Really p...ed off

[big Neil]

The Murray Cod season has only just begun and I am already annoyed with so many authorities. Fair dinkum they couldn't run a chook raffle!

After the long wait for Cod season to open (Friday, Dec 1st) it finally arrives and the river is in great condition. Bear in mind that the last time this happened was in 2015. I went out and got some very nice Cod. I was busy on the weekend so went out on Monday. The river was running pretty fast but I managed a couple more decent fish. My American mate (Larry) arrived and on Tuesday we went way downstream (50 kms) to the new boat ramp and pontoon at Darlington Point. I hadn't fished there for ages but knew that the water would be much better there because of the long distance between weirs. Proved to be a good choice with several more good Cod caught there. I am waiting on some photos that Larry took before I put a separate post up. Unfortunately, work interrupted Larry's plans to stay the week and he had to head to Deniliquin. My own plans got disrupted too and I was heading out EARLY this morning (Saturday). Headed to the boat ramp to find the water had been diverted 2 weirs upstream and there was 5mtrs of mud on the ramp. Too risky for me to perform a solo launch/retrieve so I headed home. Got home and contemplated putting the tackle in the COW and going fishing from the bank. However, by the time I was sorted the sun was well up as was the temperature, 40c +. Decided against it.

The other organisation that annoys me lately is the NPWS. I have imagined that they are set up to provide access to the National Parks by the public. IT APPEARS NOT. To people living in rural NSW the river is our source of recreation, of getting together with family and friends to enjoy the outdoor activities provided by the river (swimming, water skiing, fishing, camping, sitting around the fire having a few cold ones, and relaxing...especially at this time of year). They have all but banned access to many usual places that locals frequent. Apparently, you can pay and pre-book a short visit to the river but the days of big get-togethers are gone.

So farmers have no water to produce food for local and export usage (it's been hijacked under the Murray Darling Basin scheme by entrepreneurs, many of these secret opportunists believed to be our esteemed politicians. The dams that store the water for irrigation purposes empty millions of megalitres out to sea south of Adelaide every time it looks like decent rain. Then it doesn't rain and the dam levels have dropped dramatically. We even have several fishing comps held each year and the water levels could be managed to accommodate the numerous visitors to the area...BUT NO, that doesn't happen either. Fair dinkum, if I wasn't a well- established old timer, I'd be LIVID at the incompetence of these autocracies who fail us time and time again.

bn  (aka whingealot)

[bessell1955]

BN, they just do not get it, at all. 

[big Neil]

7 minutes ago, bessell1955 said:

BN, they just do not get it, at all. 

Too true. Haha, I love your little emoji (hope that's what it's called).    bn

[Hoods]

Hi Neil I am feeling for you. We spent a lot of time at the "Reserves" along the Bidgee back when the reserves provided the only public access to the river and were the main source of getting together.

If National Sparks And Wildfires have taken over the Public's Reserves then the Public have been duped and robbed (again).

They appear to consider any area under their control and their own sacred areas and lock the public out. Time for an ownership change!!

As for MI - don't get us started. It never happened back in the mid 90's now they are so frightened in their ignorance they have a hair trigger.

There is no valid excuse for such a significant drop in river height in such a short period of time.

Hope the situation improves for you. Maybe a trip up the coast is in order!!

[big Neil]

11 hours ago, Hoods said:

Hi Neil I am feeling for you. We spent a lot of time at the "Reserves" along the Bidgee back when the reserves provided the only public access to the river and were the main source of getting together.

If National Sparks And Wildfires have taken over the Public's Reserves then the Public have been duped and robbed (again).

They appear to consider any area under their control and their own sacred areas and lock the public out. Time for an ownership change!!

As for MI - don't get us started. It never happened back in the mid 90's now they are so frightened in their ignorance they have a hair trigger.

There is no valid excuse for such a significant drop in river height in such a short period of time.

Hope the situation improves for you. Maybe a trip up the coast is in order!!

Thanks Andrew, you have a good perspective of how it is. It's a long way from what we were used to many years ago. Still planning a trip up your way, but not till after the busy holiday period. bn

[Ganguddy Goodoo]

Feel for you Bn. About 15 years back I remember I crossed (rock hopped) the Bidgee to go climbing. During the morning water came downstream from a dam release making the river too dangerous to cross back resulting in a 12km walk to get back to the car safely. It was a hot day but pretty funny in hindsight.

Like you I'm also not a big fan of public land managers excluding people from natural recreational areas through red tape. The way I see it the more people who spend time in the bush the more people will care about the bush. As these people spend more time in the bush the less likely they will behave badly in the bush in terms of fires and rubbish. I reckon for areas within about 3 hours drive of a major city the permits a probably necessary for camping as areas can become so overcrowded they become pretty ordinary places to be. For areas further away from major cities the local parks office is so under resourced they are starting to use permit systems to control numbers to save dollars so they can at least so some of the other land management activities the reserves requires.

[Mike Sydney]

I was reading the other day the blue mountains council has chucked a 2 hour parking limit in the car park at Echo Point trail  - a 3 hour walk. 
 

 

[Restyle]

I hate npws. It’s a business all Designed for profits and to make enjoying what’s left of this great state as inconvenient as possible. I don’t care about having to pay entry frees or a 3 day permit. Look at Stockton beach where you can only camp in designated camp sites on the southern end of the beach, your not allowed to camp on a random section of the beach for what reason? They cannot monitor it? It massively inconvenient to arrive to a spot, spend the night fishing there to then have to pack all your crap up and drive back to the designated camping areas to find a group of teenagers on their red p plates limiter bashing their shtbox rust tub. And blasting music all night. And what If you’re fishing up the northern end as the southern end is absolutely packed with people having the same idea.
It isn’t hard to camp on the beach and get a way with it, but you have to be up at the crack of dawn to pack your swag away and you’re constantly on edge, which brings the point. What’s the point of camping to relax and having a good nights rest if you’re on edge about getting pulled up by a ranger for committing the ‘serious’ crime of sleeping on a random section of beach causing absolutely no harm to anything. 

Most of Nsw beaches are like this. one of their excuses for banning beach camping it is the protection of shore birds which makes absolutely no sense as people drive up and down the beach all day. All my camping is based around pulling up to a juicy section of beach, setting up camp, wetting a line and enjoying myself for a few day. This is partly what made south Australia’s dog fence so appealing as I don’t have to pack my sleeping crap away before 7am each morning.

 

[big Neil]

7 hours ago, Ganguddy Goodoo said:

Feel for you Bn. About 15 years back I remember I crossed (rock hopped) the Bidgee to go climbing. During the morning water came downstream from a dam release making the river too dangerous to cross back resulting in a 12km walk to get back to the car safely. It was a hot day but pretty funny in hindsight.

Like you I'm also not a big fan of public land managers excluding people from natural recreational areas through red tape. The way I see it the more people who spend time in the bush the more people will care about the bush. As these people spend more time in the bush the less likely they will behave badly in the bush in terms of fires and rubbish. I reckon for areas within about 3 hours drive of a major city the permits a probably necessary for camping as areas can become so overcrowded they become pretty ordinary places to be. For areas further away from major cities the local parks office is so under resourced they are starting to use permit systems to control numbers to save dollars so they can at least so some of the other land management activities the reserves requires.

That's some really good points that you make about the location of these National Parks and who will be using them. I totally agree with everything you mention in your post. Very disappointing that they are not providing the facilities for the people in the areas who need them. Been great chatting with you through the Fishraider system, hope you have a great Summer and we can continue to chat in 2024.

Cheers, bn

[Hoods]

We fished the Snowy Festival in early November. Spent a few days up the rivers fly fishing - except Uncle Yogi had closed areas off and posted signs preventing any photography or videoing of NPWS Staff or contractors - coincided with the helicopters and horse reduction scheme.

They flew over us one day on the upper Bidgee.

A Law unto Themselves.

[big Neil]

On 12/13/2023 at 10:18 AM, Restyle said:

I hate npws. It’s a business all Designed for profits and to make enjoying what’s left of this great state as inconvenient as possible. I don’t care about having to pay entry frees or a 3 day permit. Look at Stockton beach where you can only camp in designated camp sites on the southern end of the beach, your not allowed to camp on a random section of the beach for what reason? They cannot monitor it? It massively inconvenient to arrive to a spot, spend the night fishing there to then have to pack all your crap up and drive back to the designated camping areas to find a group of teenagers on their red p plates limiter bashing their shtbox rust tub. And blasting music all night. And what If you’re fishing up the northern end as the southern end is absolutely packed with people having the same idea.
It isn’t hard to camp on the beach and get a way with it, but you have to be up at the crack of dawn to pack your swag away and you’re constantly on edge, which brings the point. What’s the point of camping to relax and having a good nights rest if you’re on edge about getting pulled up by a ranger for committing the ‘serious’ crime of sleeping on a random section of beach causing absolutely no harm to anything. 

Most of Nsw beaches are like this. one of their excuses for banning beach camping it is the protection of shore birds which makes absolutely no sense as people drive up and down the beach all day. All my camping is based around pulling up to a juicy section of beach, setting up camp, wetting a line and enjoying myself for a few day. This is partly what made south Australia’s dog fence so appealing as I don’t have to pack my sleeping crap away before 7am each morning.

 

It's quite distressing to see that their control mandates applied here are the same in most other parts of the State. There has to be different considerations for different locations. What may HAVE to be applied near busy population centres needs different consideration to what is applied to places with low population and high need. But it isn't!.

The main reason for NPWS decisions stems from the dread that somebody is going to sue them for some negligence on their part, in managing these locations. Hence the payment and the control factors. Alas, the past world where we could go and do things and knowingly suffer the consequences of incidents and accidents has gone. In its place is a society where everything is subject to risk analysis and who is responsible. I'm not suggesting a return to "the old days" as that is impossible, but surely there needs to be encouragement for people to be able to access these wonderful parts of the State for essential recreation. Todays world is hectic and nature provides a wonderful opportunity for us to unwind and recuperate in pristine environments...if only we were allowed to do so. That is one of the biggest factors in the popularity of fishing.

Thanks for your input Restyle.

bn

[Sharknado]

If the NPWS had their way all national parks would be closed gated all together, they just want the land totally "preserved" which mean no humans at all.

If the greens get more power you can expect this to become a reality!

 

https://greens.org.au/nsw/policies/national-parks-and-protected-areas

 

https://greens.org.au/nsw/news/media-release/greens-call-nsw-government-move-faster-expanding-protected-area-network