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Yes, I’m a Nimby

17/6/2021

21 Comments

 
PictureNotre Dame Cathdral. Photo: Kriti Shankar
By David Arnault
 
WHEN my daughters were seven and nine, I took them to Paris and along the way visited Notre Dame. I remembered the cathedral from my youth as a place of worship, and a place which held free organ recitals every Sunday, a magnificent place of beauty and, for me, wonder. Of course, I loved the architecture and the rose windows and the grandeur of the pipe organ, but more than anything else I loved the reverence of those who took themselves to this sacred space, and I loved it that the centuries of that respect seemed to have been absorbed by the stones.

​Two decades later, when I re-visited Notre Dame, this time with my children, the sacred place was packed with tourists, American, Japanese, and others less identifiable, and the atmosphere was competitive, with most trying to capture the altar or the rose windows with their cameras. I say it was competitive because grown-ups were pushing and shoving each other and even the children. 

​It was an unpleasant experience which was made even more disagreeable, as we escaped from the chaos, by a bevy of hawkers who were flogging rosaries, pictures of the sacred heart and other sorts of memorabilia. It was tawdry. I’m not a Christian, but now, as I look back at that time, I think of Jesus and how he drove the money-lenders out of the temple in Jerusalem.

​I mention this now, because we live in a time when mankind has tried to dispense with the sacred, driven it deep into the vaults of the past in favour of i-phones and racing around with one’s ass on fire. Gone is the time to reflect, replaced with capturing some digital facsimile of our personal experience, usually with our mug front and centre as if we were larger than nature; gone is the time to pause and feel the wonder of the experience, the fragrance on the breezes, the sounds of nature; gone is the spirit, which resides within us, drowned out by the chaos of commerce. All that seems left, some days, is money.
So I am not surprised that there is someone in the city who thinks that it would be a grand idea if the walk along the Bass Coast could be exploited for profit; nor am I surprised that this person believes that the way to do this is to attract thousands of walkers every day. Of course, these thousands wouldn’t be interested in rosaries or sacred hearts, but there would be other things which could be flogged and there would be lots of business people prepared to try to take their money.
 
To be honest, I don't care about possible business opportunities, and I don't mind saying so. Life is not about business, it is about living and, to me, it is about being one with the world around us. Of course, we need to make a living but do we have to destroy the things we love in order to pay our bills? Do we have to find those things in nature which are beautiful and trash them? There are already businesses aplenty that will receive benefit from those who take the trouble to make all or part of the walk -- pubs and cafes and many other enterprises in Kilcunda, San Remo, Inverloch, Cowes and Wonthaggi.
PictureClimbers queue on Mt Everest.
Whatever possessed the consultants to view this nature walk as an economic bonanza is beyond me. The paths are narrow and the hikers will demand passing lanes because they have to finish on time and get to their reservation at the general store. There will be tourists crapping behind every bush unless there are toilet blocks, road rage over the limited parking spaces, and the hills are steep enough to require road access for the paramedics. And the beaches, contrary to what the consultants are describing, are scenic but dangerous.
 
But really, is it not an affliction to view nature as an economic opportunity? Have we not already destroyed far, far too much? Have we not monetised nearly every aspect of life? I was watching a program the other day on Stonehenge and the pushing and shoving that’s going on there, one side suggesting that the highway needs to be put in a tunnel so the traffic doesn’t spoil the experience handed down to us by the ancient Druids, and the other saying the tunnel will destroy the archeological history of the site. Why hasn’t someone suggested that they just move the damned highway and leave the site alone? Is there something wrong with staying away from something special? The good people of Venice are saying ‘Basta!’. They have had enough and are trying to save their city. Their first goal is to stop the cruise ships from docking with each ship releasing its 3,000 gawking tourists to add to the disintegration and clutter of their beautiful city.
 
There is a battle going on in the west of the state. Someone has come up with a great idea to build a high-end resort on Cape Bridgewater. There have been similar proposals around our part of the south coast which fortunately have been defeated. Like the people of Venice, I say Basta! Enough!
 
The beauty of Victoria’s beaches is inspiring, but one of its greatest gifts for us is that it is possible to find solitude there. I would rather leave it alone than contribute to its destruction, and I would suggest that most of humanity who loves nature knows how avaricious humanity can be. As for capitalism’s drive for endless growth, I say, to hell with business. 

​I say also please … please let us begin to cherish and preserve the beauty of our planet. Keep the walk as it is. Maybe I’m already too old to make it up and down the hills; if so, I will still remember the half-dozen times I have made the journey and I will still cherish the beauty. There isn’t a pipe organ along the walk, but I have taken a seat often and just listened to the music of nature. I don’t mind if others make the journey but it is a journey which should be made with respect. To turn this little piece of nature into an industry is indeed sacrilege.
​

Picture
The George Bass Walk between Punchbowl and Kilcunda is already a spiritual experience.
Photo: Greg Johns at hikingfiasco.com
It should be a hard walk because it is hard. The track is narrow because our footprint on the land should be light, and as free of mankind’s noise as possible. If we are lucky, at the end of the walk the buffeting wind will have driven off all our worldly cares … cleaned the slate completely, and left us with only beauty and our tired legs.
 
I spent six months once hiking in New Zealand. In the beginning, it seemed bizarre to me that one had to book for some of the hikes, but I came to realise the benefits. The goal in NZ was to preserve the beauty and they decided that the only way to do that was to limit the number people on the trails each day. It worked then and I hope it is still working. And perhaps that is an answer for us, should the walk become too popular.

​
​‘Listen to the locals’
June 4, 2021 - Yallock-Bulluk coastal trail plan suffers from lack of local knowledge 
21 Comments
Carol Cox
18/6/2021 09:40:40 am

My goodness David, you've articulated the feelings of the vast majority of residents of Bass Coast. A friend told me recently that the term "nimby" is just thrown around to close down discussion. Those of us who moved to this lovely area came because of the natural treasures, serenity, space and relaxed lifestyle it offers. We do NOT want to drag the so-called "amenities" of city life down here with us and spoil all the reasons we came here in the first place. Count me in as a "nimby".

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Susan Fowler
18/6/2021 09:50:53 am

Thank you David I could not agree more! You have expressed this beautifully.

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Catherine Watson
18/6/2021 09:59:45 am

When the Yallock-Bulluk trail was announced in 2018, I was pleased that more people would be able to share some of our fantastic walks. But I think we're beginning to see that the promise of a "bigger and better" trail is a poisoned chalice. This is partly selfish - fear of losing our blissful solitude - but also a realisation that thousands of people tramping through our fragile environments will destroy them. David, you might be a cranky old thing but you've nailed it.

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Yvonne McRae
18/6/2021 10:04:59 am

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone,
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot..

Jodi Mitchell nailed it and so did you David.

Reply
Liz Glynn
18/6/2021 12:11:45 pm

Beautifully written and I fully endorse your view on the life and times in which we now live. Some things/places just ARE: leave them alone. "Tearing around with one's ass on fire": how true - love it!

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Barbara Moje
18/6/2021 01:42:51 pm

Thanks for your eloquent words. Nimbys have preserved a lot of nice things, think about the leafy suburbs of Hawthorn... Send development elsewhere say the wealthy, and it is promptly done. What about or area? First the desalination plant now this. Like you said, the trails have always been here to explore! ... Today I am particularly annoyed as I have been walking around the area and have noticed that a connection to the rail trail for cyclists has already been sign posted around the desal park to send people on bikes down the fragile 'tea tree grove' track between Powlett River and the Desal. I had not realised this was already a fail accompli, as I had raised my objections with the Consultation team about making this track a shared path. The bikes should stay on the Mouth of the Powlett Road and not churn up that lovely track and compete with the quietness of this beautiful path. So much for the consultation process: yet another " we pretend we care' exercise.?? I shall be writing to the Parks Vic Director of this project and express my disappointment!

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Peter Bogg
18/6/2021 02:44:16 pm

David, the current track is a favorite walk for our walking club and we are always disappointed that the section between San Remo and Punchbowl Rd carpark is in private hands. Unless something is done about this, you may lose this section to private residential development. It would be better to retain it as open public space and the justification to do this would be the extension of the walking track through it.

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Neralie Hoadley
21/6/2021 06:37:14 pm

Yes I agree Peter. Extending the track would be a great asset to the community.

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Jenny Skewes
18/6/2021 02:49:17 pm

Well said David! You have nailed the problem with mass commercial tourism all over the world. Everyone want to go and see the sights and the crowds ruin it.
It is unfortunately a big part of the economy as well as a big emitter of CO2, especially the flights. We need to slow down and beautiful places should be left as they are.

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Julie Thomas
18/6/2021 04:23:16 pm

Yes! Count me in too! In this context, what's wrong with nimbyism?

Folks who have chosen to live away from the convenience of the city, precisely for the peace and quiet that rural living affords, do NOT WANT to be chased down by hoards of cars and and commercial enterprises coming here from the city.

Visitors are welcome, but please, take us as we are. Not everyone thinks tourists are 'good' for the region. If progressive economics and development is your imperative, go back there. My own values are peace, space and enough to get by. Yes. In this context, I am a nimby.

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James Glover
19/6/2021 08:54:17 am

I remember going to Notre Dame for the first time in the early 90s. In those days people used cameras to take photos and there were flashes everywhere tourists were inside buildings, despite signs saying to turn them off. A woman devoutly praying in a side chapel was the object of someone's intrusive picture taking. In the darkened hallows of Chartre Cathedral many believed that the flashes on their cameras would illuminate the magnificent and distant stained glass. That or they were too lazy to turn them off. Sadly it was not restricted to Paris or the great cathedrals of Europe as I saw the same in a mosque in Istanbul where tourists were graciously permitted to observe the worshippers at prayer and many saw it as an opportunity to take multiple photos or film without their permission. At a concert on Vienna people stood up with movie cameras filming the performance while blocking others view of the stage. At San Diego Zoo I had to stop someone filming the nocturnal lemur pointing a harsh laser like light at night directly into their delicate eyes. These days phones are used as cameras and the technology means flashes, even indoors or in poor light, are rarely needed but the desire to instantly upload everything to Facebook and Instagram has lead to people's need to document every minute of their "journey".

And yes, they can bugger off commercialising publicly funded walks on public land paid for and now used for free by the public.

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Anne Heath Mennell
20/6/2021 03:37:55 pm

Thank you David. I share your world-view and, if you are 'cranky' as Catherine says, then so am I! I think we should reclaim the acronym,'nimby' and I will wear that with pride too. Along with 'greenie', 'tree-hugger', ' radical environmentalist' and others. I draw the line at 'latte-sipping' though, My tipple of choice is a hot cappuchino with extra chocolate on top. :-)

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Loloma Kannava
20/6/2021 06:49:21 pm

Absolutely!

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Neralie Hoadley
21/6/2021 06:45:08 pm

I am a walker. I am excited that I will be able to walk on this new track. I’m surprised by the idea that by walking on a lovely path, I will be a threat to the community.

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Tim Herring
22/6/2021 03:33:49 pm

As a bushwalker I love the serenity as well as the beauty and I never listen to music on headphones, but prefer the wind and the birds.
I left the Mornington Peninsula after many years when it started to get too busy. I don't want to have to leave this beautiful place!
David you've got my vote.

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Leticia Laing
23/6/2021 12:26:15 pm

I've always been of the mind that special areas can be managed and protected using a variety of tools and yes, maybe even booking a hike could be one way.

Making the path accessible to a range of people, some who may not be able bodied isn't necessarily a bad thing - if it's done properly. Restricting access usually lends to only certain physically and monetarily privileged individuals gaining the opportunity to view these special places when it should be something everyone can see, appreciate and love. Take for example that $10m of the $19.6m budget of the park will be going into land acquisition. I fail to see how the acquisition of this private land for a nature trail is detrimental to the environment the YBMCP seeks to enhance.

There's also the argument that if people don't experience the beauty of this space it's really hard to gain an understanding of it to then protect it.

The Bass Coast Shire's tourism industry is second only to that of Uluru and to think otherwise is a misconception of our isolation. Annually the Bass Coast Shire's population swells to about 70,000 people in peak season.

These spaces need better management and creating a mostly connected nature trail is essentially enhancing these beautiful spaces. Often when these areas aren't managed they become neglected or subject to individuals forging their own way without consideration of the fragility of the environment.

Protecting these areas shouldn't be pitched in economic terms but you really can't quantify that feeling you get standing on the edge of the world, watching some breaching whales go by...

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Peter Ghys
23/6/2021 05:24:07 pm

Nicely put Leticia!

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Julie Thomas
23/6/2021 11:06:18 pm


Just one point should be clarified though, that our tourism status as 'second only to Uluru' refers specifically to the Penguin Parade attraction, not Bass coast in general.

Peter Ghys
23/6/2021 05:19:58 pm

Wow, you’re going to write a whole book on this soon! As per our previous discussion, I really think that you are overstating the issue. There will not the thousands of people walking the track at the same time. It isn’t a closed building of limited size like Notre Dame. And the idea of it is not as you put it because “ there is someone in the city who thinks that it would be a grand idea if the walk along the Bass Coast could be exploited for profit” but so that more people can appreciate the beautiful coast.
So proud NIMBY though you are, I’m afraid it still sounds rather selfish.

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Leticia Laing
24/6/2021 04:26:41 pm

Hi Julie

Hi Julie

I’m afraid what you have written is incorrect. The Bass Coast Shire is the second most dependent shire on tourism after Uluru in Australia. Phillip Island is undoubtedly a major contributor to this factor it is not the sole factor.

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Julie Thomas
24/6/2021 08:06:59 pm

No problem. I interpreted what you wrote differently. (And of course not the main point of this thread anyway.) Thanks Letitia :)

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