1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: And in some good news for the dry season, well, 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: Verry Springs has reopened. I guess it is a true 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: sign of the dry season finally kicking in hopefully. It's 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: one of the Northern Territory's most popular swimming spots. It's 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: reopening to the public today. And joining me on the 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: line right now is the Chief District Ranger, Louise Keene. 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Louise. 8 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. 9 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: Lovely to have you on the show, Louise. Is this 10 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: a late start for Very Springs or is it about 11 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: the same time usually each year. 12 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 2: It's about the place. May is a go to months. 13 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: We were delayed a little bit with the late rain 14 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,639 Speaker 2: that we had, but now all ready to roll. And 15 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 2: I've spoken to the ranger on side out there this 16 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 2: morning and Verry Springs is chocolate blot. 17 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: Oh really, how many people do you reckon? They have 18 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: been out there already this morning. 19 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: Oh look, if I had to do a headcat, I'd 20 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: say about one hundred people, he observes. So the car 21 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: parks turning over nicely. People are having a great time, 22 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: having a nice swim and just enjoying the able to 23 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: swim out there at Ry Springs. 24 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: Again, Oh, that's awesome and it is fantastic. You know 25 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: that it's reopened. What work has to go into basically 26 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: making sure that it is able to be reopened. 27 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 2: There's a few safety checks that we need to do. Obviously, 28 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 2: our crocodile survey, so the ranger team do their five 29 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 2: nights worth of crocodile surveys just to make sure there's 30 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 2: nothing lurking in there. They've already had the crocodile fence in. 31 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 2: That's a bit of a mission in itself putting that in. 32 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 2: It's like trying to put a tent up in a windstorm, 33 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: large panels going in along a weir wall to secure 34 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: the site as best we can for crocodiles. That's a 35 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: hefty load to do that. Then the water quality testing 36 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 2: is done. That's to check that the bacteria levels are 37 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: within the safe limits for allowing swimming. Then we've got 38 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: the cosmetic themes such as pressure washing the landings, removing 39 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: the flood debris and the gravel that's formed over pathways, 40 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 2: and the public safety aspects putting up the life rings, 41 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,639 Speaker 2: making suit or all the signs are up and in place, 42 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: and they're a little bit of polish the mowing, the 43 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: brush cutting and so on that the team do to 44 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 2: make the parkbook extra well presented. There you go. 45 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: Now, is there other areas that have opened up as well? 46 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 2: Look the usual fan favorites. We've got Bully and Folence 47 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 2: that are the standards. 48 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: Yep. 49 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,679 Speaker 2: The one guy hasn't opened yet for swimming. The water 50 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: level is a little bit too high for that. The 51 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,399 Speaker 2: guys are waiting for the water level to drop. And 52 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: we've had Walker Creek open. And if people keep their 53 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: eye on our website at NT dot gov dot au 54 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 2: and they check parks and reserve, there'll be all the 55 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 2: information captured up there where and what's open, what's not, 56 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: and people can pick where they like to visit. 57 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: Now, Luise, obviously, yesterday we're catching up with the croc 58 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,119 Speaker 1: team and talking about some of the different locations where 59 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: there are crocodiles. How much of a risk is there 60 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: for crocodiles in that very Springs area or is it 61 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: very minimal and it's monitored regularly. 62 00:02:54,560 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 2: Anyway, Crocodile management is undertaken at Berry Springs. Crocodiles move around, 63 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: that's just their method of behavior. So just because the 64 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: place is safe. Previously doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be 65 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: safe the next day. So we do the best we 66 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: can and we ask people to heed beyond site science 67 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 2: and information, and if there's no sign, there's no swim. 68 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: For Berry Springs is a managed swimming site. It is 69 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 2: part of the day and Harbor connection, so crocodiles could appear. 70 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 2: We've got the fence up, but again no ironclad guarantee, 71 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 2: but nothing is snuck around, so there are observations in 72 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: checks that are done for public safety. The go. 73 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: Well, around one hundred people out there already this morning. 74 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: How busy do you reckon it's going to get on 75 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: the weekend, Luise. 76 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 2: I think extra chocol block will be on the weekend, Katie. 77 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 2: It's a very popular location and people gauging by the 78 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: interest that we've had on social media, I think quite 79 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: a few people will be heading out there. But look 80 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: if people if the car parks full, but head out 81 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: to Lichfield. It's close, it's reliable. There's those sand favorite 82 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: in Florence that are open. People can have a fantastic 83 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: day out there too, and then pop by a Berry 84 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 2: Springs bit later in the afternoon if it's less crowded 85 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 2: and have a little dip on the way home. 86 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: Absolutely, I thought you were going to say, head out 87 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: for a swim and then stop at the Berry Springs tavern. 88 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: That might be just what I do, Louise. 89 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: Oh, that's always favorite too. We get that, we get 90 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: that off. 91 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 1: Oh lovely to talk to you this morning. I'm really 92 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,679 Speaker 1: glad to hear that it's open for the dry season. 93 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: Louise Keen, the Chief District Ranger, Thanks so much for 94 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: your time today. 95 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 2: Fantastic. Thanks Katie, thank you.