I know this has been discussed a few times in recent months. This news story has come out this afternoon.
15:02 11Nov08 AAP-
Simpson Desert to close every summer
By Larine Statham
ADELAIDE, Nov 11 AAP - The
Simpson Desert will be closed for the first time thissummer because of the danger posed by extreme temperatures.
South Australia's Department of Environment and
Heritage today announced theannual December 1 to March 15 closure, saying a risk assessment showedtemperatures of 40 to 50 degrees celsius were dangerous for people crossing thedesert.
The closure will take effect in the
Simpson Desert Conservation
Park andRegional Reserve, covering an area of more than 3.6 million hectares.
Department regional operations director Trevor Naismith said it was unfortunatethe area had to be closed, but it was necessary to prevent deaths and to ensurethe health of visitors and emergency staff.
"There's been a number of near misses and we have had deaths in past years inthe northern parts of South Australia in relation to overseas tourists who arenot experienced and are ill-prepared for the conditions," Mr Naismith said.
"The
Simpson Desert is one of the most fascinating, majestic
places inAustralia, but in the middle of summer it's also one of the harshest and theleast hospitable areas, and potentially one of the most unforgiving, dangerousplaces.
"So, we're really keen to facilitate a commonsense approach."
Mr Naismith said high temperatures lead to an increased risk of vehiclefailure.
"This high risk also extends to emergency personnel who are called out to helpstranded visitors."
Tourism outlets and
visitor information centres have been informed of theclosure and new entry information signs are being installed at all parkentrances.
People caught by
park rangers crossing
the desert will face fines of up to$1,000.
AAP lcs/ss/cdh
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Tuesday, 11 November 2008 15:02:22AAP [nAAp53845a] {EN}ENDS