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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

$11,000 fine for building a cairn 14-Jun-2011 At 4:45:07 PM SteveH

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Why hate the snake? They are not stopping or banning climbing – it has just been requested to not move their habitats around. Climbers (in general) seem to respect voluntary bans on routes or crags for nesting birds (Bardens Lookout/Araps), endangered rock wallabies (Grampians), Lambing season (Castle Hill), but the snakes don’t get a fair go?!
Saying that there are plenty of rocks around and that it is a large area with a new road actually comes across as quite arrogant and the statement surprised me. It is a threatened species, in its natural environment, in a recognised colony (for lack of knowledge of a better/more technical term).
Cairns are not a necessity. There are plenty of other options. I think the issue is more anti-‘The Man’ than cairns and snakes. Maximum fines are generally meant to seem excessive and act as a deterrent, and are very rarely enforced. Same goes with prison sentences.
I have to agree with the people that are encouraging keeping a low profile and not adding cairns, or contacting rangers to proactively discuss their opinions for ongoing track management for the region.