
The track is called Gokart Track where you would have camped.
Where the tower is built is named The Bluff.
We drive that area frequently as a club by paying entry fees to the Forest, and showing public liability insurance cover of $10m minimum.
The only camping allowed is back at the spot I mentioned before called Ippinitchie campground.
You would have been escorted off the tracks if seen. It is closed as I said earlier for fire ban season.

Geoff.

Williams track leads up to the Gokart Track from the western side of the range.
Very nice country, and good driving.

but your opening statement said

"After many hours of trying to find an open one I eventually drove thru a farm and his back paddock and opened some gates to get on one."

So, you obviously knew that it was all locked up, and had to go thru a farmers place to get to the otherside of locked gates.

No, no and no. I'm sorry you have the "Rules Police" after you now. You have admitted to doing "Something Against The Rules" and, in Australia, that is "a very bad thing to do" - you are very naughty!

Personally I'm bug*ered if I can fathom how this country _ever_ came to be regarded as free spirited or anti-authoritarian by the rest of the world - clearly they have never lived in 2005 Australia.

Repeat after me "I must _never_ break any rules or laws - I understand it does not matter if they are pointless, stupid, just serve particular groups or even if breaking them won’t cause any harm - I must _never_ break them" - next write it out 1000 times: then the "Rules Police" _might_ forgive you.

Jesus! I love this country but, sometimes, I'm glad I have two passports!

Mike Harding

mike_harding@fastmail.fm

Is it okay for people to come along and set up camp in your front garden for the night in your other homeland Mike where ever it may be?

Because that is what is happening in this post. Someone else's property is their own private land no matter where, or how large it may be.

Some consideration needs to be applied, and also the common courtesy of asking before entering.

Geoff.

Geoff,

I agree with your comments

Mike

"Jesus! I love this country but, sometimes, I'm glad I have two passports! "

So Mike Harding,

Being an Aussie is more of a convenience rather than an act of patriotism or belonging?

>>"Jesus! I love this country but, sometimes, I'm glad I have
>>two passports! "

>So Mike Harding,
>Being an Aussie is more of a convenience rather than an act of
>patriotism or belonging?

What a nasty little dig.

I don't have to explain my loyalties to you any more than I would expect you to explain your sexual preferences to me.

What I will say is that this country has a serious case of "Jobsworth" disease and it may be fatal. It originates with people saying things like: “It’s against the rules mate, can’t do that it’s more than my jobs worth” and it goes downhill from there.

The Australian population (in general) are subservant to their (many) respective governments to a degree I find both unhealthy and alarming. Those governments, in turn, use this acquiescence to pass more and more legislation which both panders to special interest groups and progressively removes people’s freedoms. And most of the Australian population think this is a “good thing” – especially when the legislation is removing freedoms from _other people_ and not affecting them. Watch what happens to 4WDs in the years to come.

The rest of the world see Australia as a state of independent individuals, a state of adventurers and people who won’t be stifled by petty authority – the rest of the world is wrong and has been for a number of years I suspect.

I fear I can see a day when bureaucracy, petty authority, oppressive legislation and the lack of balls of the majority populous to stand up against bad laws will make me no longer wish to live in this country – I know when I’m beat Willem and if the majority of 20 million people are happy (comfortable and secure even) to live in a nanny state then maybe it’ll be best for all of us if I wasn’t here any longer and that’s why I’m glad I have two passports.

Mike Harding

Yeah well Mike...You leave yourself open to comment when you post something controversial. I doubt if there is any Utopia on earth. No place is perfect. Your views are also the views of many others. All periods in time are journeys and the wheel will turn and bring new challenges to people, governments and despots alike. I tend to look at the little picture and go along my merry way doing my own thing and skirting around the edges. It is stress free.

Hope you have a nicer life in your other country. Bye!

Mike said;
"What a nasty little dig.

I don't have to explain my loyalties to you any more than I would expect you to explain your sexual preferences to me.

What I will say is that this country has a serious case of "Jobsworth" disease and it may be fatal. It originates with people saying things like: “It’s against the rules mate, can’t do that it’s more than my jobs worth” and it goes downhill from there. "

Boy, I'm glad I live in Australia and not your other country Mike, at least it sounds like we do have some control here.

Probably not punished Gossy as much as more educated on the driving on private and government lands.

Not sure if everyone is perfect but even if you drove a full day to get there and found what you did, surely you understand that driving across someones property without permission is wrong. Even if you tried and they were not there it doesn't mean close enough is good enough. I don't agree with the law or regulation that just because you own a million acreas you can close it up to everyone, but them's the laws. Probably the reason that most of the way across the Gulf from Chilligeo there are signs at each property telling you not to stop and camp and if you do you'll be charged. They get sick of people doing the wrong thing. In this case doing the wrong thing was ignoring the locked gates and not checking with the owner before trespassing. Mate I see it up here in CQ all the time, pity is many of the local places being close to locals are because of southerns coming up and doing what you did.

We did the right thing. Didn't have a fire (just a fluro light and fire bans). Didn't even put up a tent but just slept on the ground.