Farmers in Australia have described why they are fed up with tourists sneaking into their canola fields to take photos, citing concerns that they pose major biosecurity threats.
Each Spring, the social media craze of taking photos with fields of bright yellow flowers on rural Australian farms increases.
However, the trespassers have been obstructing highways, scaling obstacles, cutting through fences, and refusing to leave at times.
Each Spring, the social media habit of taking pictures with bright yellow blooms on rural Australian homes increases (stock picture)
300 kilometers west of Sydney, Cowra Canola tours offer guided and flying excursions of the fields (pictured, an aerial view of an Aussie canola field)
This season, tourists who wish to take photographs of canola fields can do so through certified tour providers (pictured, a NSW canola field in bloom)
Tony Flanery discovered a couple ‘literally two kilometers’ from the road taking photographs in his Galgong fields, 100 kilometers north-west of Canberra.
Tony Flanery (pictured) discovered a couple ‘literally two kilometers’ from the road on his Galgong farm, 100 kilometers north-west of Canberra, snapping photographs in fields.
The wheat and canola farmer stated that it would be nearly impossible to expel them off his property.
They essentially refused to depart. As though they’d put up the camera on a tripod and settled in for the afternoon,’ he told The Guardian.
According to him, trespassers punched a hole in the fence of another farmer in Boorowa so they could drive a car into the field and take photos while hanging out of the vehicle.
Tim Condon (pictured), who works with farms in New South Wales, stated that the trespassers pose a “direct biosecurity danger.”
Tim Condon, who works with farmers in New South Wales north of the state capital, stated that the social media frenzy is becoming an issue.
Mr. Condon stated, “There has been a marketing in Canberra to go do the canola drive, and people are randomly going out to a farm, stopping, and wandering around a crop.”
They pose a biosecurity danger in the current context, so growers should be concerned.
There is concern that trespassers may introduce dangerous viral diseases that can kill young animals, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
In accordance with the most recent amendments to the Biosecurity Act of New South Wales, according to Mr. Flanery, it is the responsibility of farmers to track the number of visitors to their land.
Growers must manage their own biosecurity plan, thus farmers would be eligible for compensation in the event of an outbreak of FMD.
However, if they cannot produce an accurate number of visits, the government could claim that they are not adequately implementing their plan.
There is also the issue of commuter road safety.
Mr. Flanery and Mr. Condon reported seeing cars parked in “hazardous locations” in order to take photographs with the flowers.
In order to obtain an Instagram-worthy photograph, trespassers have been blocking roadways, climbing barricades, and cutting through fences while refusing to leave (pictured, a stock image)
Tim Condon stated that he has witnessed individuals standing on roadways to photograph canola fields (pictured, a stock picture)
Mr. Condon stated that he was travelling in Harden-Murrumburrah, south-west New South Wales, when he slammed on the brakes where two families had stopped to photograph the fields.
He reported that children were across the street snapping photographs.
Mr. Flanery stated that tourists are welcome to visit the location and take photographs, but they should be aware that their activities can have repercussions.
This season, tourists who wish to photograph canola fields can do so securely through certified tour providers.
Cowra Canola tours, located 300 kilometers west of Sydney, provide guided and aerial excursions of the fields.
Farmer Tony Flanery said he discovered a couple setting up a tripod in his fields ‘nearly two kilometers’ from the road; he was unable to expel them (pictured, a stock image)
Mr. Flanery and Mr. Condon reported seeing cars parked in “hazardous locations” in order to take photographs with the flowers (pictured, canola farms in Western Australia)
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