The 2015 meeting with Access for All and National Parks was followed by a meeting with interested parties as to the progress of collecting and collating oral history regarding the bridle tracks in the southern region.
Previously NPWS had commissioned Susan Dale Donaldson to record individuals with knowledge of the tracks. The interviews are almost complete except it was decided to add two more, Beryl Schaeffer and Myrtle Collett. Unfortunately interviewing Myrtle is currently not possible.
Further historical research is to be undertaken by NPWS on the W.D.Tarlinton Track by Rob McKinnon using the State Library and archives. The ultimate aim is to seek funding to publish the work.
It was stated that the two year program for horse riding in wilderness areas has now passed the half way mark. Monitoring from the four trial state wide locations currently underway is being collated and analysed against the thresholds set during the workshop process. Workshops were conducted in Hurstville, Narooma, Jindabyne and Armidale and assisted by the University of Melbourne facilitators.
In accordance with the OEH scientific rigour statement, the peer reviewed data will be made publically available on OEH website at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/policies/HorseRidingTrial.htm
The release of information on the OEH website including the University of Melbourne threshold report is scheduled for the end of May 2015. Further information on the pilot program for horse riding in wilderness areas is available from the OEH website including a survey for people using the tracks and trails in the trial locations.