“Where can I boulder and climb in the Grampians?”

We are often asked this question. Here are the Parks Victoria lists of 13 Bouldering Areas and 89 Designated Climbing Areas, transcribed from the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan.

Maps 

* UPDATE: The complete spreadsheet of green list locations can be found here:

https://vicclimb.files.wordpress.com/…/grampians-green…

Rock Climbing in Gariwerd (updated July 2022)

Many other Grampians bouldering and climbing locations, not shown on the lists above, are unidentified in the management plan and will remain unidentified on the ground. These locations are presumably deemed to be not-permitted by default. There are no Bouldering Areas or Designated Climbing Areas listed for the Black Range State Park.

The Climbing Victoria Advisory Council attends quarterly meetings with Parks Victoria and we understand that discussions are ongoing to potentially increase the number of Designated Climbing Areas. Parks Victoria prefers to communicate only with CVAC. We are advised that no additional Bouldering Areas will be permitted. CVAC does not appear to be fully formed at this stage. We have been advised to contact Outdoors Victoria for representation within this process.

It appears unlikely that Parks Victoria would be prepared to issue a legal infringement notice should anyone be found to be bouldering or climbing outside the listed locations or in violation of any future permit conditions. Parks Victoria is relying on park users to “do the right thing”.

Climbing permits are not available and not required at this stage. They will be introduced in the future. This is the latest advice on permits.

“The permit will be free and can be completed online. There are still more logistics to work through and it could take up to a year before it is implemented. More details will be provided as the process is finalised.” Parks Victoria, July 2022

This management approach is cumbersome, restrictive and expensive. Overcrowding at a limited number of bouldering and climbing locations may lead to environmental harm. This is already occurring at popular tourist spots. Yet this containment strategy does nothing to protect important cultural sites from the far greater threats of bushfire, feral animal damage and tourist vandalism. We believe that there are far better ways to manage bouldering and climbing in the Grampians.

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

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