A small, close-knit rural town is demonstrating against the closure of Australia’s most famous rock climbing venue amid fears it could be the death of its community.
Up to half of the slopes around Mount Arapiles in western Victoria will be closed after Parks Victoria found tens of thousands of Indigenous artefacts, scarred trees and rock art.
Dubbed the heart of Australian rock climbing, the mountain is the lifeblood of the nearby town of Natimuk, which is 300 kilometers from Melbourne.
Local publican Bill Lovell didn’t mince words when he described what the closure of Arapiles could mean for the town that is home to just over 500 residents.
“If the climbers don’t come here, the staff won’t have hours,” he said. A current issue.
Amanda Wilson, from Lister House Medical Clinic in nearby Horsham, said four of its 17 doctors came to the area especially to visit the famous rock climbing venue.
“Losing 25 percent of our doctors would affect 30,000 patients,” he said.
Wayne Webb has built his entire livelihood around the city’s climbing addiction.
The small town of Natimuk fears it will “die” with the closure of Mount Arapiles to climbers (pictured, locals protesting)
Parks Victoria found tens of thousands of Indigenous artefacts, scarred trees and rock art around Mount Arapiles, a popular rock climbing destination.
He runs a climbing equipment store and spends every day talking to climbers who feel “connected” to the mountain.
‘This is not just a ban for climbers. “It’s a ban for everyone,” Webb said.
Locals have also taken issue with the government’s plan to install new amenities in the park surrounding the mountain, despite closing it to climbers.
The $1.7 million project includes new barbecues, tables, bathrooms, parking and signs.
“For decades, people have struggled to remove infrastructure to keep it pristine,” Webb said.
“This isn’t just a ban on climbers. It’s a ban on everyone,” said local Gordon Webb.
A petition created by locals to keep the mountain open to climbers has already attracted more than 8,000 signatures and closes on January 31.
Locals also claim that the government has not adequately considered or addressed their concerns about the damage the closure would cause.
State Environment Officer Steve Dimopoulos told the program that Parks Victoria had directed him to work with the local community and climbers “to highlight recreational, environmental and cultural attractions”.
The Victorian government announced the shock closure earlier this month, shortly after Premier Jacinta Allan previously promised she would not “lock down” Victoria’s state forests.
“As Prime Minister and a proud Victorian country, I will never put a lock on our public forest,” she declared in August.
‘I know there are some people who are concerned about the future of our state’s forests. And I understand that there has to be a balance. There are areas that we must protect, areas that we must conserve.
“But, for me, the most important thing we can do for our bush is to make sure we enjoy it.”
Local publican Bill Lovell (pictured) said the closure of Mount Arapiles to climbers “could be the death of the town”.
Up to half of the slopes around Victoria’s Mount Arapiles will be closed following the discovery of its connection to indigenous heritage.
Climbers criticized Ms Allan for apparently going back on her word with the decision to close the epicenter of Australian rock climbing.
To make matters worse, climbers were largely responsible for rehabilitating Mount Arapiles, also known as Dyurrite, after its former use as a shooting range.
Opposition spokesman James Newbury then accused Allan of misleading climbers with his comments.
“Jacinta Allan has been caught talking out of both corners of her mouth again,” he said.
‘Despite having promised not to block our park, your government has been caught making secret blocking agreements. And within weeks, Labor has admitted it will pass new laws through parliament that will further block parks. Jacinta Allan’s promises are worthless.
The artifacts found around Mount Arapiles are likely to be predominantly stone fragments. Scar trees are found throughout western Victoria, but rock art is much rarer.
It is understood that most of the rock art found in the national park is not visible to the naked eye.
The state government recently confirmed it would create legislation for a new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park and Mount Buangor National Park by November out of Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park.
A petition created by locals to keep the mountain open to climbers and hikers has more than 8,000 signatures.
Parks Victoria said its investigation, completed in conjunction with the local Barengi Gadjin Territorial Council, was carried out between November 2020 and February 2023.
“These studies aimed to record cultural heritage, threatened plants of regional importance and investigate the impacts of recreational activities on this rich cultural and environmental landscape,” he said.
‘The specific focus of the study was the climbing areas identified through Crag, a global online database of climbing and bouldering areas, and the informal trail network that has been created to link the climbing areas to each other and with the formal trail network.
‘Located on the eastern side of Dyurrite (Mount Arapiles) sandstone escarpments and the Miter Rock sandstone escarpments, the study area included 153 climbing areas and over 35 kilometers of informal walking trails leading to these climbing areas. climbing and between them.’