Australia's highest toilet completed
NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Carmel Tebbutt said today that Australia's highest toilet had been completed at the top of Mt Kosciuszko.
Ms Tebbutt said that the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) had overhauled the roof of Australia - building a toilet between snow seasons at more than 2,000 metres and greening what used to be a car park at Rawsons Pass just below the summit of Mount Kosciuszko.
"With more than 100,000 walkers outside of winter each year, a better solution than portaloos was needed for such an iconic site," said Ms Tebbutt.
"This unique block has been built into the side of the mountain and we have landscaped the outside with grass tussocks and native plant seedlings.
"After consultation with the local community, it was decided to build a permanent amenities block at Rawson's Pass.
"With that decision came other issues such as deciding just how to build Australia's highest loo. This is, after all more than 2,100 metres above sea level and subject to all manner of weather at all times of the year.
"NPWS also upgraded the nearby car park, which was originally constructed decades ago to cater for the tourist vehicles and buses making their way to Mt Kosciuszko on a road built almost a hundred years ago.
NPWS Alpine Area Manager, Arthur Willis said the area was in desperate
need of an overhaul. "The road was closed to public vehicles in the 70s and so today the car park was redundant as well as being an eyesore," he said
"We have now re-shaped and rehabilitated the site and soon it will look as though the carpark was never there. Altogether including the amenities block we have moved close to 2,000 cubic metres of soil."
"I congratulate all those involved repairing the roof of Australia," said Ms Tebbutt.
