Rock Climbers Targeted by Hostile Messages Following ABC's 'Cultural Heritage' Report

Rising Tensions Over Cultural Heritage Climbing Bans in Victoria

The issue of climbing bans at Mount Arapiles has sparked significant controversy among climbers and local communities, with tensions reaching a boiling point. A prominent rock climbing organization in Victoria has accused the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) of exacerbating divisions by misrepresenting the climbing community in its coverage of these restrictions.

Climbing Victoria, the peak body representing climbers in the state, claims that the ABC's recent reporting has painted climbers as disrespectful towards traditional owners. The organization released a statement highlighting that the media outlet's focus on certain social media posts has created a misleading narrative about the climbing community.

Melissa, a volunteer with Climbing Victoria, shared her concerns with the Daily Mail. She mentioned that the ABC had highlighted comments from a small group of "loud obnoxious people" on social media platforms. According to Melissa, the voices of respectful and patient climbers who are trying to understand and comply with the restrictions are being ignored.

She also pointed out that the towns surrounding Mount Arapiles have become deeply divided over how Parks Victoria is handling the climbing bans. Melissa revealed that she has received messages and threats from individuals accusing her of being a "coloniser" or a "racist." She noted that some people have even sent anonymous letters and death threats, which remain unreported.

Melissa emphasized that the harassment from this small group of individuals goes both ways, but media reports often focus only on the abuse directed at traditional owners. Climbing groups in the nearby Grampians have also faced similar challenges, including anonymous death threats and instances of harassment and bullying. She recounted an incident where someone had coffee thrown in their face in town.

"The media has plenty reported on the racism, but they're not reporting on the actual breakdown of relationships and social dynamics in town," Melissa said.

An article cited by Climbing Victoria was titled: "Rock climbers' defiance grows over Mount Arapiles cultural site requests." It referenced comments on the Climbing Access Discussion - Victoria Facebook group, where several users advocated for ignoring the climbing bans. However, the article failed to mention the many climbers who have followed the restrictions since they were introduced five years ago.

Melissa explained that the isolated incidents of disobedience she is aware of typically involve tourists who are unaware of the bans or locals who are confused about their extent. She argued that the comments cited by the ABC represent "keyboard warriors" who do not reflect the behavior of the majority of climbers.

The Daily Mail does not suggest that the ABC made any misrepresentations, but it acknowledges the accusation brought by Climbing Victoria. Parks Victoria has requested climbers to avoid five areas within the park, covering around 300 climbing routes, to protect sites of Indigenous significance.

Despite the restrictions, climbers have largely observed them since they were introduced in 2020, according to Climbing Victoria. However, the organization noted that there has been a failure in communication from Parks Victoria regarding the bans.

Parks Victoria released a draft plan in November last year that would exclude all off-track walking and prevent climbing across more than 60% of the 3,300 climbing routes at Mt Arapiles. Local climbing guide Aaron Lowndes expressed concern that these restrictions, which have been shelved during ongoing consultations, could severely impact his business.

"We were like, oh my god, we're gonna shut down, right? We can't operate if this goes ahead," he told the Daily Mail. While acknowledging that some climbers are frustrated, including an "angry minority," Lowndes insisted that the majority, like himself, hope to work constructively with traditional owners and support restrictions where necessary.

Climbers are now awaiting the release of a new management plan for the park, hoping that the restrictions will be less severe than those outlined in the draft plan and those currently in place at the nearby Grampians. Parks Victoria introduced sweeping bans across nearly 80% of climbing routes at the Grampians in 2019, with most remaining in effect.

A Victorian Government spokesperson told the Daily Mail that work on the Mount Arapiles management plan has been paused. They emphasized that the goal is to bring more families to the bush and create jobs while still protecting the environment.

Other states are now considering introducing their own climbing bans for cultural heritage reasons, including New South Wales. Climbing Victoria represents more than 20,000 individual members and continues to advocate for the interests of climbers in the region. The ABC declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Mail.