Vast climbing areas in Arapiles/ Dyurrite facing ban
- Sunday 10th November 2024
The news coming out of Australia is that vast sections of climbing at the Arapiles / Dyurrite - including the world’s first F8b+, Punks in the Gym – are to be closed under a proposed ban.
News about the proposed ban at one of the most famous and renowned climbing areas in Australia was announced to climbers on the ACANSW website last week. The Australian Climbing Association (NSW) – ACANSW - is the peak body for recreational rock climbing in New South Wales. ACANSW, a non-profit entity, “serves as the voice of the climbing community, working tirelessly to secure and maintain access to climbing areas through collaboration with governmental bodies and land managers.”
The news announcement on the ACANSW website didn’t pull any punches:
“Rock climbers are realising with increasing horror that the vast closures of climbs in the Grampians/ Gariwerd are to be replicated at Arapiles / Dyurrite. Furthermore, the “consultation document” makes clear that submissions will not influence the areas to be closed. Cynically, it was released late on Monday in Victoria, a day in the middle of what most Victorians consider a long weekend. The accompanying press release from the Premier is a mastery of spin. The Dyurrite Cultural Landscape Plan makes depressing reading for any climber.”
Although Parks Victoria says in the consultation document that “The majority of rock-climbing areas will remain open to the public in the Dyurrite Cultural Landscape” ASCNSW point out that this statement is something of a technicality “as 48% of the 153 climbing areas are to be closed and only 41% of the climbing areas will remain open. The remaining 15 areas may potentially be opened after management actions.”
Furthermore, ASCNSW advocates “if you ever aspired to climb anything on the Pharos, much of the Northern and Far northern group, Colosseum Wall, Yesterday Gully, Pinnacle Face or Mitre rock you had better do it quickly. These areas are added to other areas already off limits, including Declaration Crag, the Plaque, Castle Crag and Tiger Wall. The only reprieve seems to be that the Bard area may reopen.”
ASCNSW summarise the significance of the proposed ban saying; “This outcome is of national and international significance. Closed climbs cross all grades and include Tip toe Ridge through Agamemnon, Lamplighter, Entertainer, Christian Crack, Trojan, India to Punks in the Gym.”
ASANSW also point out some apparent anomalies saying; “Once again, we see the confusing situation where licensed tour operators are allowed to take groups into an area off limits to recreational climbers at Bushrangers Bluff.”
Parks Victoria, the body proposing the ban, lists the purpose of the new plan as:
“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.”
ASANSW presents an opposing view saying:
“This in itself is hard to argue with. However, the accompanying fact sheet does little to help climbers understand why half the climbing areas are off limits and that climbing there is considered to be harmful to cultural heritage. Surely if anything impacts the visual aspect of this cultural landscape, it is the telecommunication tower sitting on the summit! In addition, on page 15 it says vaguely “Recreational activities will not be permitted near cultural heritage. These areas will be managed for preservation”.”
Furthermore, ASANSW recognises that the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage is not disputed adding:
“While climbers can generally agree that Aboriginal Cultural Heritage needs recognition and protection and there is no dispute that Dyurrite was and is a culturally important landscape, it seems excessive that half the climbing areas are considered to be culturally damaging.”
The following is a preliminary list of closed areas:
- Bushrangers Bluff Back Wall (Guide only)
- Colosseum Wall Area: all
- King Rat Area: White Mice Walls, Light Fingered Gully, Bum Rocks
- Pilot Error Area all walls- Pilot Error Cliffs, Cobwebs Gully, Louise Lane Wall)
- Atridae: House of Atreus, Agamemnon Area
- Organ Pipes Gully: Organ Pipes Gully Left Side, Organ Pipes Gully Right Side
- Upper Central Gully: The Torture Chamber, Skyline Walls
- Central Gully Right: Minstrel Pinnacle
-Major Mitchell Gully: Ali's Area
- Bluffs: Denim Wall,Blockbuster Ledge, Dead Eye Dick Wall
- Tiger Walls: all walls
- Castle Crag: all
- Voodoo Area: New Image Wall
- The Pharos: Front Wall and West Face, Uncle Charlie, South Face, Back Wall
- Pharos Gully: Ethereal Buttress, Cheops ButtresS, Yesterday Gully (Upper and Lower)
- Pinnacle Face: all
- Northern Group: High Dive Gully, Mermaid Avenue
- Far North: Intrepid Gully, Leasehold Wall, Echidna Wall, Werewolf Are
-Mitre Rock: all
It appears also that the future of camping in the areas is also uncertain as ASANSW says:
“The draft plan also remains unclear about the fate of the campground. The uncertainty dates back to the old plan, but recent events such as cessation of rubbish collection have made climbers concerned about the long term fate of the Pines and Gums campgrounds. This area occupies generations of climbers consciousness in the same way that Camp 4 does at Yosemite. In Yosemite the camping area is given heritage status for its climbing significance and is protected. The Pines could yet be closed and this draft plan is the perfect opportunity to create some clarity and reassurance around this issue.”
Finally, ASANSW suggest that climbers should protest the ban by:
- provide feedback to Parks Victoria, though it has made clear that closed areas are not negotiable. https://engage.vic.gov.au/dyurrite
- write to the Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan whose press release “Climbing and Cultural wonder of Dyurrite secured” is a great example of spin. Email her at [email protected]
- write to the Minister for Parks Victoria, Steve Dimopoulos at [email protected]
Read more on this on the ASANSW website here.
Sadly, the proposed ban at the Arapiles / Dyurrite follows on from and is comparable to the worlds largest climbing bans that occurred at nearby Grampians National Park in 2021. Read more about that ban and comments on the proposed ban on the SaveGrampiansClimbing website here.