Dissappointing CSR.

BJ

We did the CSR in Jul/Aug this year (south to north). We agree with you that the bottom half is maintained well. Yes, many of the top half wells are in disrepair. However, we did find a few that had a good water supply, which we used on our travels. Yes, some did have galahs and zebra finches hovering around a few of the wells.

As for maintaining the wells, it is probably more a question as to whether there is still available water below the disused wells. For 4WD'ers, we dont need available in every well, as we are not moving stock overland, so our uses are slightly different to the early settlers.

We did enjoy the remoteness and not seeing too many other vehicles. If we were to do the trip again, we would probably restrict our trip to the bottom half, but the is a personal choice.

As for rangers out on the track, yes, we saw no-one. But that was the same for many other outback tracks we travelled on before & after our CSR trek.

Reading the red book about Canning during our trip made our trip far more memorable. He must have suffered some hard times over many years setting up the CSR. Yes, a great piece of history. Let's hope it (at least) maintains its funding for maintaining the bottom half.

If you like to look at some of pics from our trip, you can view them at: our website. Enjoy!

Hi BJ. I think that like a lot of people, you overestimate the number of vehicles that actually travel the route. It might surprise you to know that under a thousand permits were issued last year. 900 vehicles in fact. This is hardly generating buckets of money for the T/O’s along the Canning in fact if you divided it between the four separate title holders it is less than $20K each. The ANFWDA website clearly states what the permit revenues are used for namely;

“ Revenue from these fees funds the administration of the permit system and protection of environmental, cultural and heritage values of the Canning Stock Route by Traditional Owners”.

It's an unfair comparison to compare a National/State park with the 2000 odd km of the Canning. I hardly think that your $12 a night camping fee in a State park is going to result in a lot of infrastructure work. You seem to forget about the key funding stream provided by Governments. It will be interesting to see what suffers now most state Govts are cutting their departmental budgets.

If you check the “plan for country” of the various native title holder groups, you will see that they are doing a lot of work along the Canning including preparing management plans, wildlife surveys and assessments, return to country exercises and ensuring the health of the country surrounding the Canning is supported and maintained in traditional fashion (patch burning to prevent super hot and uncontrolled wild fires, feral animal control etc). They are also looking at development opportunities involving tourism to promote further opportunities for both local people and visitors alike. They are doing this with very limited (and non targeted) funding. They are under no obligation to provide facilities or maintenance along the Canning and the minimal amount generated by Canning permits wouldn’t stretch very far to that end any way.

Well restoration is conducted by volunteers using donations and generally organised by one or two dedicated individuals like Ken Maidment. They are giving of their own time, energy and expertise to undertake these exercises and they are no mean feat logistics wise. The Canning remains one of the last great adventures. Treat it like the adventure and test of endurance that it is. Surely fresh water with a few dead birds is better than no water at all, especially when needed.

BJ, I can only hope you’ll be the first to donate either your money and/or time to any venture to restore further wells or assist Track Care in their endeavours to provide more excellent facilities along the route.

Safe Travels,

Mick

Hi all
I’ve been following the post with interest and the ideas put forward.

It’s also interesting to note a number of ideas aren’t followed up with an ‘I’d like to help if I can’. Suggestions are made but it’s always expected that someone else will do it! As Mick O says in reply 2 of 3 above ‘... I can only hope you’ll be the first to donate either your money and/or time ...’

I propose a different point of view. The vehicle pressure and resultant visitor pressure on the CSR is growing exponentially each year - if it continues at that rate the CSR’s delicate desert environment can’t cope; it probably already can't cope.

Some of you may be aware that the track into the Bungle Bungles is very ordinary. Why, because the visitor numbers are almost unmanageable but leaving the track in poor condition keeps the numbers down.

Similarly by not upgrading more CSR wells and by leaving the CSR as it is:
Fewer people will travel the route as a result visitor pressure will be kept down,
Fewer restrictions will be introduced in the future or not as quickly. (restrictions that will be probably be introduced in the future include a ban on camper trailers and a ban on fires to protect animal habitat/dwindling supplies of wood.)
Permit prices won’t increase as quickly,
Fewer areas will be denied access to visitors in the future. (When permits were introduced many areas were prohibited to visitors, then Calvert Range was added to that list, followed later by Carnarvon Range and the Mungkulu Hills.)

If visitor numbers continue to grow rest assured more restrictions will follow.

As Mick O says;
‘The Canning remains one of the last great adventures. Treat it like the adventure and test of endurance that it is. Surely fresh water with a few dead birds is better than no water at all, especially when needed’.

All the best

Wasn't the CSR put in by white fellas to enable cattle from the Kimberly and nearby areas to be driven south. Also from what I have read the drive through the desert rid the cattle of ticks and like pests. This being the CSR's original purpose why should the "traditional owners" be responsible for anything other than making sure uncaring tourist don't degrade the area any more than it already is. If we want the wells maintained that is up to us. If they can make a dollar out of the tourist trade good on them, although I would hope the money goes to improving their lot in life.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers
Pop

Interesting thread…..I found that part of the charm and adventure of travelling the Canning Stock Route is that a majority of the wells are generally original and untouched except by those who constructed them, even if they are in ruins. The wonderful history of the CSR can stir up powerful emotions and these are partially lost and become meaningless with over-restoration, toilets, barbecues and what have you. Sure it’s great to have some wells restored for safety and purely practical purposes, but not so sure about the toilets. Where do we start and where do we stop…..a toilet shed and BBQ at every well?
Organizations like Track Care and 4WD clubs as well as governments and communities (not just the CSR but Australia wide) have to be careful to strike a balance between making these outback tracks safe for the newcomers, and leaving them in their original state, allowing for a greater understanding of the history and also the poignancy of the lives and privations of the pioneers who went before us.
I agree with a point made in a previous thread that the less work done attracts less travelers and the land can hopefully remove or repair any evidence of our visits.
I am not going to get onto the relative merits or otherwise of permits and how the funds should be spent, but I have travelled a majority of the remote tracks in Oz and also entered many of the communities and never once have I been challenged or asked to show a permit. Interestingly, the CEO of a community in WA told me that (amongst other things) there were no rangers in his community; they had all resigned and they were battling to find suitable people who wanted to do the job.
We also must when we travel in these places do our best to understand and respect the extraordinary history and culture of the traditional owners.
I love the isolation of remote area travel and I do most of it solo, but there is nothing more paradoxical than to travel and bush camp on lonely tracks, not see a soul, vehicle or man made structure for days, and suddenly come across a rest area with a shed, table and seats, a tank, a toilet and a fireplace…..very disappointing.
Tony

Personally I would love to see more Wells restored. All 51 in fact. Reason being, I think the CSR is an incredible route to walk unsupported. I know its overwhelming main interest is 4x4ing, but returning to roots and walking it ..... I like the challenge and I think others would too. We are kinda soft these days.

But I know it is not going to happen, at least not the restoring of all the Wells.