Sublime Point walk remains closed but receives a pledge to push for funding

The popular track, which can draw hundreds of people each day to punish their legs on the near-vertical path, has been closed since last August after heavy rains destabilised the path.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife (NWPS) this week said the results of a geotechnical report would help it decide whether repair works could make the path safe or whether it would have to remain closed for good.

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The prospect of permanent closure drew strong complaints from Mercury readers who enjoy the steep ascent from Austinmer to Bulli Tops.

The Mercury asked the candidates for the seat of Heathcote, which has had its boundaries redrawn to extend as far south as Bulli, what they would do about Sublime Point if elected.

Mr Evans said the track had been closed for safety reasons, but he pledged to push for funds to ensure the track could re-open.

"The report will be finalised in the next few months and will include estimated costs of any works required to safely re-open the track," he said.

"If elected, once the report is completed I will work closely with National Parks and advocate strongly for funding to address the situation."

Greens candidate Cooper Riach said NPWS needed proper funding from the government, but he seemed to place Sublime Point within the Royal National Park.

"If this government can't provide the necessary funding to maintain such significant walking tracks in Australia's oldest national park, then it brings into question where our taxpayer money is going," he said.

"If elected I will work with my fellow Greens to ensure our national parks are adequately funded to maintain their beauty and the safety of such significant access trails.

"I will work with [NPWS] to provide the necessary resources to maintain significant state infrastructure such as Sublime Point track."

Labor candidate Maryanne Stuart said she would seek a meeting for an update.

"Safety of the walkers must be at the forefront of these decisions," she said. "If they are unsafe then National Parks must advise what works need to be done to remedy this.

"Walking trails along the Illawarra escarpment are very popular and ensuring people have access to them is important.

"If I am elected I will urgently be seeking a meeting to be provided with an update on this matter."

The closure is not for a particular section being damaged but because the risk was judged too great.

National Parks Association Illawarra branch president Graham Burgess said there were questions of funding, and whether there was enough focus on track maintenance.

"We've criticised them in the past for underfunding parks generally," he said.

"We are seeing a reasonable increase in funding - but a lot of it is directed to commercially focused projects which includes the Great Southern Walk, the mountain bike plans ... the light to light walk down at Eden and some other walks around the state.

"It tends to be at the expense of maintaining the existing facilities and trail networks."

Mr Evans said funding had increased to the NPWS.

"The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is delivering the largest ever investment in national parks history, with $450 million for more than 200 visitor infrastructure projects across the state," he said.

"As at February 2023, the staffing level at NPWS is more than 2,000 [full time equivalent], which is an increase of more than 25 per cent compared to the average for the period 2011-2019."