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Bundaleer - June Update 28-Aug-2006 At 2:45:27 PM big arms

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Dear all,

all I can say to you is that the destruction to Bundaleer was intense. Every tree that vegetates the cliffline has been damaged in some way. The fire and heat did not prejudice, and so, if it could be burn't, it was.
As far as the bolts are concerned, I am more worried about the affects of heat on the glue. Would anyone be willing to sign off on the safety of the glue/ metal/ rock interfaces? There is probably a 99% chance they are ok, but it's time to do the right thing, and stack the odds in our own favour.
As far as the routes are concerned, I am more than sure that an inspection of the route before climbing would be a good idea. The sandstone is fragile, and I'm sure any climber would not appreciate either hand or foot coming off! There has been mention of the cliffline exploding in sections as the temp's in there got a little bit warm....... If you were lucky enough to see the presentation by Sylvia, she had a slide which showed the smoke being seen in Western Port that had travelled in an easterly aspect from the Grampians fire. With a bit of luck, we might be able to talk Sylvia into presenting again, maybe at Cliffhanger..........
I feel that if there is no further damage in the very near future, it is an incredible opportunity for the climbing community to work with PV and sort this place out.
Maximise our use, and Minimise our effect. Bundaleer is a crag of great significance with a lot of history. It is a crag which has my own personal history, all of which is good............unless it was winter.
PV are fearing the worst again for this summer as the projected controlled burn off periods have been missed due to rain, so we might be in for another turbulent summer.
Finally , you must remember, PV are working on a priority list. Bringing tourists back to the park is numero uno, as the lives of many business operators depend on tourism. So if it takes 1, 2, or even 3 years, please be patient, obey the rules, and we can all benfit from this in the future...........Who knows, there even might be a garden path for the baby boomers. ( You know who you are ! )

All the best,

Richard.