Hang gliders oppose ban
THRILL-SEEKERS continue to oppose the banning of hang gliding and parasailing from a cliff-top between Inverloch and Cape Paterson.
Parks Victoria has erected a new sign prohibiting hang gliders and parasailers from launching from the cliff just east of Eagles Nest.
The ban is covered by national park regulations 2013 and offenders face a $295 fine.
But people can launch at other location in the nearby Cape Liptrap Coastal Park and Kilcunda-Harmers Haven Foreshore Reserve.
Parks Victoria ranger in charge Darren Hill said the site near Eagles Nest was historically used by people for hang gliding and parasailing, but those activities had been banned for around 10 years to protect people’s safety.
“The cliff edge is very close to the road which poses a serious risk to anyone launching a hang glider or paraglider from there and potential road users,” he said.
“It is an offence to jump from this site and penalties do apply.”
A replacement sign about the regulations was erected recently as similar signs were vandalised over the years.
“Parks Victoria encourages the public to be responsible for their own safety and to adhere to the regulations in this area,” Mr Hill said.
Mark Pike, from the Victorian Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, said the association does not agree with the ban at Eagles Nest but must comply with Parks Victoria’s decision.
“During the early 2000s there was a member of Parks whose opinion was that hang gliding was not compatible with the aims of parks, even though the national parks act required Parks Victoria’s charter to make provision for the use of parks by the public for the purposes of recreation,” he said.
“He attempted to close all sites in the region. We were able to maintain Cape Liptrap and Kilcunda.
“His approach to closing Eagles Nest was to use the ‘public safety issues liability risk’ tactic.
“Both the VHPA and Skyhigh Paragliding Club made submissions to the local chief ranger and requested an independent third party risk assessment be conducted in accordance with AS/NZS 4360 to validate the claimed risks.”
Mr Pike said the risk assessment did not happen and to this day Parks Victoria has not undertaken an “assessment process on the compatibility of hang gliding or paragliding in parks, nor an appreciation of how we operate”.
Mr Pike said Eagles Nest was first flown in the 1970s until the closure in 2005.
“The site was not a high usage site, being limited to the half dozen local regional pilots, an annual family fly-in weekend by the Skyhigh Paragliding Club of up to 20 pilots and families, and the odd soul the site attracted for summer holidays or weekends,” he said.
“The site is a little far from the main pilot population for a day trip.”
Mr Pike said association pilots are required to be trained, certified and operate in accordance with the Civil Aviation Regulations and the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia’s operations manual.
The Bunurong Marine National Park Management Plan states Eagles Nest receives more than 200,000 visitors per year.
“The hang gliding launch area is unlicensed and presents a risk to public safety. The launch area, on the verge of the Bunurong Coastal Drive, creates potentially hazardous driving conditions for users of the narrow and busy Cape Paterson–Inverloch Road,” the report states.
“Hang gliding and paragliding in the area has been observed to encourage road users to pull over on a dangerous section of road with double white lines.
“Landings from the cliff top launch area are limited to the beaches below or a small area near the car park and busy Cape Paterson –Inverloch Road, and are risky. Visitors on the popular Eagles Nest beach are potentially at some risk from landing hang-gliders and paragliders.”
Further information about hang gliding and alternative places to launch, including Cape Liptrap Coastal Park and Kilcunda Harmers Haven Foreshore Reserve, is available at www.parks.vic.gov.au in the Bunurong Marine National Park Management Plan or by calling Parks Victoria on 13 1963.
By Brad Lester
Stay grounded: Parks Victoria recently erected a new sign banning hang gliding and parasailing from the cliff-top near Eagles Nest, but enthusiasts disagree with the ban that has been in place since 2005.
Short URL: /?p=13813
Posted by Laura Gibb on Feb 20 2015. Filed under Featured, Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
