Visitors put lives at risk at The Gap

People continue to risk their lives at some of Albany’s most dangerous tourist attractions, despite a multi-million dollar overhaul aimed at improving visitors’ experience and safety.

The Gap and Natural Bridge were re-opened to the public on April 10 after a $6.1 million upgrade, which Environment Minister Albert Jacob described as “one of the best and safest ways to get immersed in the grandeur of the Southern Ocean”.

People have flocked to watch the power of the swell smashing against granite cliffs in the past week.

Albany woman Tammy Simmonds was shocked to see several people ignoring warning signs on Sunday morning.She described a man dangling his legs over the 40m cliff face as “an absolute idiot”.

“We were shaking our heads in disbelief at the complete stupidity,” she said.

“If he had lost his balance, there would have been nowhere to go but down.”

Miss Simmonds was horrified to see a group of about eight people had veered off designated paths to sit about a metre from the The Gap’s edge.

“We yelled out ‘you idiots get away from the edge’, but they ignored us,” she said.“We couldn’t believe the unnecessary risks they were taking.

“They have done it so well you don’t need to do that to get a good view.

“If he had fallen in, it would be a waste of local resources, time and money (to rescue him.)”

Miss Simmonds was concerned there would be a serious injury or death at the site, which receives more than 210,000 visits a year, according to Department of Parks and Wildlife figures.

Up to January, there had been six deaths and five serious injuries at The Gap and Natural Bridge since 1973, according to the department.

Local rescue authorities have condemned the dangerous actions.

State Emergency Service Great Southern district officer Lynda Elms said while vertical rescue volunteers undertook regular training in case of emergency and had performed many rescues over the years, they were continually being placed in danger by irresponsible visitors.

“They’re just not listening to the warnings we are putting out there,” she said.

“It’s very clearly signposted and they still insist on putting themselves in danger.

“It’s just mind-boggling.”

Albany Sea Rescue operations co-ordinator Chris Johns said he could not fathom why people would place their lives at risk.

“It’s not for us to wrap people in cotton wool, but it’s frustrating as DPaW have spent millions of dollars towards giving people a better experience and this guy has abandoned the structure trying to prove something or enhance his experience, which could become our nightmare,” he said.

“We are first responders, but when you see something like that, it initiates a response in me, and as a volunteer I have to initiate volunteers to go and risk their lives.

“If he goes in, we would have to send crews down there and how would we get him from the bottom of the Gap?

“It’s an act of folly and potentially a nightmare for my crew.”