It was a recipe for the perfect storm: beautiful weather, Anzac Day long weekend, end of school holidays and an article in a Chinese magazine extolling the virtues of autumn in the Mountains.
For the residents of Mt Wilson, it was near disaster. Traffic was jammed all the way back to the Bells Line of Road turnoff, with cars taking up to one-and-a-half hours to travel the eight kilometres into the village. When they finally arrived they were greeted with wall-to-wall cars. Garbage bins overflowed, as did some of the toilets.
Progress Association president, Richard Beattie, said they had had no warning and were unprepared. They had to call police from Katoomba to help.
“It seems to me that over the last three or four years there has been literally an exponential increase in numbers,” he said.
Many were young couples with strollers who meandered across the roads admiring the colours, regardless of the traffic.
“Safety has to be the main issue when it comes to managing visitor numbers,” Mr Beattie said.
The boom in number has been noticed across the Mountains, with tourists frequently putting themselves at danger photographing autumn foliage.
Traffic has become a major issue at Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba and Blackheath, both in the villages and at the out-of-town attractions, such as the Falls lookout, Echo Point and Govetts Leap.
It was enough for Councillor Sarah Shrubb to raise the issue at the last council meeting, calling for a report into how best to manage it.
“We want them to enjoy it and we want residents to enjoy it and we want the tourists to come back.”
She said she was concerned about traffic, parking, toilets and garbage.
“And the public safety issue – what do you do if someone has a heart attack? You have to make sure people can be got in and out if something goes wrong.”
Cr Shrubb and fellow councillor Don McGregor are hoping they might get some answers at an upcoming forum on destination management and growing the visitor economy.
Back at Mt Wilson, Mr Beattie said they estimated probably 15,500 people visited over the three-day weekend and takings at the autumn fair rose from $22,000 last year to an incredible $67,500.
They are already discussing how to handle next year, including erecting no parking signs and making The Avenue one-way to Wyndham Avenue.
“It is a pleasure to see how much enjoyment is had by the visitors … but no one wants to see again the traffic chaos and inadequate toilet facilities that spoiled the day for so many people.”
