The CCA spends considerable behind-the-scenes time and effort managing access for the climbing community, to the ACT climbing areas. The CCA’s access work includes:
- attending community consultations with government agencies and – where appropriate – preparing submissions to maintain access to climbing areas in the ACT,
- meeting with ACT Rangers to provide input into such issues as cliff access and cliff care, and
- disseminating ACT Government notices that are relevant to the climbing community within the ACT.
For example, the CCA is an active participant in the ACT Government’s Recreation Users Stakeholder Group, which provides a regular forum to discuss matters related to active recreation participation and the management of recreation on public land and water in the ACT.
Parks and reserve closures in the ACT, May 2020
Park and reserve closures are in place following bushfire and flood events over the Summer period and due to COVID-19.
Namadgi National Park and the Bimberi Wilderness area remain closed for public safety reasons. Fire and storm activity has caused significant damage to these areas.
ACT Parks and Conservation Service are working to remove dangerous trees and fix key infrastructure over the coming months to enable these areas to be reopened. They will endeavour to keep the community updated on their efforts to reopen these areas.
Namadgi Visitor Information Centre is also closed until further notice.
All other ACT parks and reserves, including the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, remain open.
ACT Parks and Reserves closures are listed here: https://www.environment.act.gov.au
Climbing access to Red Rocks Gorge and Kambah Rocks
There is a seasonal ban on climbing and abseiling at the Red Rocks Gorge crag, August 1 – December 31, due to the nesting of Peregrine Falcons.
After consulting with ACT Government ecologists and an independent raptor expert, the ACT Parks and Conservation Service Chief Ranger for the Murrumbidgee River Corridor is happy to advise CCA that, as of August 2019, climbing and abseiling at Kambah Rocks permitted year round until further notice.
Previously, circa 1980-90s when the first research was occurring, a seasonal climbing ban applied to Kambah Rocks too, though this was not made 100% clear and the ACT Parks and Conservation Service was less concerned about this area in general.
The ACT Parks and Conservation Service continue to monitor Peregrine Falcon nesting in the area and will advise CCA if any changes to the closure period and/or geographical extent of the closure need to be implemented in the future.
Climbing access to Ginninderra Falls
Ginninderra Falls were ‘The ACT’s answer to Hanging Rock’ – near the city, with a long history of climbing and hordes of tourists. Climbing began at Ginninderra Falls in 1967, with members of the ANU Climbing Club showing interest in the area. Technically in New South Wales, this area was enjoyed by many Canberra climbers, particularly northsiders who have few other crags nearby.
The area was closed to the public in the mid-2000s. Since then, members of the Ginninderra Falls Association have put together a proposal for an area which includes Ginninderra Falls to be made a national park. The CCA will be watching the progress of this proposal with interest.
Details of the proposal can be found at the Murrumbidgee – Ginninderra Gorges National Park website.
Submissions
Submissions prepared by the CCA include the following:
2019
2010
Namadgi National Park Plan of Management 2010 (PDF 4.04MB)
Rock climbing and abseiling (extract from Plan of Management) (PDF 176KB)
2009
CCA LHI Balls Pyramid Submission covering Letter, 26 June 2009 (PDF 203KB)
CCA LHI Balls Pyramid Submission, 26 June 2009 (PDF 117.4KB)
2008
CCA Scabby Range Nature Reserve Submission, 8 October 2008 (PDF 165KB)
2005
CCA Namadgi Submission, 28 November 2005 (PDF 51.2KB)
