Woodroffe and state8 2024

[louphi]

Hi, LouPhi here (Louis-Philippe Loncka aka The Mad Belgian).
I'm slowly preparing for an expedition this winter in the outback. (I'm still home in Brussels) Not even sure I'll come this year (from July 2024) but I'll try.
After the expedition, around mid September if all goes well, I'd like to finish the State8.
I've done Ossa 3 times (TAS), QLD, NSW and NT (Zeil on my very first expedition in 2006, film to come directly on YouTube as I could recently use AI to upscale the size of the video, yeah, old tape at 768*576pix)

So I'd like to climb Woodroffe, which needs a permit. I found this company does a tour each year apparently in May: https://seittours.com/ (I'll email them right now)
But of course, I have no idea when I'll be there and most likely in September but it could be October 2024.
Anyone wants to join? (I think we might get a permit if 3-4 people? so not 15 or so)

Of course I wanna do the summits of WA (easy, but need a car, might fly/hitch hike) and then VIC and ACT are straightforward.

[Bill P]

Yes Louphi, I am interested in a private trip to Mt Woodroffe.

Cheers Bill.

[louphi]

Reply from SEIT this morning (I copy paste the important bits, I asked if they could help with tips on how to apply for a permit):
Unfortunately, SEIT do no longer do any touring at Mt Woodroffe.
We haven’t been back for a few years now.

I am unable to assist with the information on how to proceed with your application to go.
Im afraid I wasn’t around when SEIT used to visit Mt Woodroffe, but I do believe they were granted special access which we no longer have.
Your best bet would be the South Australian government, perhaps they could help.
--
Links and contacts I'm emailing now to explain the idea of climbing Woodroffe and process for the permit+warn the landowners.
So I guest this post will help anyone who wants to climb Woodroffe from 2024 and beyond.

https://anangu.com.au/apy-programs/permits
https://anangu.com.au/contact-us
https://anangu.com.au/about-us
https://apy.snapforms.com.au/form/apy-p ... individual
PMB 227 Umuwa via Alice Springs, NT 0872 / (08) 8954 8111 / Officemanager@anangu.com.au

PS: Why do I put many links to different pages of the same website? Because the internet archive will probably keep them and in case the site has problems, we will be able to access resources or older "rules" for the permit.

[louphi]

Hi, now the reply of diversetravel.com.au
Their tour page about Woodroffe: https://www.diversetravel.com.au/aborig ... offe-climb
Clearly mentioning:
We have been advised by the APY Executive that the 2024 Climb access has not been approved as all Tourism, Business & Commercial activities on the APY Lands are suspended until further notice.
---
They replied (I cut the polite forms):
We have had an application for tourist visitor permits with the APY Lands council for almost 2 years now (since the pandemic) – they advise they have more important things to do than consider tourism visitor permits. This means we have not been able to run the Mt Woodroffe climbs for quite some time.

I did recently have success getting permits for ******* Aboriginal Art buyers to visit and art centre in the APY lands. A lot of support letters and assistance from the Art Centre was required. You have to have a current police check as part of any permit application.

I am not able to assist with any kind of permit application – you would need to go to the web site and lodge a permit application – I have no idea if you would be successful.
---
In short: it is very hard but not impossible. Of course, we deal with humans and the culture and views. So it's a bit of "seduction" and convincing. They have to "like" me I guess because I'm not a benefit for the APY land owners. I'm just a tourist.

[louphi]

So on 15 May I got this from Permits@anangu.com.au :
Please note that we do not allow any form of Tourism on the APY Lands so unfortunately you will not be able to get a permit to enter the APY Lands.
So It's hard to get a permit. I've 2 options:
1) convince them to perhaps have 1 day per year to open Mt Woodroffe (and the lands to access it). Why? Because in the past (like 10 years ago) I think no permits were needed or permits needed but easy to get. Three people went there for speed records running and before them a few ohter people had sone fast/speed records (around 2013).
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/australian-geographic-adventure/adventure/2013/11/on-the-edge-of-a-new-aussie-8-record/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EPYaiRKjhA
2) Find a media interested. They give media permits (no idea of the conditions) but I guess the hook for the media is about me little tourist who started with the first peak in 2004 and wants to end in 2024. So about 20 years to complete the list (I don't like to call it a challenge, nothing hard to those peaks)

QUESTION: Do you know any journalist / Mainstream Media who might wanna cover the story and well join me or in fact apply for the permit?
I also hope on the way to those summits to shoot some 360 degrees photos to put on GoogleMaps so everyone including armchair people can also have a look of how it looks like on those summits. Email me: https://sleek.bio/lonckelph (oh and a little follow on Instagram/Youtube/FB is always appreciated)

My dates (just for me to remember the dates are here)
NSW: Kosciuszko 05/12/2004
NT: Zeil 05/09/2006
QLD: Bartle Frere 01/06/2005
TAS: Ossa 12/11/2004, 24/12/2006, 25/08/2018

[EGM]

This is very interesting, I didn't know they stopped the yearly tours.

Good luck with it, sounds like you'll need it tbh.

[louphi]

I'm in Australia since last week, now in Alice Springs and I've a Telstra number so yesterday I called the number here: https://anangu.com.au/contact-us
The lady who answered was the one who answered me by email back in May 2024. The conversation was a bit tense as she was making the point we couldn't climb the Mountain anymore. No for tourists.
I mentioned it was very clear and exposed 2 points/Questions:
* Why could we climb it in the past (I think any date), then 1 day per year (with the tours) and not anymore since Covid, Covid being finished now. --> No answer on this. She told me there are no infrastructures there and it's a risk. I explained I've seen maps, satphones, videos of people etc... (oh she even mentioned no one was allowed to climb it in the past, and I had to explain to her people did climb it with permits, probably a few hundreds of people have climbed in the past 50 years)
So we ended with the fact she was not responsible (cannot blame her) and I could write an email that she would pass to the board.
I did write and asked 3 main questions, this is part of my email:

I have several questions that you can pass to the board/manager
a) why the mountain cannot be accessed anymore for "touristic" climbs? Covid is now over but there is probably another reason and I'd like to know (a few people would like to know in fact)
b) The mountain being climbed in the past, I don't think there is unnecessary risk. Risk zero is impossible of course. Many places and mountains are more at risk in Australia and the world. This Mountain is actually very easy and very close to a road.
c) Why not perhaps open the mountain 2-3 day per year like in the past ? (This is including the day to drive to get there, 1 day to do the return climb, and a possible 1 day to leave APY lands)

My fear, like I mentioned to you, is that some people will not respect aboriginal lands and go without telling anybody.
That would be of course a high risk and it's the first rule in Australia in the Outback: telling people where we go.

I hope this will be discussed at higher levels.
PS: I asked what the MEDIA PERMIT was, in case I could go climbing with a media, like ABC or newspaper. She said: no that's for documenting art or cultural matters, not to climb the Mountain.

I doubt we'll be able to climb the mountain in the future but my hope is a decent controlled way to go: An opening of a few days every year where perhaps max 50 people could go.
With more people it would also increase safefy for all.

[louphi]

Got a call from someone at APY (I believe the manager above the Lady I had on the phone on Friday).
In short she's been there for 10 years so she knows a few things and why climbing is not permitted. But after a very constructive discussion she told me the matter of "Woodroffe" will be discussed at the board.
She said it might take 4-5 years but of course anything is possible, evern a positive opening to go climbing it again in a near future. She agreed with me on the risk of forbidding the access to the Mountain.
She said of course to keep an eye on this site: https://anangu.com.au/
Now it's about patience.
PS: I offered my help if they want to go the the mountain to assess the risks and perhaps help to discuss the best way to climb the mountain; like putting a signpost telling this is where cars can be parked and the climb could start. It doesn't need more than that. By opening the mountain in a controlled way (like 2 times 3 days per year or so to open the land, and 1 day for the climb) it would mean several people would go on the same day and this would enhance safety for all if 5-10-30 people show up.
Patience now.

[vagrom]

Is it beyond the realms that you might go out and visit the APY lands anyway? Get to know a little - Art etc. Are there any IT issues that are driving them nuts? Their name for Woodroffe if there is one or their stories of the Range.

In the end it could wind up being a sudden invitation to jump in the Cruiser for an impromtu trip out. That would be a story.