by Jay Pasricha
The Grampians/Gariwerd National Park is a
located in Victoria, Australia, West of Melbourne. Known for its scenic
landscape and diverse wildlife, the region is a popular area for outdoor
climbers. With huge sandstone cliffs and boulders, the region is popular
amongst boulders, sport climbers and trad climbers alike. Having recently
visited the Grampians myself, I can definitely appreciate why so many people
flock to the site all year round. The area is also home to several Aboriginal
tribes, including the Djab Wurrung and the Jardwadjali tribes. The region is a
very spiritual place for Aboriginal people and this is made obvious by the
thousands of rock paintings which can be found throughout the National Park.
The Park is home to approximately 90% of South-Eastern Australia’s Aboriginal
art. In the past, the relationship between climbers and the Aboriginal people
has been amicable, but recently there has been a push to keep the climbers out.
This has resulted in the park’s manager, Parks Victoria, imposing blanket bans
blocking climbers from vast swathes of the park, including some of the most
loved routes. This is due to alleged damage that frequent climbing has made to
some of the Aboriginal rock art which adorns the cliff faces.
Climbing in the Grampians is globally
significant, with climbers travelling from across the world to climb. As a
result of this, there is bound to be some form of trace left behind by each
climber after their visit. However, in recent months, park rangers and
Aboriginal tribesman have been complaining and reporting that climbers are
leaving unnecessary amounts of kit behind and placing bolts into walls which
hold sacred significance. The climbing community has responded to these claims,
saying that the number of climbers using the area and the damages that they
allegedly cause has been wildly overstated and exaggerated. A primary example
of the exaggeration is an image, posted online by Parks Victoria, showing a
bolt which goes directly through a piece of rock art. It was later shown that
the authorities were, in fact, responsible for this bolt. The climbing
community has always done its best to preserve outdoor environments and to
create as little damage as possible to places of significance. Climbing is
permitted in so many places around the world, many of which have the equivalent
Indigenous population and the equivalent sacred areas. Climbers have
successfully climbed in and preserved these areas, why should they be barred
from one of the most famous ones.
I understand the need to preserve the
Aboriginal culture in Australia. The oppression that the Aboriginals have been
forced to endure due to colonialism does not need to be added to. However,
there are ways in which the Aboriginals can be protected without impeding on
other people’s enjoyment. The environmental impact of climbers in the Grampians
must seem nominal in comparison to the impact of the hundreds of tour groups in
minibuses and coaches that I saw during my short stay there. If a limit has to
be placed on climbers, then a limit should be placed on others too. Whilst I
can see that the removal of climbers from the area may benefit the few, it will
negatively affect the many due to the drastic impact which will be felt by the
tourism industry in the area. I am interested in how Parks Victoria reached
their decision to close almost a third of the entire park off.
It should be noted that I am not trying to
disregard the impact that climbing can have the environment. I acknowledge the
important cultural and environmental issues which need to be addressed within
the park however it is my belief, along with the majority of the climbing
community, that these issues can be managed with co-operation, understanding
and education. Collaboration between climbers and land managers will allow any
restrictions that genuinely are necessary to be intelligently targeted to the
areas which are most in need, as opposed to blanket bans. I believe that it is
possible for climbers to continue climbing in the Grampians and to share it
with the rest of the world in a positive, harmonious way.
If you would like to support the continuation
of climbing in the Grampians National Park, please sign the petition below:
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