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In short:
Locals warn Mount Augustus is still waiting on safety upgrades after a 2022 coronial inquest into several hiker deaths.
A tourist park owner says people are ignoring trail closures and climbing the huge rock formation during the summer months.
What's next?
An agreement with traditional owners will see new rangers hired but some believe more needs to be done.
Tourism operators and locals say uncertainty remains around the safety of a popular hiking trail in Western Australia's remote Gascoyne that has claimed the lives of four people, despite $10 million of promised upgrades.
Burringurrah (Mount Augustus) National Park is often touted as host to "Australia's largest monolith", in reference to the rock formation that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
It came under national scrutiny when four hikers — Hans-Juergen Buske, Anne Maree Pollard, Thelma Green and Brian Green — died along the summit trail in the space of a year, between 2019 and 2020.
A 2022 inquest saw Deputy Coroner Sarah Linton recommend the summit and gully trails be closed after 7am in March, April, September and October.
Ms Linton also recommended trail access be shut completely between November and February.
David Hammerquist, who manages Mount Augustus Station and a tourist park across from the inselberg (an isolated hill or mountain rising abruptly from a plain) says the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions (DBCA) has failed to enforce these changes.
"If somebody wants to climb it, they'll climb it, which they have, even for the last two summers," Mr Hammerquist said.
"You can't just shut the rock because the people just go there regardless."'
In her final recommendation, the Deputy Coroner urged the DBCA to consider handing out personal locator beacons at the tourist park.
Mr Hammerquist told the ABC responsibility for the lives of hikers too frequently falls on his family, his staff, and volunteers.
"Last year there was an emergency; they had to stretcher somebody down," he said.
"And that was lucky there were enough volunteer people around, because there weren't enough DBCA people around."
A DBCA spokesperson says decisions relating to the use of personal locator beacons remain with the individual, but department staffing is to be increased in the area.
Telecommunications on hold
The frustrations have emerged as the national park took centre stage in a push to expand regional tourism and WA's conservation efforts.
The park is part of 816,000 hectares of newly vested reserves, put aside for joint management with Burringurrah and Minangu traditional owners.
Environment Minister Reece Whitby said difficulties accessing the area had caused problems putting the $10 million in government funding to use.
The planned works include improving unsealed roads, posting signage, upgrading air infrastructure, and repairing fire-damaged trails.
"Just getting contractors available to work in the remote communities that we have ... can be very challenging," Mr Whitby said.
He also highlighted telecommunications as a key issue.
Telstra delivered a report to the state government last month describing what it would take to improve mobile coverage.
However, Mr Whitby says the government favours satellite communications.
"Now there's new technology being provided, satellite technology, which could overtake the need for ground-based towers," he said.
"But we want to make sure that the communication is there."
Locals holding out for improvements
A new ranger program funded under the agreement will see local traditional owners helping manage the park.
Wajarri-Burringurrah elder Charles Snowball says the program means more people can safely share in the land's cultural significance — a long-held goal for traditional owners and, in particular, his father.
"It's very important for all those years Dad was trying to push ... to get rangers here and get joint management," Mr Snowball said.
Burringurrah elder Ray Lockyer said part of the $10 million upgrades should go towards the local landing strip because the community is home to the region's sole emergency service providers.
"The medical [evacuations] that occasionally occur here; they would provide a huge advantage, obviously, to the people who are not doing too well," he said.
There are multiple airstrips in the area but only Mount James has close access to the Burringurrah Nursing Post, where both community members and injured visitors receive care.
Mr Lockyer said sealing the airstrip would help solidify the government's commitment to grow safe and culturally aware tourism for what is hoped to become a major attraction.
The need to move more quickly was echoed by Mr Hammerquist of Mount Augustus Station.
"You can't just close the gates [to tourists] ... you have to ... get in front of the wave ... and get the place right for them."