ACAV has written to Parks Victoria raising concerns over safety instructions given by a Parks Victoria Director, in a letter to Open Spaces Publishing:

“A rope may be used to assist hikers on a designated trail. However the use of additional equipment outside of a designated climbing area is not permitted.”

Letter from Parks Victoria to Open Spaces Publishing 18022022

Any prohibition of safety equipment presents a glaring safety risk, exposing Parks Victoria and its policy-makers to litigation in the event of an accident. We see it as our duty of care to raise this matter.

Tragedy on the first ascent of the Matterhorn, 1865 – drawn by Gustave Doré

Many experienced climbers and hikers will be aware of a tragedy that occurred on the first ascent of the Matterhorn, Switzerland in 1865. Four people died on the descent when one person slipped and pulled three others off the mountain to their deaths. They were simply roped together with no point of attachment to the rock.

The present ruling allows a fine of $1817 for carrying karabiners, slings or rock protection while deemed by a ranger to be doing the wrong kind of walking / hiking / scrambling / climbing, in the wrong place.

Parks Victoria must step back from banning “additional equipment” under any circumstances and must publish updated advice at the earliest opportunity, to ensure that outdoor enthusiasts feel able to equip themselves properly, without fear of prosecution. Any group, in any part of the Grampians may be hit by bad weather, become lost, experience illness or may encounter another emergency. Group leaders must have the freedom to carry equipment as they see fit.

ACAV remains available to assist in the implementation of the Victorian Climbing Management Guidelines.

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Join as a member for $15

Ongoing feedback and assistance is always welcome: acav@climb.org.au

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ACAV has called for the withdrawal of newly-introduced “all of park” access bans on legal and regulatory grounds.

Link: ACAV Letter to Parks Victoria 30 May 2022

Recent modifications to the National Parks Regulations 2013, allow Parks Victoria to ban everyone from all parks across the state if they wish to do so. The Victorian parks comprise 4 million hectares or 18% of the land area of Victoria, including 70% of our coastline.

On 9th March 2022, Matthew Jackson, CEO of Parks Victoria, implemented a “whole of a park” legal instrument to execute new set aside determinations for the Grampians/Gariwerd National Park, banning more than three-quarters of the climbing.

There is concern that this new legislation may soon be applied at Australia’s premier rock climbing location, Mount Arapiles / Dyurrite.

ACAV has requested that Parks Victoria:

1. Withdraws the implementation of all-of-the-park set asides, pending a review of legal and regulatory compliance.
2. Instigates an internal review of the justification for this proposed all-of-the-park exclusion approach.
3. Suspends the implementation of the associated rock climbing and bouldering measures prescribed within the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan.
4. Collaborates with climbing groups to modify Parks Victoria strategy in this area, guided by the well-established principles described within the Victorian Climbing Management Guidelines.

Victorian Climbing Management Guidelines

As further restrictions are introduced, we can only reflect upon what may be gained by this approach, and what may be lost.

******************************************************

Please support the work that we do at ACAV:

Join as a member for $15

Ongoing feedback and assistance is always welcome: acav@climb.org.au

You are invited to join our Facebook group: ACAV Access Discussion