[LINK] Dept Environment NSW outsource walking maps

[Stilgherrian]

Following Richard Chirgwin's concerns about the apparent re-grading of NSW bushwalks to make them appear easier, I did some research. The results are in a Crikey piece that is, alas, behind the paywall -- though there's a 21-day free trial if you want the whole story now. It will emerge from the paywall after 2 weeks. 

http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/01/15/bushwalking-cross-check-everything-even-official-advice/

Long story short, the bushwalks were NOT re-rated to make them look easier. I was instead just a screw-up. Or, as the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water put it officially, a "migration error". They had been notified earlier in the week and the website was fixed yesterday. Actually pretty prompt service.

So far the rating and descriptions of 24 of the hundreds of bushwalks in NSW have been outsources to Wildwalks. They use trained staff to apply -- and this blew me away -- Australian Standard AS 2156.1-2001 Walking Tracks Classification and Signage.

Stil


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