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General Climbing Discussion

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New Plan of Management for the Baulkans in Sydney 20-Nov-2010 At 5:18:41 PM shay

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I've just finished reading the POM and the recommendations they've put forward seem reasonable.

On 19/11/2010 peterb wrote:
>The other site ARC1 does seem to be the cave under Paratroopin’ next to
>the main wall at the Frontline. It’s not marked clearly on the plan, but
>after talking to one of the climbers who was there when they surveyed the
>place, she said this was mentioned as an Aboriginal site.

This is definitely the area they've identified as significant. My partner and I were bouldering at Frontline when the Gondawana Consultants were there. We spoke to them and this is the only area they were really concerned about in terms of aboriginal heritage.

I noticed that the stated objectives for the management of the reserve are in this order:
1. Preservation of aboriginal heritage
2. Preservation of biodiversity
3. Recreational use.

It is clear as day that our access to the Balkans will be at risk if we choose to ignore their recommendations of banning bouldering at the Paratroopin cave and The Backline. This is a small price to pay for our continued use of the area. Dave Pearson will be working on the new Sydney Bouldering Guide book this summer, and these issues will need to addressed.

As a former environmental consultant and keen boulderer, I will definitely be putting in a submission in support of their draft recommendations and make a few of my own. I think it would be great if the bouldering community as a whole, put forward some management actions of our own to show the land managers we are responsible recreational users. This maybe in the form of a crag clean-up/maintenance day once a month, etc. Like track care in the bluies. The Balkans have given us so much, and it is time that we give something back.