Walkers urged to ask first

Bushwalkers should contact their local National Parks' office and check the conditions and tracks before they set out on walking trails believed to be in a national park, according to the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

The comment came after Peninsula News reported several bushwalkers were stuck near Patonga for 13 hours in early February, when a trail became non-traversable.

The Highway Ridge Trail between Patonga and Woy Woy was not located on National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) land and therefore it was not responsible for managing it, said public affairs officer Ms Erin Schrieber.

"A portion of this trail does appear on NPWS brochures and maps for the area, but isn't named or promoted as an NPWS trail," she said.

"This walking trail is usually used and maintained by the Broken Bay Sport and Recreation Centre, and it is located on their property.

"If the Sport and Rec Centre is no longer maintaining it then we are happy to remove it from NPWS maps, but it may still appear on topographic maps for the region (which NPWS does not publish)."

Lyle Stone, 19 Feb 2008 Interview: Erin Schrieber, Department of Environment and Climate Change