Statement of Support for Dyurrite/Arapiles Addendum

Update, implications and lessons learned

The 2024 proposal and the community response

When Parks Victoria released its original draft management plan amendment in 2024, it proposed broad restrictions that would have closed around 2,000 of Dyurrite/Arapiles’ approximately 3,300 recorded climbs—60 per cent—including many of the country’s best-known routes and areas.

The climbing community responded strongly, demanding meaningful consultation and proportionate, site-specific assessment so cultural heritage could be protected while climbing continued wherever possible.

On 23 July 2026, Parks Victoria released a substantially revised draft Addendum. It replaces broad closures with far more proportionate measures, keeping access to more than 95 per cent of climbs and boulder problems.

CCA and other climbing organisations across Australia support this change in direction, the collaborative process used to develop it and the work undertaken by Climbing Victoria. The result reflects sustained community advocacy, detailed local knowledge, along with the much-appreciated willingness of Traditional Owners to engage constructively with climbers, and Parks Victoria’s adoption of a proportionate, site-specific approach.

Where things stand

The Addendum remains a draft. Parks Victoria will consider public submissions before making final decisions, and the five existing voluntary closure areas remain in place during consultation.

• Public consultation closes on Wednesday 19 August 2026.
• Climbers are encouraged to make constructive submissions supporting the overall direction while identifying any necessary improvements.
• The consultation documents, maps and submission form are available on the Parks Victoria consultation page.

What the revised Addendum proposes

The key change is a move from broad, area-wide restrictions to decisions about particular routes, boulder problems and access points. Most climbing areas would remain open or reopen.

• About 70 climbing routes and 72 boulder problems would close - approximately 4.4 per cent of the 3,300 recorded climbs and boulder problems.
• A further 47 climbs - approximately 1.4 per cent - would require a changed start, descent or another protective measure instead of complete closure.
• There would be no blanket climbing bans of the kind proposed in 2024, and no areas reserved exclusively for Licensed Tour Operators.
• Walking off track would remain permitted outside the limited prohibited areas.
• Adjusted access, route changes and fixed protection, where appropriate, could protect cultural heritage while retaining climbing access.

What this means

Areas that faced broad closure in 2024—including Tiger Wall, Castle Crag, Declaration Crag, the Pharos, Mitre Rock and Lower Yesterday Gully—would retain climbing access under the revised Addendum, subject to route-specific closures and mitigation measures.

At Tiger Wall, a defined base track, a rerouted start and lower-off requirements on specified climbs would protect cultural heritage while retaining most climbing. At Mitre Rock, the starts of Guiding Light and several neighbouring climbs would be rerouted, but climbing allowed. Punks in the Gym would remain open at the Pharos, with targeted measures elsewhere.

Over many months, the approach has involved detailed consultation with Traditional Owners to pinpoint where existing climbing routes intersect with tangible cultural heritage—that is, physical places and material evidence such as quarry sites, artefacts and rock art—and to identify practical ways to protect that heritage while keeping climbs open wherever possible, including through rerouted starts, modified descents and defined access tracks.

How the proposal was developed

Parks Victoria established the Dyurrite Community Working Group in August 2025, bringing together Parks Victoria, Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Climbing Victoria, local community representatives, Licensed Tour Operators and government representatives.

A smaller group examined where climbing activities intersected with registered cultural heritage. Experienced local climbers contributed route-level knowledge, allowing risks and possible mitigations to be considered place by place.

Traditional Owners considered the cultural heritage risks and proposed responses, while Parks Victoria retained responsibility for the management plan and final decisions. CCA and the other climbing organisations support this collaborative, evidence-based approach.

Qualified support - and a responsibility for climbers

CCA and other interstate climbing organisations have offered qualified support for the revised Addendum. While not everyone will agree with every decision, the process has broken a longstanding stalemate and produced a more consistent, transparent and proportionate outcome.

Our qualification, set out in the attached joint statement, concerns confidentiality and transparency. Sensitive cultural heritage information may need to remain confidential, but the assessment process, the principles applied and the reasons for restricting public access should be explained as openly as possible without disclosing protected information.

The success of the revised approach will depend on climbers respecting the final closures, changed starts, lower-off requirements, access tracks and other mitigation measures. Doing so will demonstrate that climbing and cultural heritage protection can coexist and help safeguard the access secured through this process.

What happens next

After consultation closes, Parks Victoria will review submissions and may amend the Addendum. The final arrangements will then need to be reflected in clear maps, signs, guidebooks and online route information.

CCA will work with other climbing organisations to support accurate information, clear communication and responsible community stewardship.

Lessons for future access work

The process offers valuable lessons for future work in Gariwerd/the Grampians and on climbing access closer to home:

• Constructive community advocacy matters. A large, informed response is most effective when grounded in law and accompanied by workable alternatives.
• Leadership and trust are essential. They are especially important where sensitive cultural information must be shared.
• Detailed local knowledge improves decisions. Effective assessment draws on cultural knowledge and an accurate understanding of how climbing areas are used.
• Roles and responsibilities must be clear. Traditional Owner decision-making and land-manager responsibilities should be understood from the outset.
• Implementation requires continuing effort. Clear information, community stewardship and recognition of volunteer contributions will help make the arrangements work.

CCA and the other participating climbing organisations consider this an important, fair and effective model that can be refined and adapted to other access issues in the ACT and across Australia.