Edit: Read The Weekly Advertiser article here, greatly detailing the change. 

Edit 2: Parks Victoria have now clarified that the campgrounds and roads around it will be untouched. 

Edit 3: Victorian Residents, a petition backed by MP Emma Kealy is now available to sign! 10,000 signatures are needed for this to get to Parliament! If you aren't a Victorian, more ways to help are written in my update "Take Action!".

Vic Petition here:

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/rock-climbing-in-mt-arapiles/

On the eve of Melbourne Cup Day, The Victorian government shared news that climbing at Mt Arapiles will be severely stunted, halving the available climbs following the other several bans in 2020.  Outrageously, the government have cited that these previously banned climbing faces could be accessible with commercial tour guides, making you now pay for climbs that were previously, entirely, free. 

Changes to the Dyurrite Cultural Landscape draft management plan will ‘severely curtail climbing’ at Natimuk’s Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park, Climbing Victoria says.

The updated draft management plan is now available for public consultation until December 1. 

The Climbing Victoria spokesperson even admitted climbers were not even engaged over this; quote "The Climbing Victoria spokesperson said despite 90 per cent of the park’s visitors – estimated at one million each year, many who are international visitors – being climbers, the climbing community had not been engaged in the development of the management plan changes." 

Mt Arapiles is world renowned for having some of the most diverse rock climbing faces in the world. Not only this, the ban will also include the iconic Pines camp grounds, where free camping was available to the many tourists travelling and visiting Natimuk, the town that relies on tourism. 

The move, designed to protect cultural heritage and conservation of the area, comes in the wake of numerous other bans in the Grampians and affects roughly 63% of the climbs at Arapiles. Crags that host treasured lines such as Punks in the Gym, the world's first 8b+ put up by Wolfgang Güllich in 1985, in addition to best most accessible climbs will be closed.

Natimuk is located 20 minutes from Horsham and is known for Mt Arapiles. This is a massive blow on the little town that has already previously been looked over for the much needed funding time and time again to get recourses for Natimuk Lake likewise it's Caravan Park.

Mt Arapiles has been entirely available to the locals and climbers alike forever. Why now? Don't let Mt Arapiles continue to become obsolete, unused, unappreciated. Don't let Natimuk become yet another dead small town. 

Why I created this petition: I personally grew up at Natimuk, attended the Natimuk P.S School, and many of my family resides there, stemming back generations, so it's safe to say Natimuk and Mt Arapiles both have a special place in my heart.