Update on Arapiles Tooan State Park- open letter for signing

Earlier today we contacted members encouraging them to sign this open letter to the minister for Parks Victoria about the proposed climbing bans at Arapiles / Dyurrite. The letter comes from climbing organisations around Australia and can be signed by individuals and businesses.
Subsequently there is news that climbing representatives will meet with the minister next week, and a parliamentary petition that only Victorians can sign is under preparation.

ACANSW letter to members:

We are contacting you regarding the recent draft plan that will significantly impact climbing at Arapiles-Tooan State Park if it proceeds. We have linked an open letter from climbing organisations across Australia to the Victorian Premier and minister for Parks Victoria that we hope you will consider and sign.

Read and sign here.

Also, feel free to share it amongst your climbing networks. Businesses and other organisations are also able to sign.

Climbing Victoria will present this letter to the Minister in conjunction with other Parliamentary actions that seek to expand and extend the consultation process and incorporate an economic impact assessment that would result from the intended closures, as this has not been done. There have been updates on those actions here.

If you somehow have missed the plan by Parks Victoria to close over half of the climbing at Arapiles, our appraisal from 3 days ago is still valid.

There has been no consultation with any recognised climbing body in Victoria. We are requesting that the draft amendment be discarded and that a new amendment be developed after proper consultation with stakeholders including climbing groups and the local community.

There has been an outpouring of sentiment online about why Arapiles/Dyurrite is such a magical and special place to climb. There are also similar emotions expressed on the Barengi Gadjin Land Councils website that outline the reasons that the landscape is special to Aboriginal people.

This issue needs people to come together to create a better outcome for us all. We feel the current draft plan is divisive and must be revised.