Unchecked tourism at Bellingen's Never Never River
Indigenous custodians embrace chance to curb tourism at 'trashed' swimming spot
"Occasional closure part of Indigenous Protected Area plan for troubled Never Never River's Promised Lands. The spot has now been declared part of an 81,000-hectare Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) in the Bellingen Valley."
"There have been concerns about pollution in the Never Never River at a popular swimming spot known as the Promised Lands, near the town of Bellingen...In January 2023, water quality at the river showed concerning levels of faecal matter, with human and dog excrement the suspected source."
"It was once regarded as something of a secret spot, but coverage on social media has seen it become an increasingly popular swimming site. But as the site is not recognised as a tourist area by Forestry Corporation NSW, which manages the Crown Land, there are no public toilets or rubbish bins, and minimal parking."
"Rather than it being a free-for-all, driving up and down from sacred places, we need to give it a rest sometimes during the year."
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-10/never-never-river-bellingen-indigenous-protected-area/103993356
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