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Submission to the draft Management Plan for the Mount Arapiles – Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape)
Acknowledgement of Country
The Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network acknowledges the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk peoples as the Traditional Owners of Dyurrite, and support their efforts towards the full exercise of their self-determination. We are grateful to them for sharing their knowledge of the rediscoveries and the ongoing meaning and significance of the Dyurrite Cultural Landscape. We also acknowledge the continuing and ongoing impacts of colonisation on Wotjobaluk peoples. Through their efforts we deepen our connection to their land and develop more understanding of our shared history. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and we hope that their efforts will help us come together with more knowledge and connection to build strong communities in the Gariwerd Wimmera region.
- About the Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network (GWRN)
The Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network (GWRN) is a location-based reconciliation network with the following vision and purpose:
Vision:
The Gariwerd and Wimmera cultural landscapes, communities and visitors are strengthened by respectful and enduring relationships between Traditional Owners and non-indigenous people. We acknowledge our true history, celebrate Culture, Country and knowledge, and support Traditional Owners’ self-determination, so we can proudly share a future together.
Purposes:
- Build respectful and enduring relationships between members and Traditional Owners of the Gariwerd and Wimmera cultural landscapes.
- Provide our members with opportunities to learn about reconciliation, and what Country and Culture means to Traditional Owners.
- Engage with recreational user groups and other relevant stakeholders to promote reconciliation.
- Respect and promote the cultural values and heritage of Traditional Owners and the laws that protect them.
GWRN was formed in mid-2019 based on a realisation that a critical conversation with Traditional Owners was needed in light of access disputes occurring in the Grampians National Park. We were aware that the frustration of Traditional Owners was growing and that it was time-critical to start a process of listening and learning and acknowledging harm that may have resulted from recreational impacts associated with rock climbing.
GWRN’s vision is for strong communities to be built through respectful relationships. Respectful relationships in the context of contemporary Australian society must recognise and give voice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their history so that informed decisions about their land can be made by and for their communities. Since forming, GWRN has provided climbing information to Traditional Owners in Gariwerd and Dyurrite to assist them with decision making and self determination, and provided information to the climbing and broader community about reconciliation.
In late 2020, GWRN was invited by Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BGLC), as the Traditional Owners of Dyurrite, to provide factual information about rock climbing and bouldering activities at Dyurrite with the purpose of enabling BGLC to make more informed decisions about the future management of their Cultural Heritage at Dyurrite. GWRN was invited to participate in the assessments at Dyurrite as a trusted, reconciliation-focused resource, in recognition that our members’ knowledge and experience allows us to bring information on climbing practices to the conversation. This information was provided to BGLC in good faith and with no expectation. GWRN was not acting on behalf of rock climbers more generally, and rejects the assertion of Parks Victoria that this work represents consultation with rock climbers or other recreational users.
GWRN’s involvement followed on from the recreational use assessment process at Gunigalg/Taipan Wall that was conducted in conjunction with the Gariwerd Traditional Owners. This process, the first of its kind, led to the partial re-opening of Gunigalg/Taipan Wall to climbing in December 2022.
2. What was involved in the recreational use assessments at Dyurrite
BGLC asked GWRN to provide detailed, route by route, information on rock climbing and bouldering activities within certain areas at Dyurrite. Information provided included: who uses the area, how people access the base of the routes, undertake climbs (i.e. ascend and descend), move around the areas, the proximity of documented climbs/boulder problems to cultural values, and any scope to reduce the likelihood of impact on Cultural Values. The process occurred at individual climbing sites where cultural heritage values have been identified and where BGLC had requested information to assist decision making. It should be noted that GWRN was not asked to address all climbs and areas at Dyurrite, but only those requested.
The purpose of the assessments was to help BGLC understand what activities occur, and where, and to support informed decisions about the best protection approaches and future management decisions that may allow recreational use to continue and co-exist with protection of cultural values.
Undertaking the recreational use assessments was a big task in terms of time and commitment from volunteer members of GWRN. In early 2021 as part of our decision making to agree to this work we sought an indication of broader support for our involvement. At the time more than 250 people expressed support for our work in Dyurrite. Based on this broad support we agreed to be part of the recreational use assessment process.
In undertaking the recreational use assessments, GWRN has not been involved in any decision making about access or involved in any discussion or decision about the draft Management Plan at Dyurrite – our role was to provide BGLC with information to inform their decision making and to act as a resource, regardless of any outcomes. GWRN did not advocate for, or recommend outcomes for, particular areas or climbs. We were asked to provide, and where possible provided, options to mitigate impacts on Cultural Heritage at a climb by climb level. In support of the Traditional Owners right to self determination it is not for GWRN to decide what constitutes risk to cultural sites. The recreation use assessments were one input. We only looked at those parts of Dyurrite that we were asked to and documented information, as detailed above, that is publicly available information in any climbing guidebook/document in the context of the identified values. GWRN was not asked by Parks Victoria to provide any information, and as such, none was provided.
3. Developing an understanding of the Cultural Landscape of Dyurrite
The archaeological surveys have rediscovered tens of thousands of artefacts, hundreds of stone tool manufacturing sites including one of the largest stone manufacturing sites in Australia. Rock art and scarred trees were rediscovered during the survey. The recently developed Dyurrite website helps provide greater awareness of the tangible and intangible values of the Dyurrite cultural landscape to the Wotjobaluk peoples. It also highlights the devastating ongoing impacts of colonisation and dispossession and why changes to rock climbing practice are needed to provide for cultural heritage protection, for safety of the Wotjobaluk peoples, and for reconnection to Country.
One of the purposes of the recreational use assessments was to identify whether rock climbing can occur in a way that protects cultural heritage – we are heartened that this has been able to occur.
We look forward to a time when the community can respectfully walk with the Wotjobaluk peoples to understand and learn of the ongoing significance of this landscape. We have such a long way to go for this to occur.
4. Comments on Specific Changes in the Amendment
We offer the following comments on the changes included in the draft Management Plan:
Principal Management Directions – Support the proposed addition in the draft plan (p4) – The principal management direction of this (draft) amended Management Plan is to enable rock climbing to continue within the Mount Arapiles -Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape) in a way that does not harm cultural and environmental values.
Management Objectives – Support the proposed addition in the draft plan (p5) to provide for rock climbing as a major use in a way that does not harm cultural and environmental values; and the protection of cultural values and the cultural landscape. This is important to show how rock climbing and other recreation can co-exist with protection of cultural values in a way that is determined by BGLC. This coexistence is important.
Page 15 – Recreational activities will not be permitted near cultural heritage. These areas will be managed for Preservation. One of the purposes of our involvement was to explore the possibility of the co-existence of cultural values and recreational activities at Dyurrite. Any further information about this process and its outcomes that can be appropriately provided on this would help user groups understand and accept change.
Naming of Features – p 33/34 – Parks Victoria with Barengi Gadjin Land Council will rename the park and significant places. This change is welcomed as it provides the opportunity to deepen our understanding of the ongoing value of Dyurrite to Traditional Owners and to the broader community.
Decision Making Process – p45 – it is good to have a decision making process outlined in the plan. In its submission to the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan, GWRN submitted that reasons for climbing closures should be published and made easily accessible as far as appropriate as determined by the Gariwerd Traditional Owners. This would enhance recreational user trust in decisions made under the plan. Where areas have been closed – it would be good to highlight whether this was due to cultural values or environmental values or a combination of the above. We believe, if appropriate, a similar approach could occur at Dyurrite and support increased understanding.
Signage – The plan does not contain a lot of detail, but we welcome opportunities to learn about cultural heritage at Dyurrite through increased signage and other opportunities.
5. Implementation of the Plan
The amendment indicates that there are 15 climbing areas that require management changes that would enable these areas to be open for climbing as soon as on ground actions have been implemented that may include signage, access track work and changes to some routes to protect nearby heritage.
At Gunigalg/Taipan Wall, GWRN successfully worked together with the representatives from the Gariwerd Traditional Owner Groups, the then Climbing Victoria Advisory Council (the precursor to Climbing Victoria) and Parks Victoria to share information on agreed mitigation changes, and climbing changes were implemented through CVAC.
We believe a similar step is needed at Dyurrite. Such a step is important to ensure that the implementation of changes occurs with input from rock climbers through their peak body Climbing Victoria and BGLC and PV and is practical from a users perspective – for example, to ensure that climbers can ascend and descend from specific climbs or areas without going through areas that are closed.
As outlined in our submission to the GGLMP there is much energy in the climbing community to assist in the management of climbing areas. There is a long history of user groups, including climbers, carrying out work at Dyurrite in conjunction with Land Managers. A formal framework with a climbing access body such as Climbing Victoria or Crag Volunteers could supplement the resources of Traditional Owners and Land Managers in this regard.
Given the scale and inaccuracies associated with the polygons based on The Crag website – ground truthing and refining of areas that are proposed for closure for protection of cultural heritage values/environmental values and those that remain open should occur to ensure that the Management Plan does not unintentionally/mistakenly close specific climbs or areas that do not need to be closed for protection of values.
6. Communications associated with the release of the Amendment
Communications associated with the release of the draft Management Plan Amendment on the Engage Victoria website and in media articles referred to GWRN as providing consultation on behalf of rock climbers. This led to a significant amount of confusion about our role and on-line and in-person abuse stemming from the misrepresentation included in the announcement. This has caused our group significant reputational damage which will be incredibly difficult to repair in this current environment. Most significantly and sadly it has also damaged reconciliation work that we have done to date and jeopardises our work in the future and reconciliation more broadly. This error was acknowledged by Parks Victoria in the online session on 13 November, 2024, but unfortunately as yet, Parks Victoria has not corrected their mistake on the Engage Victoria Website. It appears as though this document has been used as a proxy for consultation.
The Dyurrite Cultural Landscape Management Plan Amendment page on the Engage Victoria website should be amended to reflect this.
For the record, the 54 page report was an executive summary, the full report GWRN prepared for BGLC was approximately 350 pages (see Section 2 of this submission above). GWRN did not prepare and or provide this report to Parks Victoria. It is difficult to understand why this misinformation persists on the website given that the error was brought to the attention of the Minister for the Environment on 9 November 2024.
7. Building connections
The draft Management Plan Amendment comes after a period of considerable anticipation, uncertainty and change for the climbing community and the local residential community of Natimuk, and prior to this in Gariwerd. There has been a lot of attention, advocacy, resistance and backlash, racism, often from afar, which has been harmful and divisive in so many ways. The process and timing of the announcement associated with this amendment was sudden and this has contributed to some of the intense reactions and emotions currently being felt.
We are heartened that rock climbing is able to occur at Dyurrite in a way that respects and protects the cultural values of the Wotjobaluk Nations and has been identified by the Wotjobaluk peoples through BGLC.
The draft Management Plan represents a change which will continue to be felt for many years in different ways by individual climbers, by local businesses, local residents, the town of Natimuk and the broader community.
A process of re-establishing, rebuilding and repairing connections and relationships at the local level in Natimuk is important to bring people together to enable the relationships needed to support the realisation of the aspirations and intent of the Wotjobaluk peoples – for the Dyurrite cultural landscape to be a place that is safe and welcoming and protects cultural heritage and a place shared with the local community that continues to support the co-existence of rock climbing and other uses.
Such a process requires considered planning, resourcing and professional support by a range of organisations to make this effective and help move towards a place of greater understanding, respect and relationships.
We have a long road ahead of us collectively for this to occur.
