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General Climbing Discussion

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Grampians Access 2019 8-Mar-2019 At 7:53:57 AM armstp

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I think people are downplaying the economic value of climbers too much. As PV have noted there are now thousands of climbers visiting the Grampians annually.

I would suggest that the old dirt bag bush camping model of climbers relates to a minority of the total number of people visiting who climb. In the modern world a number of those climbers are family groups looking for moderate routes, including top roping, and Summerday Valley is a major draw card in that regard. Quite a number of climbers in this category stay in paying campgrounds or cabins because they want civilised facilities.

I have met climbers staying at Mt Zero Cabins to climb at Summerday. Climbers eat in restaurants in Halls Gap at night, they go to Livefast for coffee and cake, they go for lunch at Mt Zero Olives when it is open. Closing so many areas will impact on the number of those climbing visitors, and the frequency with which they will visit the Grampians.

On the subject of keeping climbers away from tourists my experience is that the average tourist likes seeing climbers. Quite frequently when I have been climbing in fairly public places walkers have stopped for a friendly chat and to watch the action [or lack of it].