A big thankyou to The Echo. In 2021 The Echo published some articles submitted by Stephen Millard (Byron Hikers) and Trevor Reece (Northern Rivers Bushwalkers) to bring awareness of the likely closure of public road access to Unicorn Falls, Mt Jerusalem National Park. The feedback to National Parks from the regional bushwalking clubs and the public has resulted in South Chowan Rd within the park being left open for public access to the cascades area and even some carparks now being established. This is a great outcome especially for families with younger children. A new walkway is also now being established to the cascades area from the carparking area. Day visitation infrastructure for regional communities is an important aspect of National Parks operations and services.
This is the first public infrastructure for day visitation in Mt Jerusalem National Park in many decades and since prior day-picnic facilities were removed at that very site many years ago. It hopefully might be the beginning of more day-visitation facilities within this national park to come for the Tweed and Byron communities. One day it is hoped composting toilets at the site might even be established, especially for family needs.
I wish to express a thankyou to The Echo for supporting the Unicorn Falls access awareness campaign that had a positive outcome for our regional community. The regional bushwalking clubs were instrumental to achieving success with this campaign and with feedback to the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
