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Grampians Gate Closures

Goshen

23-Feb-2019
2:14:59 PM

So, in addition to the several banned areas and a new route moratorium; now we can add "unseasonal" gate closures to the list of things making climbing in the Grampians increasingly difficult.

Was saddened to see that the Waterworks track is now locked with a massive chain.
I can see no reason why this track should be closed, apart from making it difficult or impossible for climbers to access some climbing areas.

Of course there's others gated and locked too:
- Track up to red-rocks, gated.
- The track down to Eureka / lost world.
[Maybe add the other ones you know of to this thread; so people can be informed about what they can get to, and what's going to require more effort].

Whether we like to accept it or not; the popularity of crags in the Grampians (regardless of whether they have bolts or not), really comes down to accessibility / walking time. This kind of broadstroke action will funnel even more climbers into other accessible crags.

Sure, we can walk an extra few hundred metres to some crags (eg Red Rocks), even the extra walk to Gilhams isn't that bad. But effectively closing a whole bunch of areas (Curiosity, Ruined Castle, Lost World, Weir's Creek) is ridiculous.

You might say that this is a result of some climbers driving around gates or opening them... but in that case; the locked gate is identical to the unlocked gate - access is prohibited in either case.

jacksonclimbs

23-Feb-2019
5:28:46 PM

Are you able to access it from the other end?

I thought that track had two entrances.

Goshen

23-Feb-2019
5:48:18 PM

It does, but we didn't check; hopefully someone else can fill us in.
Just drove down to the Chimney pots and had a whale of a time.

Olbert

24-Feb-2019
5:36:48 AM

Is Eureka accessible? I am planning on a trip down over Easter and am finally good enough to try the mega routes there...

jacksonclimbs

24-Feb-2019
8:14:55 AM

Hi Olbert, Eureka is accessible, it will be a bit of a hike. Personally, if I was doing it, I'd throw the bike in the back of the car and ride from Red Rock Road down the dirt track to where the approach trail starts.

I'd say you are looking at 45-50 minutes hike in. We did the hike in to lost world a few months ago and that took us about 40 minutes.

kieranl

24-Feb-2019
8:20:51 AM

On 24-Feb-2019 Olbert wrote:
>Is Eureka accessible? I am planning on a trip down over Easter and am finally
>good enough to try the mega routes there...

Yes. It'll take about 10 minutes more walking to approach via Matthew Track, the parallel track down the hill from Yanganaginj Njawi track. Your vehicle will have to be able to handle a couple of sand patches though.

I'm just updating the approach notes on TheCrag for the Eureka area. I don't know if there are any tracks between Matthew Track and Yanganaginj Njawi track but the scrub is fairly light.

Goshen

24-Feb-2019
8:25:54 AM

Did you do the hike in from the road below (Mathew Track), or Red Rocks Rd?
Is there actually a single track up from Mathew Track, or are there multiple bush bash type approaches depending on which crag you want to visit (eg Weirs Creek on the L, or Lost World on the R).

jacksonclimbs

24-Feb-2019
8:29:53 AM

We hiked in from Red Rock Road - Andreas told me they had looked at doing the bush bash from the Matthew Track before, but that the flat track is easier to hike anyway. There is a bit of elevation coming up from the Matthew track. I've not tried it though.

Looks like some very recent activity at Gilhams yesterday, so maybe someone found a way in?

kieranl

24-Feb-2019
8:47:27 AM

If approaching from Matthew Track they're individual bush-bashes, though the bush isn't bad. So about 10 minutes through bush between the tracks or however long it takes to cruise 2 or 3 km along the track.

kieranl

24-Feb-2019
8:49:51 AM

From Harrop track directly below Gilhams it's about 5 minutes walk to Waterworks Track. Used to be a good pad there until Waterworks Track opened up. Waterworks Track used to be management vehicles only through the 70s and 80s.

Macciza

24-Feb-2019
11:43:19 AM

Wow, and here I was thinking it was quality of rock and routes that made areas popular ... but apparently it's 'easy access' that matters ...??

Duang Daunk

24-Feb-2019
12:02:46 PM

On 24-Feb-2019 Macciza wrote:
>Wow, and here I was thinking it was quality of rock and routes that made
>areas popular ... but apparently it's 'easy access' that matters ...??

Yeh bro.
Lugging drills ‘n batts etc through the bush is obviously a pita...

Goshen

24-Feb-2019
1:12:16 PM

Of course there's a relationship between quantity, quality, # of bolts, and ease of access. To name just one example; the Far Pavilion has some of the best routes and rock in the Grampians... If it was half the time to walk up to, it'd be twice as popular, simple as that.

Wendy

24-Feb-2019
5:27:50 PM

These aren't new closures. They are longstanding closures that some, maybe even a lot, of climbers have been ignoring. Read years worth of access reports about Emus Foot Track and Red Rocks. Guidebook instructions to get to Gilhams etc.
The Emu's ft track gate was reinforced last year so you can't drive around it anymore. I haven't seen the others recently. But it's not banned and you can still get in there. It's called walking and it's what we were supposed to be doing anyway.

ajfclark

24-Feb-2019
7:02:00 PM

On 24-Feb-2019 Wendy wrote:
>These aren't new closures. They are longstanding closures that some, maybe
>even a lot, of climbers have been ignoring. Read years worth of access
>reports about Emus Foot Track and Red Rocks. Guidebook instructions to
>get to Gilhams etc.

And The Ravine. Please walk in there too rather than driving.

AndreasAachen

25-Feb-2019
6:35:43 AM

On 23-Feb-2019 jacksonclimbs wrote:
>Are you able to access it from the other end?
>
>I thought that track had two entrances.

Yes, you can (not saying you are supposed to) access the waterworks track from the other end, needs a bit more of a 4wd though compared tothe way which is now gated.

On 24-Feb-2019 kieranl wrote:
>From Harrop track directly below Gilhams it's about 5 minutes walk to Waterworks
>Track. Used to be a good pad there until Waterworks Track opened up. Waterworks
>Track used to be management vehicles only through the 70s and 80s.

This path actually still exists (and is cairned). Did that not too long ago.

On 24-Feb-2019 Goshen wrote:
>Did you do the hike in from the road below (Mathew Track), or Red Rocks
>Rd?
>Is there actually a single track up from Mathew Track, or are there multiple
>bush bash type approaches depending on which crag you want to visit (eg
>Weirs Creek on the L, or Lost World on the R).

I walked in to Eureka a few weeks ago. Parked on Mathews track and bush-bashed up. About 20min bush bashing and lots of thick spiky plants. Next time, I would def. stick to the longer but easier walk-in along the emus foot track. (The walk from Mathews track may be improved though, if a proper path establishes over time)

JamesMc

25-Feb-2019
3:19:24 PM

On 24-Feb-2019 Goshen wrote:
>To name just one example; the Far Pavilion has some
>of the best routes and rock in the Grampians... If it was half the time
>to walk up to, it'd be twice as popular, simple as that.

I can see Far Pavilion getting more popular in the future. It's a long way for a ranger to walk.

There are 17 messages in this topic.