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Bundaleer - June Update 15-Jul-2006 At 10:56:42 PM big arms

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Fellow climbers, on the long weekend in June this year, Parks Victoria Ranger, Sylvia van der Peet escorted two of us into our beloved Bundaleer where we were very lucky to be able to witness first hand, the impact that the January fires brought to this significant cliff line.

Please be aware that even though we were allowed to visit under the watchful eye of Parks Victoria to gain insight for this story, this area and others are CLOSED. Under no circumstances should you try to enter this very fragile area.. Apart from the issue of safety, access to CLOSED sites has been prohibited to allow the vegetation to recover and the soil to stabilise.

Depending on my failing memory, we managed to meander up the original track from the road to the cliff line, although in some spots the track is unclear. You can actually see most of the lines from the road where you previously parked your car. Most of the lower boulders that litter the upper part of the walking track seem to have simply exploded. Massive blocks have just fallen off, exposing unseen flesh, and some so darkly burnt they resembled large black cows.

The area was very weird, much more like a moonscape than the Australian bush. Nothing major was standing, only a few blackened skeletons of larger trees that are trying to survive and photosynthesize as they produce masses of green leafy growth (via epicormic shoots or lignotubers).

The cliff face itself looks great until you realise that it has been badly scorched. All of the vegetated growth on the cliff, no matter how high has been burnt. You can actually see where flakes have come off and what the affect of extreme temperatures have had on glued in bolts is yet to be determined.

No assesment has been conducted on the suitability and safety of bolts and fixed slings. Much of the rock has fractured and split and the fire intensity may have compromised the integrity of metal protection. I for one would either want a written report confirming their safety, or for these to be replaced although Parks Victoria have asked us to note that replacing bolts should not occur in the fire affected areas (or any area of the National Park) without full approval from Parks Victoria and people should be reminded that bolting of new routes at any location in the Grampians National Park is prohibited. I am very sure that the fixed slings that tend to be found on some of the routes will definitely need to be replaced before use. One of the bolts on Angular was blackened and would certainly need to be inspected. I have a series of photos for you to see what I had witnessed so you can understand what has happened.

Parks Victoria is currently working very hard to re-open the majority of visitor sites in the Grampians with a lot of work already achieved. Focus is currently on re-opening the Wonderland walking track network and opening tracks and replacing burnt bridges in the Victoria Valley. Remember that this area is closed , and until Parks Victoria give the climbing community the green light to climb here, please stay away and assist PV in its long and difficult task of restoring the Park.

Many thanks to Sylvia van der Peet who went about gaining special permission for our entry from Parks Victoria.

Regards,

Richard Melder.

ps. Remember that the fires where in January and my photos were taken in June.