A NSW bushwalking site is still promoting the walk along the cliffs over the Sea Cliff Bridge despite a recent fatality and the fact it encourages trespassing.
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Pioneer Walks provides directions to get from the roadside to the top of the cliffs and encourages people to take photos.
“Sea Cliff Bridge Lookout is easily the greatest location in the Wollongong region for a sunrise,” the site’s description states.
“If early mornings aren't your thing but photography is, then this spot also makes for excellent long exposure photography of cars lights travelling along the bridge.”
At the bottom of the page it includes a disclaimer that it is an “unofficial track and that there are no safety precautions in place for this walk”.
The site also ranks the location as one of “eight Insta worthy locations near Sydney”.
Calling the bridge “one of the go-to spots for years”, it also includes an Instagram photo of a woman standing in the vicinity of where a man fell to his death just months ago.
On September 30, a 24-year-old Homebush West man was at the “lookout" with friends when he sat down to take a rest.
He sat on loose ground and slid 20 metres to the cliff’s edge.
Less than 48 hours later people were spotted at the same spot walking right to the cliff’s edge and taking selfies.
The Mercury contacted the Pioneer Walks website and sent questions relating to the death and issues of trespass by encouraging the Sea Cliff walk.
Website administrators did not respond and the Sea Cliff Bridge page remains on the website.
Following the directions provided by Pioneer Walks would see people trespassing on land owned by Roads and Maritime Services.
“Roads and Maritime Services urges all visitors to exercise caution and to walk only along the dedicated walkway on the new bridge," a Roads and Maritime Services spokesman said.
“There is currently a fence at the southern end of the bridge with a sign in place informing the community that there is no access beyond that point.”
There are also fences along the top of the cliffs designed to restrict people from accessing the so-called lookout.
Since the fatality Roads and Maritime Services has increased efforts to stop people from using the trail to the lookout.
“Roads and Maritime Services carries out regular safety reviews of Sea Cliff Bridge,” the spokesman said.
“Additional signage which warns the public that access to the old roadway is prohibited was installed in October 2018.”
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
