Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Grampians Access 2019 8-Mar-2019 At 9:00:07 AM Dave J

Message

On 8-Mar-2019 armstp wrote:
>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.

Agreed,

Also I can think of a lot of professionals in Horsham or Natimuk who could work anywhere but choose to to work, live and spend here because of the climbing. I would have put in maybe a couple of million in the time that I've been here (and I wouldn't have chosen to move here in the current circumstances). If the government is keen on getting people to relocate to regional Vic then climbing has to be one of the shining success stories there. I'm not saying that climbers didn't bring the current situation down on themselves but to argue that climbers contribute nothing to the culture or the economy of the area is a bit of a stretch. I imagine Natimuk would be a lot more like Pimpinio if it weren't for climbing.

>(snip)
>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].

Yes. Makes it easier to demonise a user group (us) if other people don't have any contact with them.