Below is a copy of the email transcript between myself and the Chairman of the Menai management and steering committee for the 4WDNSW-ACT association, regarding 4wd access to the land and tracks beside Heathcote Rd Menai.
“Quote Walkabout”
Thanks for taking time to speak with me today.
Further to our conversation regarding the legalities of driving in the Menai area off Heathcote Rd, I am aware that only registered four wheel drive clubs by request are granted permission to drive on the Aboriginal land owned by the Gandangara people and that this permission is generaly granted after the four wheel drive clubs efforts in cleaning up the land.
Being both an online forum and a National tracks database I have told members that they should not use this area as we certainly do not want to be advocating or encouraging people to drive in closed areas.
There is some confusion regarding public use for four wheel driving on the Crown land next to the Aboriginal owned land which I am hoping you may shed some light on.
This issue seems to be contested in a number of online 4wd forums with most taking the same responsible stance of "don't go there", this said I have had little luck finding anything that gives a definitive ruling on if this land can or cant be used for public four wheel drive access.
Any information you could provide or send me relating to both the Aboriginal and Crown land would be very much appreciated so I can inform members of the legalities of using these areas.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
”Quote Chairman”
There is a lot of confusion with the area know as Menai. The majority of the land is owned by the Gandangara people with some small areas owned by National Parks, Menai Tip, RTA and the model aircraft club. From what National parks tell me they were given all the Crown Land that was there and it is now fenced off as National Park land. Essentially all the land is private with the exception of the RTA land (I believe they have a 50m wide strip down Heathcote road) and National Parks ( Who have fenced it off to restrict access). The Gandangara land had large "Private land Keep Out"signs along Heathcote road, but most have been destroyed.
We (4WDNSW-ACT) have had an on going relationship with the Gandangara community since they were given the land over 8 years ago. Our agreement was that we would conduct clean ups there in exchange for permission to access the area on club trips. We have a log of who should be accessing the area and when. Anyone not on our logs are trespassing and could be prosecuted. The Police carry out random raids in there for unregistered / stolen vehicles and trespassers. There are sacred areas which some of the trails encroach on out there and the Gandangara want us to keep away from these areas. We have areas which we cant go at any time and areas which we avoid after heavy traffic etc. As well as our monthly clean ups, we have conducted the regeneration of abused areas.
There are lots of people who pass by the Private land signs and drive out there over sacred sites and carving new tracks. This recklessness will inevitably be the ruin of our managed access system and years of work cleaning up the area.
If any of your forum members want to drive out there, all they need do is join an affiliated club and attend at least one clean up every 12 months. (see below for further explanation)
I hope this clarifies things.
“Quote Walkabout”
Thank you for your assistance in clearing up some of the confusion regarding the Menai area, my hope is to educate our members of the do's and don’ts regarding this area and encourage responsible attitudes towards using four wheel drive vehicles in permissible areas only.
I have removed all track postings for this area from our web site in an effort to help prevent unauthorized use and would like with your permission to post the main body of your email in the forum under "tracks discussion" to educate and help get the message across.
If you could clarify one point please, the registered club members who have attended at least one clean up session are allowed to drive there at their discretion or only during formal club drive days?
Regards
“Quote Chairman”
You are welcome to post the main body of my email. I hope it does clear some of the confusion.
The way the access system works is like this. Once a month we hold a clean up. Clubs book in to attend. After a few hours clean up they are allowed to go for a drive. After attending a clean up, clubs can book in a club trip of which only members who have attended a clean up in the previous 12 months may attend. After the trip they are required to submit a trip report. At no time are members allowed to drive there unless it is on an authorised club trip which has been approved by our committee.
Regards,
-----------------------------
So there you have it, unless you are part of a club that is registered with the Four Wheel drive Association NSW & ACT and following the rules outlined in the email above you are trespassing and could be prosecuted as such.
Bare in mind that unauthorized access may result in permissions being taken away and then no one can use the area which would be a great shame.
Just because some irresponsible person has removed a sign or blazed a new track into this area is not an open invitation to use it.
The Association lists some 90 or so registered clubs all up so there is bound to be a club near you should you want to get involved in the clean ups and have access through proper channels.
To see the list of registered clubs use this link: Search for Clubs:: Four (4) Wheel Drive NSW & ACT
“Quote Walkabout”
Thanks for taking time to speak with me today.
Further to our conversation regarding the legalities of driving in the Menai area off Heathcote Rd, I am aware that only registered four wheel drive clubs by request are granted permission to drive on the Aboriginal land owned by the Gandangara people and that this permission is generaly granted after the four wheel drive clubs efforts in cleaning up the land.
Being both an online forum and a National tracks database I have told members that they should not use this area as we certainly do not want to be advocating or encouraging people to drive in closed areas.
There is some confusion regarding public use for four wheel driving on the Crown land next to the Aboriginal owned land which I am hoping you may shed some light on.
This issue seems to be contested in a number of online 4wd forums with most taking the same responsible stance of "don't go there", this said I have had little luck finding anything that gives a definitive ruling on if this land can or cant be used for public four wheel drive access.
Any information you could provide or send me relating to both the Aboriginal and Crown land would be very much appreciated so I can inform members of the legalities of using these areas.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
”Quote Chairman”
There is a lot of confusion with the area know as Menai. The majority of the land is owned by the Gandangara people with some small areas owned by National Parks, Menai Tip, RTA and the model aircraft club. From what National parks tell me they were given all the Crown Land that was there and it is now fenced off as National Park land. Essentially all the land is private with the exception of the RTA land (I believe they have a 50m wide strip down Heathcote road) and National Parks ( Who have fenced it off to restrict access). The Gandangara land had large "Private land Keep Out"signs along Heathcote road, but most have been destroyed.
We (4WDNSW-ACT) have had an on going relationship with the Gandangara community since they were given the land over 8 years ago. Our agreement was that we would conduct clean ups there in exchange for permission to access the area on club trips. We have a log of who should be accessing the area and when. Anyone not on our logs are trespassing and could be prosecuted. The Police carry out random raids in there for unregistered / stolen vehicles and trespassers. There are sacred areas which some of the trails encroach on out there and the Gandangara want us to keep away from these areas. We have areas which we cant go at any time and areas which we avoid after heavy traffic etc. As well as our monthly clean ups, we have conducted the regeneration of abused areas.
There are lots of people who pass by the Private land signs and drive out there over sacred sites and carving new tracks. This recklessness will inevitably be the ruin of our managed access system and years of work cleaning up the area.
If any of your forum members want to drive out there, all they need do is join an affiliated club and attend at least one clean up every 12 months. (see below for further explanation)
I hope this clarifies things.
“Quote Walkabout”
Thank you for your assistance in clearing up some of the confusion regarding the Menai area, my hope is to educate our members of the do's and don’ts regarding this area and encourage responsible attitudes towards using four wheel drive vehicles in permissible areas only.
I have removed all track postings for this area from our web site in an effort to help prevent unauthorized use and would like with your permission to post the main body of your email in the forum under "tracks discussion" to educate and help get the message across.
If you could clarify one point please, the registered club members who have attended at least one clean up session are allowed to drive there at their discretion or only during formal club drive days?
Regards
“Quote Chairman”
You are welcome to post the main body of my email. I hope it does clear some of the confusion.
The way the access system works is like this. Once a month we hold a clean up. Clubs book in to attend. After a few hours clean up they are allowed to go for a drive. After attending a clean up, clubs can book in a club trip of which only members who have attended a clean up in the previous 12 months may attend. After the trip they are required to submit a trip report. At no time are members allowed to drive there unless it is on an authorised club trip which has been approved by our committee.
Regards,
-----------------------------
So there you have it, unless you are part of a club that is registered with the Four Wheel drive Association NSW & ACT and following the rules outlined in the email above you are trespassing and could be prosecuted as such.
Bare in mind that unauthorized access may result in permissions being taken away and then no one can use the area which would be a great shame.
Just because some irresponsible person has removed a sign or blazed a new track into this area is not an open invitation to use it.
The Association lists some 90 or so registered clubs all up so there is bound to be a club near you should you want to get involved in the clean ups and have access through proper channels.
To see the list of registered clubs use this link: Search for Clubs:: Four (4) Wheel Drive NSW & ACT
