Arapiles concerns

I am saddened to think that an iconic mountain, tourist spot, climbing mecca, something that is essential to keeping the small community of Natimuk vibrant and alive is likely to be closed, or parts thereof, for everyone to enjoy.

As someone born at Natimuk, growing up with the view of Arapiles, when I do get the chance to return, the view of the Mount is like a home coming. 

So in my eyes I could say it is my spiritual home.

We are creating more problems with all the divisions being created, Arapiles yes has definitely got cultural significance, I’m all for recognition and preservation.

She, as I’ve always referred to her, has significance to many others and when you take into account the various cultures and countries the climbing community has brought to the area, plus every day run-of-the-mill people.

Weren’t we shut down enough during COVID? Haven’t we learnt we are lucky to be able to travel again and experience all that Australia has to offer? Shutting down tourist spots, ruining small communities who have kept themselves alive as the world changes. 

This will not just affect Natimuk, there is always a ripple effect.

Kim Gibson,

Nhill

A proud, working history

In response to Jordan Crook’s letter to The Weekly Advertiser on November 20, 2024, it is clear that Mr Crook is unfamiliar with the proud history of environmental stewardship that rock climbers at Arapiles/ Dyurrite have demonstrated over the past 40 years.

Geoff Durham from the Victorian National Parks Association, VNPA, the same organisation that Jordan Crook now campaigns for, visited Arapiles/ Dyurrite in the late 1980s and proposed that Natimuk climbers start up a Friends group to be part of Victorian Environment Friends Network, VEFN. 

We took up his suggestion with enthusiasm, and thus Friends of Arapiles was born. 

Since that day, Friends of Arapiles have undertaken thousands of days of volunteer labour, growing trees from local seed, planting, watering, weeding and guarding them.  

Students on rock climbing trips to Arapiles/ Dyurrite have frequently assisted Friends volunteers to remove scotch thistle, hoarhound, bindii and tree tobacco.  

We have exterminated feral bees from their hives in the rock crevices and tree hollows to enable native birds to utilise them instead.  

One of our efforts was published in the Friends Network magazine, depicting rock climbers abseiling down a cliff wearing a full bee suit in order to treat a feral bee hive.

For decades, we have carried out extensive stone step-building and track rerouting to prevent erosion in sensitive gullies.  

Engaging a professional stone mason, with additional help from the Victorian Climbing Club’s CliffCare and state government grants, and thousands of hours of rock-hauling by volunteers, Friends of Arapiles has consistently laboured to improve the Arapiles/ Dyurrite environment.

Mr Crook claims that rock climbers and walkers at Arapiles/ Dyurrite have degraded the local habitat for species such as the peregrine falcon. 

This is gratuitously false. 

For the past 40 years, there has been a stable number of three pairs of breeding peregrine falcons dispersed across the cliff faces of Arapiles/ Dyurrite.  

Climbers avoid peregrine nesting sites and peregrines ignore climbers and get on with the job of raising the next generation of chicks. 

Mr Crook also asserts that climbers have damaged cultural sites of first nations peoples. He offers no evidence for this egregious claim.  

On the contrary, climbers have assisted archaeologists to catalogue and protect cultural heritage. 

In 1992, Andrew Long, archaeologist and climber, noticed an extensive indigenous quarry site near the top of one of the most popular climbing areas at Arapiles/ Dyurrite. 

Despite three decades of climbing activity nearby, the heritage site was intact, with no evidence of damage from climbers. Two local indigenous elders took part in the study.  

I was one of three climbers on site to ensure everyone’s safety on the narrow ledge 150 metres above the ground. 

One of the indigenous elders was Alan Burns, who was the Wimmera cultural heritage protection officer from 1988 to 2007.

As recently as 2022, climbers from the Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network engaged with Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Parks Victoria, and archaeologists to reopen a climbing area in the Grampians previously closed for cultural heritage reasons. 

This successful negotiation should have been the template for a similar fine-grained approach to all of climbing routes at Arapiles/Dyurrite.  

Instead, Parks Victoria abrogated their responsibilities to engage with local communities despite their obligation to do so under IUCN best practice guidelines for protected areas.

Climbers overwhelmingly celebrate the natural and cultural heritage at Arapiles/ Dyurrite. 

We have enjoyed mutually respectful and harmonious relationships with first nations people. 

We have cared for the natural environment, worked hard to improve it, and engaged with the next generation to help us give back to the park. 

Mr Crook is right about one thing. He notes that our state and national parks are part of our shared living heritage. 

The way the draft management plan for Arapiles/ Dyurrite stands now, this is not a shared space for all Australians, this is a shameful and divisive document that was rushed out by Parks Victoria with no community engagement whatsoever.

Louise Shepherd,

Friends of Arapiles/Dyurrite

Natimuk

Blood Bank blessing

How wonderful it is that the Red Cross took it upon themselves – maybe cajoled – to bring back a local blood donation centre in the form of a mobile donor centre bus to Ararat. 

It was obviously badly needed due to the fact that it was booked out quickly.

After many years of ‘donor desert’ in the Wimmera district the Red Cross is finally coming to terms with, I feel, their mistake of abandoning all of the previous small donor locations throughout the area where all the local donors could easily access every three months to donate blood.

Instead, some years ago, the Red Cross made the bewildering decision to relocate the donor locations to Horsham, Bendigo and Ballarat. 

I was a regular donor until this time and I am sure that I am not the only one to have not donated since that time.

Then, and I can only assume it is because they were losing donors, they started spending unnecessary amounts of money on advertising for donors when they had them in their hands, so to speak, at all the small donor locations.

I guess their decision was a business decision but for the life of me the hospitals are screaming out for blood so why reduce the supply via a ludicrous business arrangement.

I am confused and dismayed by the decisions the Blood Bank have made and I implore them to once again make it easy for the donors to give blood.

Murray McGaffin, 

Deep Lead

Congratulations Nhill

We have such good stage talent here in Nhill and as I was one of the happy crowd who attended a Friday night performance of The Emperor’s New Clothes by Philippa Smith.

I was most impressed not only with the lighting, singing, sets and costumes, but the fantastic professional performance this group of people gave to the audience. 

Lots of laughs with their script and for a small country town theatre that was filled with lots of happy, supportive people, this is so good for our town. 

Congratulations to the Nhill Piggery Lane Players. Well done!

Helen Woodhouse-Herrick,

Nhill

The entire November 27, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire November,27, 2024 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!