Goto Chockstone Home

  Guide
  Gallery
  Tech Tips
  Articles
  Reviews
  Dictionary
  Links
  Forum
  Search
  About

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

  Shop
Chockstone Photography
Australian Landscape Photography by Michael Boniwell
Australian Landscape Prints





Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author
Mt Arapiles Planning Issue call for comment
kieranl
6-Feb-2015
9:52:34 AM
The Horsham Rural City Council is calling for comment on its draft Municipal Strategic Statement.

"The Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) sets out the vision, objectives and strategies for managing
the use and development of land within the municipality. It provides the basis for the application of the local policies, zones and overlays and other provisions in the Horsham Planning Scheme."

This sounds really boring so why should climbers be interested? It matters because it outlines the Council's objectives and strategies relating to Mt Arapiles.

First the good news, the draft statement essentially continues the current situation : tourism development for Arapiles will be centred on Natimuk with no development adjacent to Arapiles.
I'll publish the relevant bits of the statement further down.

OK so no need to worry then? Wrong.

The word is that the final statement might be significantly different. The statement might change to recommend re-zoning the area around the mount from farming to tourism and to promote tourist developments adjacent to Arapiles.

The changes would occur after the public consultation period so would not be subject to public comment.

Hang on, how could this be done? How could the publicly distributed draft just be re-written without consultation?

My guess would be that a pretty bland draft document maintaining the status-quo isn't going to excite a lot of comment. So if the council were to receive some detailed submissions supporting re-zoning around Arapiles and no submissions supporting the status-quo then the draft statement could be changed in light of public submissions.

Maybe rumour has it all wrong but I wouldn't want to bet on it.

What can you do?

Send a brief submission to the council saying that you support the existing strategy 3.1 for Natimuk and strategy 1.2 for Tourism.
As it says in the draft statement : "Mt Arapiles is located in a productive farming area and it is considered appropriate that development associated with this outstanding feature should be located in nearby Natimuk to protect agricultural activity, the local environment, and support the sustainability of services in Natimuk."

Written comments can be forwarded to Tony Bawden, Director Planning and Economic, HRCC, P.O. Box 511, Horsham, 3402, or email tony.bawden@hrcc.vic.gov.au .
Comments should be received by Friday 27th February.

Th full document can be obtained here :

http://hrcc.vic.gov.au/images/Haveyoursay/DraftHorsham_Municipal_Strategic_Statement_for_discussion.pdf
kieranl
6-Feb-2015
9:52:54 AM
Below are the relevant extracts from the plan :

Page 29 (Natimuk)

"The township benefits from the influx of visitors to Mt Arapiles‐Tooan State Park, which is regarded
as a world class rock climbing destination.  It is estimated that more that the Mount attracts more
than 70,000 tourists each year.  The influx of visitors has assisted to support some local businesses
and encouraged the establishment of tourist accommodation and other services, as well as
attracting additional permanent residents to the township.  It is anticipated that there will be further
growth in tourist facilities, namely accommodation, to service Mt Arapiles. These facilities are most
appropriately located within Natimuk, to provide continued economic support to the township and
where effluent can be treated in an appropriate manner.",

"Objective 3 To encourage continued economic development in Natimuk.
Strategy 3.1 Facilitate tourist related development associated with the Mount Arapiles‐Tooan
State Park in Natimuk."

Page 41 (Tourism)
"Mt Arapiles is located in a productive farming area and it is considered appropriate that
development associated with this outstanding feature should be located in nearby Natimuk to
protect agricultural activity, the local environment, and support the sustainability of services in
Natimuk."

"Strategy 1.2 Encourage tourist related development associated with Mt Arapiles‐Tooan State
Park to be located in the nearby township of Natimuk."
thisrod
6-Feb-2015
12:10:31 PM
What's the problem with, say, the Mt Zero log cabins opening a branch at the northern end of Arapiles? That would relieve some crowding in the Pines, and provide a living for a couple of people from Natimuk. I doubt that anything fancier could pay for itself.

>It is estimated that the Mount attracts more than 70,000 tourists each year.

Has anyone recently reminded V/Line that 20 busloads of people drive to Arapiles on an average weekend? It would be nice if their Friday night service to Horsham continued to the Pines, and the Sunday afternoon return started from there.
kieranl
6-Feb-2015
12:42:40 PM
On 6/02/2015 thisrod wrote:
>What's the problem with, say, the Mt Zero log cabins opening a branch at
>the northern end of Arapiles? That would relieve some crowding in the
>Pines, and provide a living for a couple of people from Natimuk. I doubt
>that anything fancier could pay for itself.
>
First is the proximity to the mount. Mt Zero log cabins is several km from Stapylton, not within 1 km. Suddenly you've got tourist development right on the boundary of the park. Nati is 5 minutes drive from Arapiles, about the same as Mt Zero log cabins from Stapylton.

Second is the economic impact on businesses in Nati. Unless a business can take most of the accommodation away from Natimuk then it will fail. Accommodation in Nati will no longer be viable, probably affect the viability of the hotel. Jobs in Nati will go.


>>It is estimated that the Mount attracts more than 70,000 tourists each
>year.
>
>Has anyone recently reminded V/Line that 20 busloads of people drive to
>Arapiles on an average weekend? It would be nice if their Friday night
>service to Horsham continued to the Pines, and the Sunday afternoon return
>started from there.
>

Good suggestion. Have you suggested it to v-line or a horsham area bus company?
Dave_S
6-Feb-2015
1:31:31 PM
On 6/02/2015 thisrod wrote:
>It would be nice if [V/Line's] Sunday afternoon return started from [the Pines].

Dear god that bus would smell bad...
Howsie
6-Feb-2015
2:14:40 PM
Well maybe not as bad as most cars Dave and I bet it would get cleaned on a regular basis ;-) just saying

kieranl
22-Feb-2015
10:58:20 AM
* bump *
Comments due by 27th Feb (end of this week)
martym
23-Feb-2015
12:10:23 AM
On 6/02/2015 kieranl wrote:
>Nati is 5 minutes drive from Arapiles,

Shit you must drive fast...

ajfclark
23-Feb-2015
8:16:32 AM
On 23/02/2015 martym wrote:
>On 6/02/2015 kieranl wrote:
>>Nati is 5 minutes drive from Arapiles,
>
>Shit you must drive fast...

Shit you must drive slow? It's 9.9km from the Natimuk Cafe to the phone box at Arapiles. The majority of that is 100km/h so it should take a touch over 6 minutes if you do the speed limit, definitely less than 10. I think most people would describe it as a 5 minute drive. I've never timed it so I'll get the stopwatch out the next few times I head out and see what I get.
martym
23-Feb-2015
10:05:41 AM
I stand corrected. Google maps points to a Arapiles Tooan State Park...
I just remember it feeling more than 5mins, but I only get out tere once every two years or so, so what would I know.
martym
31-Mar-2015
11:12:41 PM
On 23/02/2015 ajfclark wrote:
>On 23/02/2015 martym wrote:
>>On 6/02/2015 kieranl wrote:
>>>Nati is 5 minutes drive from Arapiles,
>>
>>Shit you must drive fast...
>
>Shit you must drive slow? It's 9.9km from the Natimuk Cafe to the phone
>box at Arapiles. The majority of that is 100km/h so it should take a touch
>. I've never timed it
>so I'll get the stopwatch out the next few times I head out and see what
>I get.

7.5 mins at the speed limit.

There are 11 messages in this topic.

 

Home | Guide | Gallery | Tech Tips | Articles | Reviews | Dictionary | Forum | Links | About | Search
Chockstone Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography | Landscape Photos Australia

Please read the full disclaimer before using any information contained on these pages.



Australian Panoramic | Australian Coast | Australian Mountains | Australian Countryside | Australian Waterfalls | Australian Lakes | Australian Cities | Australian Macro | Australian Wildlife
Landscape Photo | Landscape Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Fine Art Photography | Wilderness Photography | Nature Photo | Australian Landscape Photo | Stock Photography Australia | Landscape Photos | Panoramic Photos | Panoramic Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography | High Country Mountain Huts | Mothers Day Gifts | Gifts for Mothers Day | Mothers Day Gift Ideas | Ideas for Mothers Day | Wedding Gift Ideas | Christmas Gift Ideas | Fathers Day Gifts | Gifts for Fathers Day | Fathers Day Gift Ideas | Ideas for Fathers Day | Landscape Prints | Landscape Poster | Limited Edition Prints | Panoramic Photo | Buy Posters | Poster Prints