A PLANNED so-called ‘hike for freedom’ this Sunday at Mt Beerwah has been cancelled.
The mountain remains closed for cultural healing following an act of vandalism involving power tools that were used to carve ‘Jesus Saves Lives’ into rock at the site.
The hike was being promoted online with hikers urged to come and climb Mt Beerwah on Sunday, July 16 where promoters said they would play “hours of freedom songs as we hike up the mountain and enjoy each other’s company”.
Jinibara man, BJ Murphy, who has been working with the public to help them understand the cultural importance of the site, said the plans were frustrating.
“It’s one of those cases where it just gets you angry because it’s just a blatant disrespect… I just think it’s that whole new world order sort of group still carrying on from the pandemic,” he said.
“It’s hard because I could go and do a protest but I know it wouldn’t be civil, it would get out of hand and that’s not what I want… it’s a heap of energy I don’t have too to protest.
“I will be going this Sunday I will probably just sit back and shake my head at it all.”
GC&M News asked the Department of Environment and Science if they were aware of the planned hike.
A spokesperson responded saying they had reached out to the organisers and that anyone contravening the closure, which is in place until August 11, faced an on-the-spot-fine of $619.
“We have let the organiser know that the mountain remains closed for the time being, while we work to repair the environmental vandalism that occurred on the mountain and while the deeper cultural wounds to the Jinibara People are healed.
“We trust that the planned ‘hike up the mountain’ does not proceed.
“People who contravene Mt Beerwah’s closure without authorisation face an on-the-spot fine of $619.
“Again, we remind members of the public that Mt Beerwah remains closed, and that there are alternative hiking and rock scrambling tracks nearby at Mt Ngungun and the Yul-yan-man track at Mt Beerburrum.
BJ added that a fine wasn’t a strong enough deterrent.
“I don’t think $619 is enough to deter people but if Parks are serious in their partnership… that’s the least I would expect them to do, is go down there and tell them not to climb and if they do, they face a fine,” he said.
“Police will be the only ones who can physically stop them.”