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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Poll Option

Votes

Graph

Craptastic, do I really have to climb there?

Better than Melton Creek bouldering but...

16%

I'd rather climb indoor!

Lots of fun though the walk in sucks.

28%

I love crowds.

Ok climbing and the birds are really pretty.

Pretty darn fun all round

25%

Melbourne's best!!

Topic Date User

Werribee Gorge: like it? love it? loathe it? 31-Jan-2011 At 5:07:32 PM gtempest

Message

On 31/01/2011 rolsen1 wrote:
>Is there any chance the old walk in could be negotiated with the landowner
>and reopened? Throwing the bikes in and riding across the paddocks was
>so much better. I've only been 3 or 4 times since the new track, Camel's
>is so much better for a local trip

As far as I know the original walk in (across the paddocks) is along a public right of way. It is still marked on the 1:25,000 series VicMaps. This right of way goes back well over 100 years. The farmer who owned the land didn't want to go to the expense of putting up fences along the road boundary but allowed a stile to be built and climbers and walkers then had access along the 'road'. It was great to ride in on a mountain bike and was a popular way of approaching the cliff. From what I understand the new owner decided that there was to be no more access and closed it off. Parks Victoria don't have the money to fight the case in court and the landowner just gained a chunk of extra land. There was also the problem that cars and walkers had to cross the railway line and this was quite rightly regarded as dangerous. Parks Victoria must have decided that all of this was just too difficult to deal with and worked with the VCC to construct a new walking trail starting from near the railway trestle and within the State Park boundary. Technically (and this would have to be checked) the farmer cannot object to anyone crossing his land if it is indeed a public right of way (the road). Climbing over the fences (as opposed to going through the gate) is probably not allowed though. Tracey (the VCC Access Officer) would probably know more about the legality of this approach but I suspect the farmer has won this battle.