Now that’s steep: climbers risk $300k fines at Mount Arapiles heritage site

The Victorian government is threatening fines of up to $300,000 for people who disturb Mount Arapiles cultural heritage site.

Rock climber Ashlee Hendy makes her way up Mount Arapiles with her boyfriend Christopher Glastonbury in May. Picture: Aaron Francis

The Victorian government is threatening fines of up to $300,000 for people who disturb a cultural heritage site at one of Australian rock climbing’s nurseries.

The interim protection order at a site at Mount Arapiles is the first of its kind and includes massive financial penalties for people who enter the area.

The order relates to an area at Taylors Rock where more than 50 Aboriginal rock art motifs are located but they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Dyurrite 1 is a small rock shelter that is part of Taylors Rock, or Declaration Crag, just south of Mount Arapiles in Victoria’s west.

The decision is the first interim protection order under the Aboriginal Heritage Act, which is being used as a blunt instrument to dramatically restrict rock climbing in some of the best areas in the world.

Taylors Rock has been the training ground for tens of thousands of climbers in Australia but Mount Arapiles is under threat as a destination because of the drive to protect cultural heritage.

A lot of the rock art is so old it cannot be seen without special equipment.

This has frustrated climbers who have been blamed for damaging things that can’t be seen and the sport is fearful that Parks Victoria will shut down the activity at Mount Arapiles.

Mount Arapiles is a world-famous climbing destination, as is the nearby Grampians, which has been dramatically restricted as a destination for climbers.

“The (Arapiles) site, which is popular with rock climbers, also includes a stone artefact scatter and a stone quarry,” said Aboriginal Affairs Minister Gabrielle Williams.

“While the area was immediately closed to park users in December, the interim declaration allows for significant fines if the area is disturbed. It will be subject to review in three months’ time and can be extended for a further three months.”

The Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, which represents the traditional owners, was originally eager to protect climbing at Mount Arapiles.

But further cultural heritage assessments are being undertaken in the area that are expected to further restrict climbing. The issue of rock art has become more sensitive in Australia after the destruction of two shelters in Western Australia last month.

Australian Climbing Association Victoria president Mike Tomkins encouraged the BGLC to liaise closely with the climbing community over the protection of cultural heritage at Arapiles.

“The Taylors Rock solution proposed under the interim protection declaration is heavy- handed and difficult to enforce. A co-operative outcome would benefit everyone,” he said.