What makes a track ‘iconic’
To make the list a track needs to meet a number of natural and cultural values and other criteria.
Not all these criteria need to be met for a track to be considered iconic.
Difficulty
The degree of difficulty in accessing/negotiating a track often might be seen as the first criterion to be considered, however, it should not be the only point of assessment – and certainly not the most important. Consideration of ‘difficulty’ is very subjective.
This is list of WA’s Iconic Tracks not WA’s Toughest Tracks, therefore, the degree of difficulty is only one of many criteria.
Accessibility
An Iconic Track should not be accessible to all. Some preparation and effort should be required to tackle it. It may or may not be a public road.
Surface
An Iconic Track will be predominantly unsealed although it may have sealed connecting sections.
Driveability
An Iconic Track should require the use of 4WD though not necessarily constantly or locked. A high clearance vehicle would be an advantage though not an exclusive requirement to negotiate the track. Some parts of an Iconic Track could be sealed and some unsealed parts could be traversed by a 2WD vehicle.
Not Too Easy
An Iconic Track should not be too easy. It should present an appropriate challenge.
Not Too Difficult
If a track is too difficult (to the point of exclusion of all but the most extreme vehicles) it has little value to the 4WD community.
Cultural value
Purpose
An Iconic Track should have or have had a purpose for being constructed. Implicit in that consideration is that, while obviously all tracks have a start and finish place, the Iconic Track has a destination.
Man made features
If man made features are part of the attraction of the Iconic Track they should be unique or at the very least uncommon with a high level of creativity and workmanship. Features that don’t meet these criteria would not exclude the track but equally they cannot be used as points of inclusion.
Special Significance
An Iconic Track should be significant to the extent that it needs protection and maintenance for future integrity.
Historic value
An Iconic Track should have historic value, generally related to the purpose for which it was initially made.
Natural Value
Biological Features
An Iconic Track should traverse areas of important biological features such as wildflowers, stromatolites or wetlands. While these may not be the essential reasons for the track’s classification they would be part of the decision in declaring it an Iconic Track.
Scenery
It would be reasonably expected that an Iconic Track would traverse interesting and varied scenery that perhaps exhibits unique features. Important and outstanding natural beauty would be a major factor in consideration of the status of a track but its lack would not be reasons for exclusion. The aesthetic importance of the area would be another consideration.
Scientific or conservational value
While these are worthwhile criteria, such attributes could very well lead to the exclusion of vehicles and the consequent inability of inclusion. Bureaucracy and the actions of stupid 4wdrivers aside, scientific / conservational values would be attractive criteria when considering the classification of an Iconic Track.
Length
An Iconic Track should be of such length that at least one overnight stay would be required to comfortably traverse it.
Remoteness
The occurrence of the above criteria is not dependent on the proximity, or otherwise, to areas of habitation.
Beauty, challenge, interest, scenery, history, or significance is where you find it.
That said, a degree of remoteness adds to the allure of a track.