ARMIDALE'S bush walking groups held a protest at the Blue Hole to rally against the NSW government’s policy of allowing amateur shooters in national parks.
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About 20 bush walkers gathered in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park with signs decrying the legislation.
David Connah of the Downhill Bushwalking Club said everyone should be able to enjoy national parks.
“Our main concern is that amateur shooting is being considered at all,” he said.
“We’re also concerned that nobody really knows how it will be administered as far as the safety of humans and native animals.
“No one seems to know whether the parks will be shutdown while hunters are in there; the whole thing is up in the air at the moment.”
Birdwatcher Shirley Cook said she would consider changing how she uses national parks if shooters were allowed in.
“I’d be very cautious if there were people running around with guns slung over their shoulders,” she said.
Mrs Cook said environmental groups would have to continue protesting to make their voices heard.
“I think that the only thing we can do is what has been done so far, which is protesting, and writing letters to various government officials,” she said.
In New England, parts of Oxley Wild Rivers and Dorrigo national parks along with Gibraltar Range will be open to shooters once the scheme commences later in the year.
