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Bundaleer Re-opening and Work Party 3-Apr-2007 At 10:33:39 PM Access T CliffCare

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Hello All,

Bundaleer will be open as from Easter Friday.

As mentioned in previous posts, the VCC/PV Bundaleer Working Bee achieved what we envisaged. Most of the work centred around getting the track back into working order and to make it clear to climbers where the track actually goes. Due to it being badly burnt, there was a risk that instead of one track, we may end up with many as it was difficult to see where it went. For the most it continues as it did but there are a couple of areas where it has been re-aligned to help control erosion. It no longer continues up the creek gully, just follows around to the left. When it reaches the top near the base of the cliffs, there is a large boulder that has a cairn next to it. You can turn right here to access these climbs at the front or continue to the left of the boulder to continue on and access climbs such as Scarab, Pathos, Blimp and further on to Manic Depressive and the cave. There have been many cairns placed along the way, burnt branches lining tracks to make it clear and brush and dead vegetation to fill in areas that might be confused as tracks.

With regards to the boardwalk and wooden cairn that was installed under Manic Depressive/Narcotic, this is to protect a cultural site identified by Aboriginal Affairs.(see my earlier post) This is an area of stone scatter and the whole ground area is not to be disturbed. The Cultural Values team agreed that rather than closing the site, they would allow a boardwalk to be built. While it is understood that accessing the climb might be different, it would be appreciated if you could keep to the boardwalk, thus respecting the wishes of the Koori culture and ensuring that we may continue to use this area.

Access to Bundaleer is on the Rosea Track via Stony Creek Road entrance from the Glenelg River Road.

The nearest campgrounds to this would be Boreang Campground or Smith’s Mill.

There is no Bush camping allowed here or anywhere in the Victoria Valley until 2008. There are signposts alerting you to this at all entrances. The bush campsites are still in a fragile state with work that needs to be done before they can be used. Please understand this and for your future enjoyment of these areas, they need to be allowed to recover.

There is no camping allowed in the cave at Bundaleer or other caves anywhere else in the Grampians at any time.

Thanks,

Tracey Skinner
VCC Access and Environment Officer