Three Australian tourists have faced fines and a five-year ban from a national park in Indonesia following an incident where they climbed a trail that had been closed. This occurred at Mount Rinjani on Lombok Island, a renowned hiking location that is off-limits during the rainy season due to safety hazards.
Officials from the national park released CCTV footage showing the trespassers on the Sembalun climbing route, which is strictly monitored to ensure compliance with closure regulations. Each tourist was penalised with a fine of approximately AUD 365 for their illegal hike.
In an Instagram post, the Mount Rinjani National Park management confirmed the situation, highlighting that the tourists’ actions disregarded established safety protocols meant to protect both climbers and the environment during the trail’s closure. To enforce the seriousness of the offence, the tourists were required to sign a document promising not to return to the area again.