Vandals in Australia have defaced a culturally significant mountain land in Queensland, according to a recent article published in ABC News.
Park rangers were frustrated to discover graffiti and engravings on rocks at Sunshine Coast for the second time.
"It is extremely disappointing to see selfish people cause this type of damage to the mountain," ranger James Plant told ABC News. "Every person who graffitis this beautiful area is contributing to irreversible changes that undermine the park's cultural and environmental values."
Park rangers were disappointed to find that some of the engravings were made with power tools and will therefore be difficult to remove.
The walking trail of Mount Ngungun is a part of the famous Glasshouse Mountains, a popular hiking area in the Sunshine Coast Region. Each week, the area attracts about 5,000 visitors, per ABC News.
However, this mountainous region is not just known for its natural beauty and stunning views of the coast. For the Kabi Kabi people, the mountain is culturally significant.
Because of the mountain's cultural significance, the Kabi Kabi have been recognized as native titleholders as a result of a recent court ruling, according to an article published in the Guardian.
As a result, the graffiti is not only harmful to the natural landscape but disrespectful to the Kabi Kabi and their culture.
When caught, vandals can receive fines of up to almost $500,000 for damaging national parklands, per ABC News.
Spreading climate awareness is the first step in ensuring visitors respect the natural landscape when they visit parks. By educating visitors on the cultural significance and importance of the land, park rangers help protect sacred lands from unnecessary vandalism.
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The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has notified visitors of the vandalism and will remove the graffiti and carvings from the rocks.
The damage is "disrespectful to the Kabi Kabi people who have a strong connection to the area," the QPWS said in a statement, according to ABC News.
Sadly, other incidents of vandalism have damaged natural areas across the world.
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