LOCKED OUT - very very unhappy

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Man oh man am I mad. I mean properly ropeable. Ready to inflict serious damage if only I could find the idiots responsible.

I've been locked out of my observing site. More correctly a fair number of astronomers from southern Sydney and Wollongong have been locked out, they just don't know it yet. I've just returned from the southern highlands and I can report that the entrance to the old airstrip has been closed with logs and blocks of concrete. A road sign now calls it Airstrip Fire Trail. Next to that the Dept of Land and Property Management has put up a sign advising No Unauthorised Vehicles, no trailbikes, no dumping etc.

I think that last point is the nub of the issue. Illegal dumping has been in the news a lot recently - asbestos in particular. All over it is a problem and you don't have to look too hard to see evidence about the place. I noticed at least a year ago there had been some rubbish dumped near where we observe and six month ago there was a fair bit there. Tonight I also noticed a sign on the way into town depicting a camera and a truck tipping a load with a caption about illegal dumping. So I think there has been a clamp down on dumping (and about time too) and we are collateral damage.

It's like Buderoo Plateau, I never used it but did scout it as having good observing prospects close(ish) to town but they closed it due to the repeated incidences of dumping, vandalism, arson etc. Now once again ignorant sociopaths have stuffed it for the rest of us.

I've got to calm down for a bit so I'll watch the History of Jazz and The Fabric of the Cosmos.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

No good David ....no good at all

Flash ...!!

[UniPol]

To coin a phrase these days " that's the way it is" albeit a sad state of affairs.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Sorry to hear that Dave. Really know how you feel, as one of my sites here closed in a similar fashion. Authorities don't give a stuff either. We are losing access to more and more each day. Where will it end? Nowhere good, I am sure!

We are fast losing our night sky to unnecessary lighting and we are also losing our, convenient, dark sky sites.

There are ads on TV in this state where the energy provider tells us to 'switch our thinking' and turn lights off. Pity the government doesn't listen to its own message.

Peter

[cfranks (Charles)]

One can readily understand their blanket closure. After all, who would want access to their site after dark unless for some mischief! I wonder if a letter to the appropriate owner (?) explaining why they might like to give you a key, could be useful. At least you would be no worse off.

Charles

[mozzie (Peter)]

i have the state forest 30 meters from my place and when you go for a walk through there the garbage dumped everywhere especially after christmas...
it's a bloody mess and a disgrace!!!!!!!!!