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Fixed gear guidelines in the Grampians 11-May-2018 At 3:19:11 PM kieranl

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Recent discussions on another thread related to a bolt placement at Bundaleer have resulted in proposals to variously ban or strip all fixed gear at Rosea. One of the problems with the proposal, and to my mind, the biggest is that these proposals are ad hoc and aren't underpinned by a set of principle that we can apply throughout the Grampians.

It is Rosea and we love it. But we love lots of cliffs and why are we adopting one position for Rosea but not for other areas? Short of Parks clamping done in a regulatory sense, any restrictions we impose as climbers are a choice. If we don't understand why we are making a particular choice for a particular area then it is more likely that the choice will not be acceptable.

I think we need a broader discussion than this and the discussion needs to be among a much wider audience than a baker's handful of keyboard warriors on Chockstone.

Here's a little proposal : That there be a voluntary moratorium on placement of all fixed gear above the 500m contour in Grampians National Park for 12 months from 1st July 2018.

During that 12 month period, discussions will happen about the future of fixed gear throughout the Grampians.

Why 500m? I think it covers the majority of the remote areas in the Grampians. But, open to suggestions on another measure.

Why don't start until 1st July? To give some time to make people aware and to discuss whether things like the 500m limit should change? Anyone who agrees with the proposal, such as me, will observe the moratorium from now.

Why a voluntary moratorium? There is no surer way to derail discussion than to tell people that here's the situation and they must comply or there will be retaliation.

Maybe I'm completely on the wrong track, which wouldn't be the first time.