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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

 Page 3 of 6. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 100 | 101 to 107
Author
Mt Arapiles development

BigMike
23-Mar-2007
6:13:33 PM

And Elephant Boulder ... got to love google!
earwig
26-Mar-2007
9:55:26 AM
Perhaps something like this ...

http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/home.html
simey
16-Jul-2007
10:57:31 AM
From the Wimmera Mail-Times last Friday...

13 July 2007

Tourism plan
By LAUREN HENRY

A TOURISM study on the Mt Arapiles area will explore future development options for the international rock- climbing destination.
The feasibility study, by Parks Victoria, Horsham Rural City Council and Tourism Victoria, will include the Mt Arapiles-Tooan State Park, Natimuk and Mitre.

The 16-week study is due to be finished in October.

Parks Victoria's business manager for west region Peter Boadle said consultants Connell Wagner would investigate the strengths and opportunities of the Mt Arapiles area by developing a feasibility study and precinct plan.

"The objective of the feasibility study is to identify and analyse opportunities that will help attract longer stays by tourists in the region," he said.

"Importantly the feasibility study is focusing on sensitive developments that are in keeping with the natural environment, visual amenity and social fabric of the area."

Mr Boadle said the study into the Mt Arapiles area included both public and private land.

"The consultants are examining current tourism products and markets and are investigating opportunities that exist in the area that will provide potential future economic and social benefits to the community," he said.

"It is an information gathering exercise designed to provide the community with an understanding of opportunities available to it to keep regional tourism alive and prospering."

The city council has included Mt Arapiles and Natimuk in its promotions advisory committee's five-year strategic plan as important destinations with unique characteristics.

Promotions manager and major events co-ordinator Chris McClure said the study would establish the environmental, social and economic impacts for the site.

"It will consider immediate requirements such as circulation, environmental impacts and car parking overflow and long-term concepts such as improved visitor accommodation and services," he said.

"But it is important for the surrounding communities to understand that this project gives no commitment to fund or build anything but rather aims to inform any future planning and decision making."

The Grampians Regional Tourism Development Plan 2004-2007 identified Mt Arapiles as being of regional and of state significance, attracting visitors from both across Australia and overseas.

Mt Arapiles also features prominently in Tourism Victoria's newly released Nature Based Tourism Strategy.

The current study follows a $7000 feasibility study by La Trobe University's senior economic lecturer Dr Paul Langley, which was commissioned by Wimmera Development Association in 1992.




widewetandslippery
16-Jul-2007
11:41:39 AM
On 22/03/2007 simey wrote:
>On 22/03/2007 kieranl wrote:
>>Mikl had an excellent article in Rock a few years back with Arapiles
>as a safari park for hunting climbers (might have been called "2001: A
>Batting Average" but that might be something else).
>>Perhaps with a concerted campaign we could sell the concept of establishing
>a climber shooting lodge at the Pines.
>
>Gee, you are going a few years back there Kieran. I think the article
>you are referring to by Claw is 'Goodbye Cool World'.
>
>The article '2001: A Battering Average' appeared in Screamer and is by
>Graeme Hill (I think).
>
>Greg Pritchard also produced some great articles and cartoons that revolved
>around Arapiles in the future. One of my favourites is Rock Fishing in
>Australia which appeared in Farce (Argus) and talks about rock fisherman
>moving from the Sydney Sea Cliffs to Arapiles as they had discovered it
>was a lot more fun to catch climbers instead of fish (and most fish were
>protected species, unlike climbers). There was even a picture of someone
>hooking a magnificent Carrrigan on India.
>
>There was also The Giant Stumpy theme park, which appeared in another
>cartoon by Greg.
>

I think it may be a case that climbers in Victoria are even more full of shit than luderick swimming in Sydneys murk. Fishermen know fish swimming in shit will bite at anything.

nmonteith
16-Jul-2007
3:16:04 PM
On 16/07/2007 simey wrote:
>"It will consider immediate requirements such as circulation, environmental
>impacts and car parking overflow and long-term concepts such as improved
>visitor accommodation and services," he said.

I've put a request in for more heating on the southern faces crags.

sticky
16-Jul-2007
5:43:14 PM
How about more friction on the watchtower faces? or maybe they can have a little kiosk renting out some cojones, so I have the guts to attempt a robin miller route one day.
kieranl
16-Jul-2007
10:36:07 PM
The sub-text of the proposal is to look at how Parks might privatise and commercialise camping at Arapiles.
What's the current cost: $2 per person per night? How much do you think it's going to cost if it's commercialised : $15 per night? $25?
The suits are out to make money out of the place so people should start to take this thing seriously.

Richard
17-Jul-2007
1:07:37 PM
here's a scary thought .. the very things we need to keep the park open for climbers:

On 21/03/2007 nmonteith wrote:
>This sounds very disturbing. We don't need any more infrastructure at Arapiles!
>(apart from water tanks)

are similar to the aspects that have stopped commercialiastion in the past:

On 22/03/2007 john s wrote:
>This isn't the first time such ideas have been floated. Previously, the
>lack of water and problems with sewerage disposal have put the lid on things.
>I can't see that anything has changed to make this problem easier...

The thing which has changed is the drought ... if we don't get water, araps may be closed, if we do get water ..it maybe commercialised....

We've got to be carefull that a water solution that helps climbers doesn't open a pandora's box..

Organ Pipe
17-Jul-2007
1:25:03 PM
On 17/07/2007 Richard wrote:
>We've got to be carefull that a water solution that helps climbers doesn't
>open a pandora's box..

True.

On my last 2 visits to Arap's I've taken a 15 litre supermarket bought bottle of water with me per person, and that's been plenty to drink, cook, wash dishes, brush teeth, wash hands etc for a weekend, and we've always had enough left at the end of a weekend to make a "free to good home" donation at the end (container left with note down at the trough).

Granted my toilet use is still depleting the bore, but if we collectively tread lightly, the nature of the long term water solution tips in our favour.

steph
17-Jul-2007
3:10:23 PM
On 17/07/2007 Organ Pipe wrote:
>...brush teeth

you brush your teeth at araps???
lol

Organ Pipe
17-Jul-2007
3:23:30 PM
On 17/07/2007 steph wrote:
>On 17/07/2007 Organ Pipe wrote:
>>...brush teeth
>
>you brush your teeth at araps???
>lol

If my wifes with me, yep ; )
patto
17-Jul-2007
4:34:52 PM
On 17/07/2007 steph wrote:
>On 17/07/2007 Organ Pipe wrote:
>>...brush teeth
>
>you brush your teeth at araps???
>lol

I'm confused why would your dental hygene be ignored simply because your out bush? Surely you brush you teeth for dental health reasons other than just bad breath.

Besides clean teeth is the next best thing when you can't have a proper wash.

Bluey
17-Jul-2007
4:39:45 PM
On 17/07/2007 patto wrote:
>
>Besides clean teeth is the next best thing when you can't have a proper
>wash.

I agree - tip for long-haul plane travel....Always take your toothbrush on the plane, teeth brushing removes the feeling of scunginess.

And to fix jet lag, stand on carpet and make fists with your toes (that was for all the Die-Hard fans out there).
jgoding
17-Jul-2007
6:10:12 PM
When is someone going to fix the long drop toilets?

They smell awful. Surely this can be done as part of this "PLAN"?

steph
18-Jul-2007
8:44:23 AM
On 17/07/2007 jgoding wrote:
>When is someone going to fix the long drop toilets?
>
>They smell awful. Surely this can be done as part of this "PLAN"?

aw cummon, surely that smell is now firmly engrained in the atmosphere of araps! wouldn't be the same without it hehe.

It's ok in winter tho, only gets bad in summer when the smell wafts over on the light breeze during your evening meal...
kieranl
19-Jul-2007
9:56:27 PM
Time for action on this one boys and girls. The study is to be completed by October which means the report will be being drafted in September which means submissions are being called for...
Funny thing about that : no call for submissions yet.
Meg was doing some calling today and met with quite a lot of stonewalling and finally a request to call the Parks Victoria Public Relations office and leave her name. This smells like a whitewash.
Do you want to see a tourist development in the paddock below Tiger wall?
Do you want the camping area developed into a full-blown caravan park?
If not, get off your bottoms people and start making a noise.

What to do :

You could call Parks Victoria Public Relations on 131963 and ask for your details to be passed on for the consultant to contact you.

Alternatively you could contact the consultants directly - although they might not want to receive your submission :

Ms Lyndall McDonald, Environmental Planner, Connell-Wagner, PO Box 321, South Melbourne, 3205, Victoria, Australia

Dom
20-Jul-2007
11:27:33 AM
Why are they doing this, does anyone know?

Has it become too much for PV to handle\too costly?

Did they make any of the drivers behind the research clear to Meg when she called Kieran?
simey
20-Jul-2007
11:29:59 AM
Kieran is correct. This study is beginning to look more and more like a white wash. The hush-hush nature of the study and the lack of consultation with locals and businesses is very worrying.

Given the visitor numbers to Arapiles, privatising the campground is a very likely scenario.

And the people behind this push are unlikely to have any real concern for what the vibe of the campground is like.

The current location of the campground with its basic amenities and lower fees have undoubtedly helped create one of the best climbing scenes in the world.

If you value this unique institution, then start making a noise and start contacting those organisations and people that Kieran has mentioned.

kieranl
20-Jul-2007
1:04:46 PM
On 20/07/2007 Dom wrote:
>Why are they doing this, does anyone know?
>
There's nothing wrong with doing a study - the last one is fifteen years old so it's worth reviewing what's going on.
However no-one has told us what actually prompted this particular exercise. What is worrying is that it appears focussed on tourism development and strategies rather than park management and the process doesn't appear very open.
My guess, as i have said before, is that some suit in head office has compared visitor numbers (high) with income (low to negative) and has seen an opportunity for a tick on their climb up the greasy management pole. They're not so much interested in appropriate management as making bucks out of the punters. I may be too cynical but I think not.
So please prepare submissions on what you think would be an appropriate way to manage Arapiles, the camping area and any associated commercial developments.
Note that "associated commercial developments" includes accomodation and other businesses in Natimuk, commercial instruction organisations.
A couple of my opinions: management of infrastructure within the park should remain under the control of Parks Victoria. There should be no commercial development within the park. Water should not be piped from outside the park to support camping : camping should be managed in accordance with its natural water supply. The campground offers an opportunity to develop showpiece low water sewerage management. Buffer zones should be maintained around the park. Particularly no commercial buildings should be allowed in the paddocks on the North-east side bounded by the park, Alfred Lockwood Drive and the Natimuk-Frances Road.
Just a few thoughts.

Sabu
20-Jul-2007
2:37:54 PM
I agree, this situation is beginning to worry me, perhaps we're just getting over protective of a place we all know and love, or maybe this is more serious than we have expected and dare i say it, the end of the campground atmosphere and lifestyle as we know it. Either way im not willing to take any chances and will shout as much as needed.....!

On 19/07/2007 kieranl wrote:
>What to do :
>
>You could call Parks Victoria Public Relations on 131963 and ask for your
>details to be passed on for the consultant to contact you.
>
>Alternatively you could contact the consultants directly - although they
>might not want to receive your submission :
>
>Ms Lyndall McDonald, Environmental Planner, Connell-Wagner, PO Box 321,
>South Melbourne, 3205, Victoria, Australia
>
i will pass this information on to others in our climbing circle.

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