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New Regulations 9-Nov-2024 At 6:18:16 AM Climbing wombat

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Morning ladies and gents long time reader rarely commenting. Today is the exception, I watched parks and the Andrews government rip a swathe of crags away from us in the Grampians. On that occasion they were even open to a little dialog/consultation. In the end though down came the velvet sledgehammer and we were left with a few camp grounds, restricted access to walking trails and even fewer climbing destinations some of which are themselves regulated (summer day valley). The government/parks clearly didn't appreciate the communities criticisms in this process. Hence the change in tactics with araps. They arrive and temporarily closed tiger wall under the guise of we,re conducting a survey/examination of the mount. For the next three years they poke around with little to no consultation except to occasionally ask for assistance in locating artifacts that climbers and walkers have observed noted and protected with no government assistance or funding for 50 years. In the forlorn hope that tiger wall and other close by crags get opened again in some fashion, when they do come calling for assistance and knowledge the climbing community happily oblige and we impart our wisdom. Unfortunately our convivial attitude only provided the ammunition for parks and in this case Jacinta to shoot us in the foot. Once again the velvet sledgehammer has dropped, this time from a greater height with no opportunity to protest/appeal the decision. Now that I have scene both scenarios unfold I am confident of this. This administration is now lining up Buffalo,Pilot,The cathedrals,Mt Alexander, Macedon and Werribee gorge for the same treatment. I see no future at all in providing any assistance at all going forward. I am openly pissed about this situation.
I am in no way racist let's be clear about that however I am interested to know if araps is so significant has anybody in the climbing community in the last 50 years witnessed any cultural meeting/ceremony at the mount of any kind
I,m all for direct consultation with the indigenous elders of any first nations people simply because like the climbing community they looked after ,experienced and appreciated the wilderness for what it is. We are likely to get a much better outcome through direct consultation as opposed to negotiating with an administration who,s only desire is to restrict access, regulate and profit