Marc Hendrickx
Mount Warning National Park provides one of the most outstanding experiences of the Australian Landscape on the east coast. Mount Warning was an immense shield volcano active 23 million years ago, and is now regarded as the best-preserved and largest eroded shield volcano in the southern hemisphere. The original volcano was over 100km in diameter and likely reached over 2000m high. The 1159m peak of Mount Warning is the solidified remains of the main central vent of the volcano. 360-degree views from the summit to the Pacific Ocean beaches, the Tweed River valley and the surrounding forested ranges forming the caldera walls are simply extraordinary. Since a 4.2km track was constructed in 1909 over 3.5 million people - families, friends and individuals have made the journey to the summit to experience the exhilaration of the climb, the awe-inspiring vista and for some, the joy of witnessing the first sunrise on the Australian Mainland. More recently public access to the Park and Summit has become contentious as post-modernist political concepts have captured the minds of Park Authorities trusted with managing the Park on behalf of the Public. There has been a push to close the Park on the grounds public access offends some Aboriginal groups. Other Aboriginal groups challenge this belief, including those that have the closest connection to the mountain - the Ngarakwal People. The matriarch of this group, the late Marlene Boyd stated in 2007 'I do not oppose the public climbing of Mount Warning - how can the public experience the spiritual significance of this land if they do not climb the summit and witness creation!' This wonderful endorsement of what we all feel when we visit these remarkable natural places has been long ignored by the authorities. A Guide to Climbing Mount Warning is a celebration of the Park and summit experience. The Guide is packed with historical information, facts and figures that demonstrate official views about the mountain in relation to environmental damage, safety and Aboriginal perspectives are fundamentally wrong. Moves to close the Park are more about politics and misconceptions about risk management. This flawed approach will result in a National Park that will have no visitors. Awe and wonder to be hidden behind a locked gate. This would be an insult to the millions who have climbed and those who worked so hard to create the Park in 1929 preserving this wonderful place and the adventure it holds for future generations to explore and enjoy.
