‘Spycam’ spotted in national park after rock climbing ban

Claims a government agency has been “spying” on civilians have emerged after hidden devices were uncovered in a national park.

Secret cameras and hidden electronic counters hae been uncovered in a popular national park, with a government agency accused of “spying” on ordinary Aussies in an “Orwellian” act on people simply try to enjoy a bushwalk.

The Grampians National Park in Victoria has in recent years been at the centre of controversy over restrictions placed on visitors to protect significant cultural sites.

Rock climbing, walking, and camping were banned in large parts of the Grampians in 2019, under the Aboriginal Heritage Act to preserve Indigenous sites at the park 250km from Melbourne.

The Grampians boasts some of the country’s best climbing spots.

Fines of up to $346,000 can be issued to people found to have breached Aboriginal cultural heritage laws, designed to protect significant rock art and cultural artefacts.

There have also been reports of surveillance such as registering the number plates of visitors, and claims one person was visited at their home by authorities.

The wide-ranging nature of the rules led to a revolt among the state’s outdoor adventurers, with the Australian Climbing Association’s Victoria branch running an ongoing campaign to wind back some of the measures.

The Save Grampians Climbing page says members accepted some significant sites needed protection, but they had taken exception to the “blunt and lazy way” rules had been enforced.

The camera was found in a tree. Picture: ACAV/Facebook

It was found near a walking track. Picture: ACAV/Facebook

Last week one eagle-eyed visitor shared pictures of a “spycam” spotted in a tree in the national park with the ACAV, which posted the images to its Facebook page.

Secretary Mike Tomkins wrote the camera revealed Parks Victoria’s “surveillance strategy”, claiming one person had been fined for entering that part of the parkland this year.

“The spycam images are high quality and individuals can be readily identified when leaving the road within these vast indigenous exclusion zones in the national park,” he wrote.

One of the pictures allegedly found on the camera showed a man walking along the track with a handheld camera of his own.

An image found on the camera. Picture: ACAV/Facebook

An electronic counter was found in this post. Picture: ACAV/Facebook

In another post a few days later, he shared pictures of a wooden post that “appeared” recently on the walking track to Curiosity Crag – which when searched revealed a secret inside.

“Hidden inside the post is a battery powered person counter, allowing Parks Victoria to monitor how many climbers are visiting the cliff,” he wrote.

“The reason for this data gathering is unknown. We don’t think there is a camera here.”

Parks Victoria said track counters and cameras were used to make “informed decisions about resourcing, trail maintenance and conservation” and prevent illegal activities like rubbish dumping or firewood theft.

The cameras comply with the Surveillance Devices Act 1999 and Information Privacy Act 2000, and are only installed at locations where alleged offences have taken place.

Curiosity Crag is one of the rare rock climbing spots still open to visitors in the Grampians, which used to be one of the world’s top locations for the sport.

Chris, a climber, told news.com.au the technology being used to monitor people in the national park reminded him of the George Orwell classic 1984.

He believed it was an “overeach” by authorities and an invasion of privacy.

Kerrin Gale scales the Taipan Wall on the Dance of Life climb in the Grampians. Picture: Simon Carter/The Australian

Luke Weatherstone, a climber from Sydney, said the bans had been a “huge” blow to the national climbing community.

He said the Grampians was a “9.5” in the scale of the country’s best locations for sport climbing.

“They’ve shut all these really popular spots down … and they haven’t really left many that are crowd pleasing,” Mr Weatherstone said.

“They’re trying to fatigue the climbers so they lose interest in climbing there.”

“It’s not going to happen.”

He likened the situation at the Grampians to a similar one unfolding near Byron Bay in NSW, where access to parts of Mount Warning in Wollumbin National Park was closed in 2020.

“These outdoor places are for everybody,” Mr Weatherstone said.

Originally published as ‘Spycam’ spotted in national park after rock climbing ban