Country living

September 2020

The barricades went up this week at Barrm Birrm. MRSC Operations laid great thumping trunks of trees across the entry tracks, along with signs stating plainly: ‘Private Property’. Even before the crew was done, a 4WD pushed through light scrub on Gap Road to avoid the blocked access, and runs the dogs there - him driving, dogs running behind. ‘Hey, what are you doing, that’s illegal?!’ yells a passing walker, as he flattens saplings.

 

Prince of Wales Terrace on the north end remained open, and the trail bikes in any case found the tree trunks no impediment. Saturday, then again on Sunday, bikes spent three hours tooling around the slopes, carving their tracks and turning up the clay ready to be washed downhill next rainfall. A regular weekend for them.

The Operations Crew were back Monday morning, lifting out the logs they had mistakenly placed across Princess St and Prince Albert St. These are gazetted roads, and Council must keep them open to the public. This obligation doesn’t extend to maintaining the roads, nor yet to blocking the tracks running up and down the slope.

What’s next? A trail bike for Senior Constable Johnson? Surveillance cameras, with Shire Local Laws staff dropping in for a quiet word to trespassers? Education, public shaming or legal action? 

There are no obvious solutions here. 

Bring your trifocals to Barrm Birrm, first, a fine-grained lens to enjoy the small glories unfolding as winter lightens up and spring sneaks in, a second lens to see the damage being done, and a third to see, behind it all, the struggle to control intemperate youth and cultivate a deeper care.

Riddells Landcare cleans up after the adolescents and patiently explains – ‘This is a fragile hillside, and you’re damaging it.’ But any reason to walk into Barrm Birrm is a good reason. Days of showers and sunshine now, the bright purples of hardenbergia coming through and wattles bursting overhead. Bracing air. The distant wail of chainsaws, and a plume of mud and stones as a trail bike roars past. 

Real country living!

Ross Colliver, Riddells Creek Landcare