WE NEED YOUR HELP – go to our call to action page for ideas on how you can help overturn these bans.
It’s now blistering across the socials – the Allan Labor Government, Parks Victoria and Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) have announced incredibly harsh and destructive climbing bans to more than half of the climbing areas at Mt Arapiles – considered the best rock climbing area in Australia and the worlds best trad climbing destination. In their usual cynical and compassion-less approach they announced this with no consultation, no warning and at 5pm on the night before a public holiday. Throwing out the garbage is what the media call this.
This article will hopefully cast some light onto this recent announcement and the “amended” Management Plan for Arapiles and give some background for anyone who isn’t up to date with what’s been happening to Victorian rock climbing in recent years (TLDR: the government and Traditional Owner corporations have burnt it to the ground). Make sure you do your part to overturn these bans – check our call to action page here.
If you want to understand quickly the issues check out this brilliant passionate post from Mountain Equipment and the open letter created by all climbing organizations in Australia.
Key points about the new climbing bans at Arapiles
- Ban on 63% of Arapiles rock climbing routes applies on day 1
- Plan is a right royal hatchet job against climbers (and appears to also be a bungled rush job with many errors)
- Plan modifies conservation zone definitions to ban climbing
- Plan prohibits new routes and walking “off track” – even for bushwalkers.
- Plan introduces “designated areas” as the only approved climbing locations – removing half of previous climbable terrain.
- Recreational activities will not be permitted near cultural heritage. How close is “near” is not explained.
- Rare plants may have triggered some bans despite not being listed as a vulnerable or endangered species.
- Promised million $ funding from government will do nothing for rock climbers
- Labor Government, Parks Victoria and BGLC refuse to acknowledge pain and suffering to community from rock climbing closures.
- Aboriginal traditional owner group promises it’s moving back to Arapiles and has little sympathy for climbers use of the area previously
- There will be little community consultation from Parks Victoria about these bans – they don’t want to even talk about the areas to be banned
- Reconciliation group with climbers as members used as a political weapon against climbing community by the Labor government and PV. It’s far from reconciliation.
- Climbing groups believe these closures could be reduced dramatically with smaller area closures as has been done in the rest of Australia and the world. This would not result in a reduction of cultural heritage protection.
- Political and legal action is inevitable – something has been triggered amongst the climbing community which has never been seen before.
- Many climbers are questioning their long held political beliefs and thinking. Political allies are being sought from all sides of politics (if you are a politician and reading this – be warned that your safe hard-left demographic may not be as safe as you think)
The following is an in depth dive into the points above. It’s a very long read – maybe go make yourself a coffee first.
Arapiles? The best crag in world
For those not familiar with the area – it’s simply described as the most loved, most popular and most famous climbing area in Australia. With 3300 routes spread across a cliffline that is entirely walking accessible from the campground – this is (or was) a climbing paradise. The climbs are world class and the density and variety of classic routes is hard to match anywhere in the world. The climbing is essentially all traditionally protected. There are a few bolts around, but they’re mainly on the harder stuff, and only in places where natural gear won’t suffice. Tens of thousands of visitors from interstate and internationally visit this area due to it impeccable rock quality, friendly campsite and well documented historical place in the global climbing scene. Climbers make up 90% of all visitors to Mt Arapiles State Park – with visitation levels exceeding 50,000 persons a year. Bonding this area together is a thriving community of like minded folks who have passed the baton from one generation to the next in looking after the place through a simple connection – rock climbing. If you jump on socials you can read page after page of people’s personal stories about their attachment to Arapiles, a place that has shaped and quite literally saved lives. If you’re a climber and haven’t experienced Arapiles you really need to. That was the past – what are we looking at now?
What’s at stake?
The recent announcements lock in a ban of 63% of Arapiles rock climbing routes on day 1, and moves to a permanent ban of more than 54% of the rock climbing routes some time in the distant future (if they find money to install new signs, tracks etc). Most importantly these areas are considered the best crags to climb at Arapiles – with the remaining areas largely not of a quality that makes them appealing to interstate or international visitors – especially if you are climbing at a high technical level. The bans also include areas considered to be the worlds best beginner routes – the nursery grounds for thousands of young climbers who have been introduced to climbing via school camps or climber parents. These bans are comparable to the worlds largest climbing bans that occurred at nearby Grampians National Park in 2021 – covered extensively on this site. Combined these two banned areas consist of the greatest loss to the rock climbing global community ever recorded.
And it’s not just about the climbing itself – the community that surrounds this area in the nearby town of Natimuk and the wider Wimmera area around Horsham will be financially affected for two reasons – a loss in tourist climbers spending in the region, and also a loss of residents – as many climbers reside in these areas by choice – moving there from other places in Australia. They bring much needed skills to regional western Victoria – medical professionals being one prominent group of local climbers. A reduction in climbing in the region means these people will leave.
You can read more about the economic impacts of climbing bans in a report made in 2021 – Economic Assessment of Rock Climbing at the Grampians National Park and Mount Arapiles. The report states that before bans were implemented in 2019 there was an estimated direct and indirect rock climbing tourism benefit to regional communities of $12.3 million for Mount Arapiles. In the first year of climbing bans in the Grampians there was a 36% decline in climbing person days. With these new bans in place this number will be plummeting even further. It makes the sugarcoated $1.7M the government has also announced to “do up” Arapiles infrastructure seem like chump change. It won’t scratch the surface on the financial losses that will occur from the bans.
Key dates up to this point
2005 – Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) becomes the anointed co-manager of Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park with Parks Victoria. This gives them the right to make some management decisions about the park. Parks Victoria is expected to take on board any closures they propose.
2006 – Aboriginal Heritage Act introduced which introduces Cultural Heritage Plans, permits and creates Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) which can now takes control of cultural heritage decision making. Read it here.
2017 – Wimmera and Grampians Indigenous Tourism Feasibility Study published by BGLC and Parks Victoria which details plans on how to monetize Arapiles through indigenous tourism. Read it here.
2018 – Parks Victoria Act introduced by Labor government. This gave independence to the organization which in turn gave them increased powers and greater responsibility to manage land under their control. They begin flexing their power. Read it here.
2018 – Aboriginal Heritage Regulations updated. This legislation requires Parks Victoria as the land manager to protect “values” from harm or they face legal and financial consequences for dereliction of duty. This appears to trigger the up coming bans. Read it here.
February 2019 – Parks Victoria announces sweeping bans to many climbing areas in the Grampians National Park – a major climbing area near Arapiles. This is in partnership with BGLC as they are one of three traditional owner groups. This eventually leads to closure of over 80% of the climbing and creates the world’s largest climbing bans. Much of this website is devoted to this issue.
June 2019 – In a post titled Is Arapiles Next? this website predicts that bans similar to the Grampians will spread to Arapiles. BGLC staff are quoted as saying “Climbers have had a good run for forty years; their time is over”.
December 2019 – Declaration Crag is the first area at Arapiles to be informally closed due to cultural heritage concerns. No climbing representatives were warned in advance, none were invited to the site to discuss ways of limiting such an extreme closure, and no further information was revealed about the exact location of the art and quarry site. See our post here.
March 2020 – Declaration Crag receives the first formal ban through a “protection declaration” with maximum penalties for contravention being a $297,000 fine for an individual. This was the first time this legislation had ever been used in Victoria (how lucky are we!). See our post here and a follow up post here.
August 2020 – World famous Grampians crags of Taipan Wall and Bundaleer added to the already extensive Grampians bans. Fun times discussed here.
October 2020 – Massive “temporary” closures of major areas at Arapiles announced that includes Tiger Wall, Castle Crag, Fang Buttress and nearby Black Ians Rocks. This was yet another pre-weekend late afternoon announcement from Parks Victoria designed to avoid media scrutiny. See our article here (depressed yet?)
November 2020 – Parks Victoria, in conjunction with BGLC and Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network (GWRN) begin comprehensive archaeological and ecological surveys of Arapiles with the end purpose of restricting access to climbing areas.
December 2022 – A new management plan for the Grampians National Park is released which bans 80% of the climbing in the park – and destroys access to the vast majority of iconic and difficult routes . The appeal to international and interstate visitors as a climbing destination is decimated. Read about it here and see the loss stats here.
February 2023 – Comprehensive archaeological and ecological field surveys of Arapiles are finally completed after more than two years. The results of these surveys are kept secret however.
October 2023 – Climbing safety bolts are removed by contractors at Millennium Caves in the Grampians. Members of the climbing community are paid by PV to complete this work. This action proves divisive amongst the climbing community. At the same time the referendum on an Aboriginal Voice to parliament is voted down by 80% of residents in the Wimmera district.
November 2024 – BGLC and Parks Victoria announce permanent bans at Arapiles after 4 years of rolling temporary bans. They add even more major climbing crags to the original ban list – this includes the Pharos, Yesterday Gully, Tiptoe Ridge and Mitre Rock. These bans now amount to more than half of the climbing at Arapiles. See our post here.
Early 2025 – this is the proposed date for when these huge news bans at Arapiles will come into legal effect.
Announceables – or how to spin baby spin
Have a read of the lovely sounding press release that launched the bans into the public eye from the Allan Labor Government here. To quote the opening paragraph “The Allan Labor Government is ensuring Victorians can enjoy the Arapiles-Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape), investing in its facilities and protecting its natural wonders for future generations to come..” Sounds great hey? ChatGPT would be proud of such PR waffle. They seem to have forgotten something though… just trying to put my finger on it…. ah yere. What about the ban to half the climbing – any sign of an apology, acknowledgement – anything at all – about the annihilation of the Victorian climbing scene within this announcement?? If they think they got bad PR from the Grampians climbing bans then they may get a rude and ugly surprise from this announcement. To rub further wounds they throw into this press release the tone-deaf word celebration (good times – come on!) with a jaw-dropping facepalm quotable from Labor Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos..
“We want as many Victorians as possible to enjoy the great outdoors. This investment will allow more visitors to appreciate the park, while celebrating and protecting its cultural and environmental wonders for future generations.”
Banning climbing is a sure way of doing the opposite of “allowing as many Victorians as possible to enjoy the outdoors“. Whoever wrote this press release has a total lack of empathy for the rock climbers who have already been hit around the head for the last 5 years with extensive climbing bans in the Grampians and Arapiles. It makes the idea that if climbers “behave” the cyclic bans will stop seem comical. As many commenters on social media have stated this fells like a betrayal of public land usage and a deliberate and calculated punishment for climbers. And those are just the words that don’t involve C and end in T. It feels like the government has just announced the flooding of our climbing village and they want to celebrate the dam builders. A traumatized climbing community is not an exaggeration. I’m sure we can just let them know they did bad and they will change it all won’t they? That’s not how they work…
Million dollar investment?
The other big announceable in the press release was a funding boost for Arapiles – a one off infrastructure injection designed to sweeten the great deal climbers are getting from the government.
“The Victorian Government has announced a $1.7M investment to improve the facilities, tracks and access points at Mount Arapiles… [snip] Planned upgrades to visitor facilities include new barbecues and picnic tables, improved parking, refreshed tracks, and trails that will make the park more accessible for people, including signage telling the remarkable cultural story of the area. Outdated toilet facilities in Centenary Park will also be replaced.”
No one asked for this. This is clearly an example of political spin – a meager financial announcement to make the press release a “positive” one so they don’t have to talk about the real financial damage these bans will do to the regional Horsham community. For decades Parks Victoria has proposed upgrades to Arapiles which the climbing community did not ask for – back in 2019 Simon Talbot from PV even proposed installing hot showers (and bumping the camp price up to $30+ a night to match the Grampians). That was roundly rejected. Climbers are very happy with the status quo – a cheap rustic camping experience with a communal flavour. But climbers are not what Arapiles is supposed to be known for now….
You know who will benefit from this $1.7M? BGLC. They have welcomed the funds headed their way which will top up the last round they got for two years of cultural heritage assessments (anyone want to FOI what that cost?)
“The funding will help us protect Dyurrite’s unique cultural heritage” – Lyn Mace BGLC Deputy Chair.
BGLC’s multimedia spectacular
The climbing community got another PR hit around the head two days after the government announcement when BGLC released a polished website titled simply Dyurrite. Clearly this was something that has been in the works for many months and designed to twang at those heartstrings. It’s a slick piece of professional multimedia and includes a 10 minute video that’s absolutely worth a watch. Drone shot over the summit… soft music, kangaroos – what a spot. If this video was all you ever knew about Arapiles you would be thinking – what’s all the problems people keep talking about? Doesn’t everyone just want to walk together with a mutual love for shared values and land etc etc. Of course it doesn’t include any climbers input – we are simply vaguely refereed to as “recreational users” at one point. What is made clear is this is a return to a place that the Aboriginal community haven’t had much involvement with in recent times. At one point they refer to taking out the bookmark and turning a page in history. It’s actually a pretty powerful little film.
Where it goes a bit off is some of the quotables on the rest of the page – one that we have seen used before against climbers is Stuart Harradine’s classic line that climbers are “drilling bolts into the bones of our Creation Ancestors” (he means the rock). It’s a claim that strikes us as hypocritical when BGLC is talking up “one of the largest stone manufacturing sites in the world” and also scar trees nearby which are part of their cultural heritage. Humans have impact – the roads and the Telstra tower are examples of seemingly ok modern additions. The $1.7M is to be used to construct a toilet block and picnic tables on parts of the Creation Ancestor. Arapiles as a climbing area remains an island of natural sanctuary in a clearfelled wheat belt. No one wants to see climbing bolts in Aboriginal rock art sites. No one wants to see the destruction of quarried areas. We think it could be phrased in a slightly less dramatic way but suspect the target audience is not climbers.
Cowardly Community Consultation
The government hates honest feedback about their “brilliant” decisions. For some humor go and watch the brilliant TV show Utopia’s take on Community Consultation. That’s pretty much what we have here when Parks Victoria gets involved.
No actual climbing organization was consulted about these climbing area bans at Arapiles. Climbing Victoria, (the peak body representing outdoor climbers in Victoria) and the Australian Climbing Association Victoria were both blindsided by the announcement on Melbourne Cup Eve. These bans are presented as a done deal – in PV’s own words.
“We want your feedback on the management plan amendment. You have the opportunity to provide input on how you would like to receive information, improve map and guideline accessibility, update signs, or use chalk. It is important to note, this consultation will not be reviewing any changes to the areas that need to be protected.“
Errr what? That’s not how consultation works. The crux of the issue for the 90% of current users of the area (i.e. climbers) is how much public land is being locked away – and the reasons for this closure. This is the number 1 issue that people have here. It’s doesn’t get much bigger for a land manager that is supposedly managing public land for the public good to be then removing public access. How can this not be part of the so called “conversation”?
The only future consultation mentioned on the Engage Victoria website are a simplistic survey (that does not deal with the impact of these bans) – don’t bother doing this, an ability to upload a written proposal (do this!) and one online Microsoft Teams meeting on the 13 November. Do you think this Covid era zoomy will be our one last chance to have a real say face to face with people in power? That will be a no.
Note it is NOT actually a community consultation event – its an “online community information session“. They will tell us how it is – and we have to sit there and take the beating. We might be able to tell them our preferred colour of chalk (seriously – this is one of their question in their survey!). Unlikely that any proper questions will be taken – and certainly no feedback from this online event will be collated nor will this change the final plan to any degree. They certainly don’t want to talk about reviewing what areas are to be banned.
The cowards in all of these organizations behind the bans hide behind one-sided media releases and refuse to front up and talk to real affected people in the climbing community-and the wider regional businesses that rely on climbing tourism. Their press releases glow with positives and refuse to acknowledge the mental and financial burden that these actions will place onto the climbing community. The destruction of the community of Natimuk appears to not be factored into this decision at all – but is the inevitable result. Warm your cockles with a look at an old episode of ABC’s warm and fuzzy Back Roads that features Natimuk pre bans.
Deconstructing the plan itself
Enough ranting about the press releases – let’s explore the plan itself. Download a copy of the document below that explains the destruction of climbing at Arapiles – the Management Plan for Arapiles.
This is advertised as an “amendment” to the positively ancient 1991 Management Plan for the Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park. The scope of the amendments are “made in accordance with Section 47 of the Parks Victoria Act 2018, focuses on the protection and management of cultural and environmental values.“
Here we state the unsaid and obvious. When PV write the words protection of “culture” they mean one type of culture – Aboriginal culture at the exclusion of all others.
The amendments are marked in red throughout the new document – whilst the original 1991 text is in black. Within the remaining black text is plenty of seemingly outdated and irrelevant items – it’s showing every bit it’s 33 years age. The opening page even admits as such
“Please note that information in the 1991 plan that is outside of this scope remains unchanged, including language and concepts that Parks Victoria recognises are outdated in 2024“
Is this a rush job to get climbing banned so Parks Victoria doesn’t get sued by BGLC? You bet! There are so many simple items in the old management plan that could have been dealt with in the same 2024 amendment – but continuing a hyper focused approach on removing climbers is clearly plan A at PV and BGLC. There are elements that freaked climbers out (eg the closure of The Pines campground) that may not actually be happening as they are leftovers from the 1991 plan, and somehow we are all supposed to know are irreverent in 2024. Confused? You should be. That’s probably the plan. Below we will try and break down various relevant passages in the amendments – and mention some of the remaining text from the old document which still concerns climbers.
Stated reasons for the climbing bans
The opening of the document devotes half a page to the reasons for the rock climbing restrictions. It’s helpful to understand this.
“The Mount Arapiles -Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape) has biocultural significance. Recent rediscoveries including scarred trees, rock art with evidence dating back 3000 years, and one of the largest stone quarry complexes found in Australia demonstrate that Mt Arapiles (Dyurrite) has been a significant place for the Wotjobaluk Peoples for
tens of thousands of years.” page iii
At least they aren’t claiming its 250,000 years old. If you are imagining the extensive rock art panels of the Northern Territory, or even the comparatively smaller panels in the Grampians you will be very disappointed by the rediscovered rock art at Arapiles. Most of the art is so faded it is invisible to the naked eye. Some of the press releases around the Declaration Crag closure in 2020 spoke of “50 rock art motifs across several art panels” – but they have never supplied imagery of this art and no one appears to have clear photos (for the very reason its invisible). It’s easy enough to walk around the boulders in front of Dec Crag and look for yourself – as that is the main claimed art site. Sources we have spoken to say there are only about half a dozen art sites at Arapiles and that five of them are not near climbing routes – and the sixth is tucked away enough it has not been damaged from climbers despite 60 years of use. Do they have historical and scientific value for everyday Australians and need protecting? – Absolutely. Do they have importance to traditional owners for reasons far beyond the above – most certainly. What remains of their presence at Arapiles is incredibly fragile, faded and irreplaceable.
Then there is the claim of the discovery of “one of the largest stone quarry complexes found in Australia“. We presume they mean prior to the arrival of Europeans. This “quarry” is an area of chipped off stone that runs along the base of Tiger Wall, and in the proximity of various other cliffs at Arapiles. It consists of broken stone edges and has not been damaged by climbers as it is hard rock – the very reason it was both used for creating stone tools, and is an excellent climbing medium. According to elders of the Natimuk climbing community these quarries had been put onto the Victorian register of aboriginal heritage back in the 80s, with no concern about the impacts on it from climbers. They remember walking the cliff with members of the Aboriginal community and everyone being happy with what they saw. These same stone quarries are all over the tourist tracks in the Grampians – there is one right on the walking track to Hollow Mountain. This has been pointed out to Parks Victoria on numerous occasions and they have never acknowledged the hypocrisy of banning climbing because of stone tool quarrying in one place whilst promoting hikers to walk over the same thing elsewhere. Remember in PV logic tourists wear special shoes that make them float above the ground. Do each and every one of these numerous stone tool quarry sites at Arapiles require such a level of protection that exclusion zones from now to eternity are required?
The plan intro continues…
“These surveys rediscovered and registered cultural heritage, confirmed the existence of threatened plant communities, and revealed widespread environmental impacts. In response, it was determined that the 1991 Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park (Mt Arapiles Management Unit) Management Plan would need amendment to facilitate the popular activity of rock climbing while ensuring the protection of park values for the whole community” page iii
Gotcha. Climbers out. We have to remember in Victoria that tourists, bushwalkers, cyclists, bogans with beers and highliners all have no capability of harming anything. In fact they can freely do what they want and require no special mention in this new updated management plan.
Who’s really in charge?
One of the first major red inserts into this amended document is the mention of Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation – an entity that did not exit in 1991 when the original document was written.
“The Mount Arapiles -Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape) is managed by Parks Victoria with the support of Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation…… Barengi Gadjin Land Council’s status as a Registered Aboriginal Party under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006
provides the right and legal responsibility to Care for Country, and to be recognised as the primary source of advice and knowledge on matters related to the protection and management of Wotjobaluk cultural heritage.” Page 2
We have heard from various people, including GWRN, that it is BGLC that are making the decisions about what areas are to be banned and what stays open – and PV is just following their instructions. GWRN itself has said they don’t actually talk with PV at all – and that all their discussions are with BGLC – this includes a secret 54 page document that GWRN wrote and presented to BGLC with their recommendations. As BGLC is not part of the public service it is highly unlikely that any kind of Freedom of Information search can be done on their decision making process. Another nail in the coffin for transparent management of public land. We simply do not know the details.
thecrag.com used against us – again
“the single most accessible data source concerning climbing areas and climbing routes is available on the Crag Website (www.thecrag.com). This community-based platform provides information in accessible spatial data format.” page 2
Don’t get me wrong – we love that website. But we see on page 2 another example in where it is being used by land managers to map and restrict climbing areas without leaving the comfort of their air-conditioned inner city office (just a short electric bike ride away from the theater!). They would find it much harder to show what is open or closed if they didn’t have it all mapped out for them by the climbing community in advance. Side note – it’s odd that on the same page it still keeps the old 1991 text stating there is 2000 routes at Arapiles – the current figure (according to thecrag!) is 3,306. 1,000 of them worthless linkups and boulder problems probably (we jest).
A belated update
Page 3 mentions that the 1991 “Plan is intended to guide management for a period of 5 years” and that “The Plan may be amended if, after adequate investigation, there is justification for the alteration of management based on additional resource data or new techniques“. So don’t let PV tell the climbing community that these plans are set in stone. They can be amended – just like we are seeing with this 2024 version! PV might tell us this is the end of the discussion but that is simply not true. The fact it has taken them 33 years to do the first amendments is laughable. At least this time they didn’t have to get the typist to fax a copy of the amendments to head office.
Out with old, in with the new
There is some optimistic words about rock climbing on page 4 in the 1991 version of this document that still remains…
“Visitors numbers, particularly those associated with rock climbing, are expected to continue to increase. Opportunities for recreational experience in a largely undeveloped environment will be maintained.” – “Rock climbing will continue to be encouraged as a major recreation activity. An additional camping area adjacent to the present one will be developed for rock climbers and other visitors. The simple character of existing camping facilities will be maintained, to preserve the experience of camping in the bush.” Page 4
Not sure we are seeing any signs of encouragement of rock climbing from Arapiles land managers these days… the reference to a new campground is actually something that came to fruition in the late ’90s with the opening of the Gums campground. Another example of text that should have been removed to avoid confusion in this 2024 amended version.
They did insert a new principle management decision that singles out climbers again…sigh.
“The principal management direction of this (draft) amended Management Plan is to enable rock climbing to continue within the Mount Arapiles -Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape) in a way that does not harm cultural and environmental values.” page 4
At least it’s not a total ban.
Management Principles
Principled management – a novel concept when PV is involved. Page 5 has a couple of inserts relating to adding the word “cultural” into a few key points – meaning Aborignal culture once again. We don’t understand what exactly is behind this trend of creating “Cultural Landscapes” instead of National or State Parks. Must be a holistic view through the eyes of traditional owners that includes areas outside of hard legal borders. It appears a very human history centric view of these places – instead of the original nature conservation based approach to National Parks historically. These places contain rocks hundreds of millions of years old, and plants and animals that evolved in these places when dinosaurs were still around. There is a modern fascination with putting the First Fleet on a timeline against when Aboriginal people first arrived – but try putting any humans against an echidna that appeared 50 million years ago and you will quickly see our insignificance as a species against the wonders of deep time. Enough philosophy…
Page 5 still includes the refreshing old line that a key management principle at Arapiles is to “provide for rock climbing as a major use” [smiley face emoji] – but then adds in a new red amendment “in a way that does not harm cultural and environmental values” [no shit sherlock]. Every time they add one of these types of amendments in it is cold wet slap across the face for climbing credibility. As a user group this special mistreatment is extraordinary. Imagine if they said every time they spoke of bushwalking that it has the addition after it of “in a way that does not harm cultural and environmental values“. Harm is harm no matter what the activity.
And this is where the fun ends in the plan.
The Bans – flipping the script
A simple 8 word line changes everything.
“allow rock climbing activities within designated climbing areas” page 5
Just like they did in the Grampians in 2022 – Parks Victoria has flipped the script – instead of publishing a list of banned areas for rock climbing – they instead ban all climbing outside of “designated” climbing locations. This is a two pronged devils tongue approach…
1, they don’t have to list the banned areas in any documents – so they immediately erase any historical record of the once hugely popular climbing areas. Remove the evidence, wash their hands and pretend it never existed. You won’t read the words Castle Crag, Tiger Wall, The Pharos in this new plan – it’s like they never existed.
2, Managing a small amount of cliffs is easier. What land manager actually wants to walk around the land they manage? It’s easier to just fence it off, install butt ugly signage and let the weeds grow free. Save money, saves hassle. This usually applies to remote or hard to access areas that land managers can’t easily get to.
But what does that mean for climbers? Firstly any new climbing areas are impossible to establish – it’s not an approved area so banned automatically. They have made it clear in the plan on p. 27 that “New climbing areas cannot be established.” Anyone who likes exploration, quietness and obscurity will be forced instead to only visit a select list of 80 approved areas that will inevitably be busy.
Danger Zone
Then we get to another clever trick by Parks Victoria to remove climbers. Zoning! [Hope you haven’t zoned out by this point in the article?]
In the 1991 plan of management there were 3 zones described – and zone 1 was considered the highest level of protection – no new roads, no camping, no firewood collection. The basics. But it clearly stated that climbing ok – in fact it was another “provide for”:
But if we look at the 2024 amended version of the plan – suddenly Zone 1 is rebranded as a “conservation zone” and is now off-limits to climbing as a prohibited activity (feel free to highline, pogostick, cartwheel etc at the cliff).
This is where a finer grained approach could be applied by BGLC and PV. Instead of banning climbing all together at long used climbing areas they could ban new bolts, new routes, white chalk. Where are Zone 1 sites?
Let’s look at just where this Zone 1 “Conservation Zone” includes and how that simple decision to remove climbing from there will affect climbing closures. Zone 1 is the dark green colour on the map below.
Mitre Rock (127 routes) and Western Side (199 routes) are immediately banned. The former is a very popular beginner area and heavily used by guiding companies – especially since the demise of Declaration Crag, Plaque Area with earlier bans. Classic beginner routes such as Exodus (6), Guiding Light (6) and The Bishop (11) are now to be “conserved” forever. Western Side is chock full of obscure wilderness trad climbing – long walk ins, no tracks and with a much more Grampians feel. Does climbing currently impact this area? No. It’s just lazy management to re-zone this into a permanent ban.
Endangered Species
No, we aren’t talking about climbers here. One of the rarely mentioned factors is the additional bans caused by climbing being in the proximity of endangered species. This seems squarely in the court of PV’s management decision rather than BGLC – but since it’s all behind a culture paywall who knows.
Environmental surveys were done around the same time as the cultural heritage surveys (2021 to 2022) and they identified threatened vegetation species in the park. The new 2024 plan adds in the usual rock climbing is bad lines “Recreational Rock climbing will be actively managed using a ‘designated climbing areas’ approach to minimise the impact of this activity on native vegetation.” There is a little sneaky bit of text they added down the bottom of page 10 to further kick the boot into those naughty climbers “Archaeologists and ecologists recorded evidence of damage to native vegetation within climbing areas, during field surveys between 2020 and 2023” – note it does not say this vegetation was threatened or endangered. Have climbers actually had significant impact on vegetation in the park? Bushfires – natural or deliberate – wipe out acres of green but climbers deserve the special mention again.
We do not know what crags are closed because of threatened or endangered species but it seems likely that it has been done because of these additions to the management plan. Rumour has it that the entire of Yesterday Gully may be now closed because climbers reported the existence of a Skeleton Fork-fern (Psilotum nudum) in the gully. Looking at the paperwork regarding this plant it is classed 3 levels down – it is not endangered or vulnerable – but only “Rare in Victoria but not considered otherwise threatened.” Better hope Yesterday Gully isn’t shut for that then.
It would be great to have a nice big ID photo chart of plants to look out for in the Pines campground wouldn’t it? Perhaps they can allocate some of the $1.7M to that.
Falcons
Interesting to read page in the original 1991 text there is extensive notes about formally managing Peregrine Falcon nests and rock climbers. Of particular note is “The Victorian Climbing Club and other key user groups will be advised in writing of the dates of any closures and
re-openings. Signs advising of any closure will be erected in the Park… Surveillance of any closures will be undertaken. If voluntary measures prove inadequate, legally enforced closures will be introduced
We are not aware of that happening at any time in recent memory – the climbing community appears to be fully self policing this issue – including even erecting their own signage and adding warnings onto thecrag and social media. It’s evidence that the park land manager quickly loses its appetite and resources to try and formally manage a perceived problem that turns out to be inflated. Will we be looking at this management plan in 2060 wondering what the hell all the stuff about draconian Cultural Heritage management was all about? We suspect so.
Aboriginal (Cultural Heritage)
Page 15 is where the plan discusses the existence and protection of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. It’s a bit of a strange messy update considering this is the very reason they did this amended version – this reeks of a rush job quick fix with no one double checking their work. This section includes multiple references to the VAS (Victoria Archaeological Survey) which has not existed since 1993. It has had about 5 department and name changes since then – we have lost count. According to the 2024 plan this long dead organization is responsible for undertaking cultural heritage surveys, and must be consulted on any management decisions that are made regarding these discoveries. Even weirder the plan says “Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative, Horsham will be consulted on the management of known Aboriginal sites.” Goolum Goolum is a currently functioning Horsham based indigenous health organisation that appears to have nothing to do with cultural heritage protection (although we do note that our old mate Jake Goodes of Grampians archeology fame is on the board – it’s small world). Surely this section could have been updated in 2024 with BGLC and Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council to be valid?
Recreational activities – not permitted
Right down the bottom of page 15 is another clincher for closing climbing.
“Recreational activities will not be permitted near cultural heritage. These areas will be managed for preservation.“
Of course the question everyone is asking (and have since the Grampians bans) is – what is “near”? What are we talking about here – 1m, 10m, 50m, 1km?
And what is cultural heritage? The Victoria Aboriginal Heritage Council defines it as “Aboriginal Cultural Heritage refers to the knowledge and lore, practices and people, objects and places that are valued, culturally meaningful and connected to identity and Country.” So it’s not just rock art, scar trees, stone tools, broken edges of attempted tools, broken edges on the cliff from where tools came from – it could be the cliff itself because it could be a potential tool or rock formations with special significance in stories… all of this is classed as cultural heritage in the legislation.
So it’s actually a very blunt tool used to ban all recreational activities – not just climbing. (bushwalkers – welcome to the fun!). It’s a very vague statement and very powerful all the same.
Fire cassette! Fire cassette!
For light relief lets look at the bit about Total Fire Ban days on page 18.
“Centenary Park is used by climbers from a range of countries around the world, many with a poor command of the English language. The Region will investigate the production of multilingual leaflets, signs and
cassette tapes as a means of informing these people about fire restrictions particularly Total Fire Ban days“
Mix tape anyone?
Quarry Tourists
Page 24 gives a brief overview on the tourist value of Arapiles – much of the text remains the same as the original. Here is a highlight…
“Mt Arapiles and Mitre Rock are spectacular, picturesque areas attracting many visitors. Mt Arapiles is also recognised internationally as a premier climbing area. The natural beauty of the area, the soundness of the sandstone rock faces, the large number of climbs (over 2000 described climbs), and the wide range in degree of difficulty of climbs, from beginners to the most difficult in Australia, attract many visitors from interstate and overseas. The beauty of the area, the lack of development and the opportunity to watch climbers working on the cliffs also attracts many local day visitors to the Park, and increasing numbers of tourists travelling by bus and car.… Mitre Rock is also increasingly popular, both with climbers and local residents for picnics and barbecues“
Clearly written in a more enlightened period before climbers were only spoken of as a pest problem. Interesting to see they still left in the bit about Mitre Rock being a popular climbing area – wasn’t it banned a few pages back?
The 2024 addition to this section is actually right at the top – with this
“Mt Arapiles (Dyurrite) is one of Australia’s most spectacular natural rock formations. Ascending from the Wimmera Plains, Mt Arapiles-Toon State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape) is home to one of the largest stone quarry complexes in Australia“
It’s a small addition but an obvious rebuke to the climbing being the main attraction of the place. They really do believe this is the future of tourism – the chipped rock at the base of Tiger Wall.
Bushwalkers beware
Bushwalking is again targeted when you look closely at how they want to manage recreation activities in the chart on page 25. You are not allowed to walk off an “approved” track in either the conservation zone (climbing banned) or conservation recreation zone (the main cliffs we climb on). The only place you can walk off track? The Pines Campground. Seriously.
Rock climbing management – the crux
We have come so far yet so far to go. Page 26 is where the pedal hits the metal – and Parks Victoria spells out in detail their strategy for dealing with climbing. This is almost a copy/paste from the Grampians management plan released in 2022 that killed 80% of climbing in that area.
We touched on it above. Everything is banned unless they say it isn’t.
Crags are given a category rating from 1 to 5 – with 1 to 3 being various options of “open” and 4 and 5 being either “closed forever potentially” or simply just “closed forever”. Category 4 & 5s are not listed in this amended plan at all so getting that info is a data wrangling exercise for another day. Here is the details of each category.
- Designated Climbing Area
There are no known risks to cultural heritage or the environment, or site management measures to protect values have been implemented.
▪ These areas are open for climbing.
▪ Licensed tour operators may use these areas.
▪ Bouldering, and the use of bouldering mats, will be permitted in some designated climbing areas. - Designated Climbing Area that requires site management action to protect values (M)
There are known risks to cultural heritage and/or the environment, and site management measures to protect values have not yet been implemented.
▪ These areas will be open for climbing when management measures, to protect values, are in place. - Designated Climbing Area for Licensed Tour Operators only
There is a known risk to cultural heritage in this area. Site management measures have been implemented to mitigate those risks in accordance with a permit under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
▪ Administrative and supervisory requirements apply. Access for climbing is limited to operators who hold a current Tour Operator Licence issued by Parks Victoria and an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
Permit issued under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, and have completed a cultural heritage induction. - Climbing Not Permitted
Rock climbing activities (including bouldering) are not permitted because there are known risks to cultural heritage and/or the environment. These values are sensitive to the impact of climbing activities. The risk of these values being directly harmed by climbing activities cannot be adequately managed or mitigated. - Possible Climbing Area (Unassessed/Under Review)
These areas have not yet been assessed, or an assessment outcome has not been determined
So where does that leave us?
Only 37% routes open to climbers?! Yes it’s true.
Eighty designated climbing areas have been approved by Parks Victoria in this new plan… but there is a catch. Not all will be open immediately.
- Sixty-four areas are immediately open for climbing (category 1), and eleven of these areas allow bouldering and the use of bouldering mats (identified as “Bouldering” on the map of designated climbing areas) – 1133 routes + 88 boulder problems.
- Fifteen areas will be closed until site management action occurs such as signs, new tracks etc (category 2). In the Grampians this took years to happen and there is no timeline given. 295 routes.
- One area is designated for licensed tour operators only (category 3). 14 routes.
So let’s compare that with the total number of routes at Arapiles.
| Total with no bans | Open as soon as plan approved | Open eventually after track work/signs etc |
| 3307 | 1235 | 1530 |
| 100% | 37% | 46% |
What will be temporarily closed?
It reads like a list of classic routes at Arapiles – but here goes. Muldoon area, D Minor Pinnacle, Bluff Major, Bluff Minor, Fang Buttress, John’s Pinnacle, Bard Buttress, Bakers Wall, Huey Wall, Left Watchtower Face, The Watchtower, Kachoong, Upper Hum Terrace.
What did we lose for all time?
Apart from our dignity – quite a lot. Crags not found on any list – so presumably gone forever include Declaration Crag, Plaque, Castle Crag, Tiger Wall, Pharos, Uncle Charlie, Yesterday Gully, Tiptoe Ridge area, Mitre Rock and the far side. There are plenty of minor crags also missing when you dig around on the maps.
There is a better way – but they won’t listen
The climbing community has been vocal about not having valid consultation in the selection and size of any of the area bans. There are so many current examples of cultural heritage being part of the landscape of an area – but still allowing the regular recreational users to continue what they have done for decades. Many beaches across Australia have midden sites that you walk across or near. Often these are signposted. There are many climbing areas that have rock art, quarrying and middens where this has not been a problem once the site has been identified – individual climbs are often closed and mentioned in guidebooks. Thompsons Point at Nowra is an example of select route closures which enabled the remaining crag to stay open.
Does all of Tiger Wall, The Pinnacle and the Pharos really require total closure? Or could we close a couple of routes instead – or redirect the starts around something like was done on the left side of Taipan Wall?
Bungling reconciliation
The government and BGLC used the local reconciliation group GWRN to say they had a broad consensus amongst the climbing community for wholesale area closures. GWRN was their on site climbing consultant group who even produced a 54-page report that detailed how much they were willing to lose in climbing closures. Did this report give any detail on the climbing cultural context of the whole area – and individual climbs? Was something like Punks in the Gym – the worlds first grade 32 – actually discussed as a climb that has real significance to world climbing? This document is not publicly available and GWRN refuses to release it citing privileged internal correspondence.
Secret meetings with a very select group of climbers is not a broad consensus amongst the community for large area closures. GWRN is curtailed from actually advocating for the climbing community because of the very reason they exist. Just look at their website and try and find something that actually promotes climbing. There is a real conflict of interest for them plain and obvious in their 4 key purposes – “Respect and promote the cultural values and heritage of Traditional Owners and the laws that protect them.”
It sounds like we are bashing GWRN here but we aren’t. We know several members and they are passionate people with a heart of gold trying to do the right thing. We just think they are ignorant to how they are being used by the Labor government as political justification for wholesale closures of recreational land as some sort of historic repartitions to the Aboriginal community. Labor believes there is votes in this action – it’s a cynical view point. Real reconciliation could be done without the government intervening to close areas and create press releases about these closures to win votes in naive inner city demographics.
Back to the last bits of the amended management plan…
Licensed to print money
Category 3 – Designated Climbing Area for Licensed Tour Operators only deserves some discussion. The area is the sunnyside of Bushrangers Bluff. It is one of the only areas where top-ropes can be setup on easy routes without someone having to lead first. It is the Summerday Valley of Arapiles – and just like that crag – it will now be commercial use only area. All staff must complete an induction presumably by BGLC. At least we should be able to see this induction material and know what is being protected – unlike the remaining areas of Arapiles. The precedent of commercial use only crags needs to be quashed. We have already lost considerable easy crags in the Grampians and Arapiles.
Chopping bolts on Punks in the Gym – you bet!
“Fixed protection points will be removed from areas where climbing is not allowed.” p.28 of the plan.
Chopping bolts at Millennium Caves in the Grampians was the warm-up act to what is planned at Arapiles. Never forget it was members of the climbing community who were paid by PV to do the Grampians job – see ABC article here about that debacle. Their “proud” work has unfortunately created a precedent and working model for how to erase an entire climbing area’s safety bolts and our own climbing history. Hurrah.
Some of the best bolted routes at Arapiles are down for the chop chop – think Punks in the Gym, Ethiopia, Slopin’ Sleazin’, Steps Ahead, Spasm in a Chasm, Trojan and Mind Arthritis – the list goes on and on. Who is going to step up to the plate for this?
Climbing festivals at Arapiles = bad
“Climbing and bouldering events and competitions are not allowed” p.28 of the plan.
Why do climbers feel persecuted? It’s petty things like this inserted into the new plan. Just like in the new Grampians management plan – climbing as an activity is targeted once again with management restrictions that no other user group suffers. Don’t even think about holding a celebratory festival of climbing at Arapiles – that is automatically banned. But are you a member of the Nazi Pig Shooters and want to hold your annual pig on a spit night? Then feel free to apply to PV and you will be assessed on the merit of your fine event.
Even Our Climbing Names May Change
“Parks Victoria with Barengi Gadjin Land Council will rename the park and significant places.” p.34 of the plan
Who knows what the intention is here – but we suspect some of the names that climbers have given features in the park are going to be formally renamed so that our filthy climbing culture is well and truly erased. Can we expect confused emergency response call-outs from international tourists trying to use new unpronounceable names? It’s already happened in other places so why not try it here. Just don’t fall off and ring 000.
Mainstream Media
We have seen some real interest from the media in recent days. Here are some links to some of the better stories.
As usual the well informed John Ferguson at The Australian has been on the heels of the Labor Government and BGLC over these bans. His article below seems it up nicely. Consider subscribing so he can continue his great investigative work.
Wimmera Mail Times – Mallee MP condemns Mount Arapiles climbing ban, citing economic impact – Nov 6
3AW Tom Elliot – https://www.3aw.com.au/tom-elliott-slams-ridiculous-banning-of-rock-climbing-at-famous-victorian-site/ Nov 6
Save Grampians Climbing 