Bibbulmun Track Seeks Heritage Status

0:00It's April 4th. This is Sydney News today, your AI-powered local news. Local councils along Western Australia's Biblimund track are pushing hard for it to get heritage listed status. This 1,000-kilometer hiking trail stretches from the Perth Hills all the way to Albany, drawing 80,000 adventurers every year through. Fick Bushland. The move comes after a nomination hit the Department of Planning, Lands, and Heritage late last year. It snakes through 18 local government areas, and now those shires are backing the idea to safeguard it from nearby mining growth. Folks in places like Mangimub see the track as a lifeline for their towns. Shire President Danelle Boyge calls it a rite of passage for hikers, boosting local vibes and drawing crowds to spots like Beelette Falls. Conservationists are fired up too, warning about mining threats like South-32's Boxside expansion, which got federal OK despite a promised one. 100-meter buffer. Experts highlight the track's ancient biodiversity from carnivorous plants to gondwana survivors.

1:03Right now, the department is just gathering early input with no full assessment scheduled yet. Beel loop in stakeholders and the community before any final call, keeping eyes on fire safety at those 50 plus campsites.