Grampian management plan

[mtrain]

The new Grampians landscape management plan is out and effective immediately.
It’s interesting to read, definitely seems to be more restrictions around access and usage.
Plan to ban all walk in dispersed camping by 2024. The only places hikers will be allowed to camp is Grampians peaks trail or three othe designated campgrounds. Also comments about future hut construction at peaks trail camp sites.
Major restrictions on climbing which has been a recent controversy. Everyone will have to do an online course and get a permit to be able to climb.
It seems to me that parks is big on restrictions in the name of conservation when it comes to the public but keen on development and infrastructure projects to turn the park into a financial asset. I’d guess that’s a result of long term under funding. Whether or not I agree with some of the policies I definitely don’t envy their position.

https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com ... a_2021.pdf

[peregrinator]

I think you've nailed it, mtrain. Capitalism usually finds a way to turn most vexed issues to its advantage.

[CraigVIC]

It's bad, bad news for walkers,

"Class 3 scrambling off‐track, where handholds are necessary and a fall could result in serious injury or death, is considered rock climbing, whether ropes and other safety equipment is used or not, and subject
to the provisions covering rock climbing"

[bigkev]

It's bad, bad news for walkers,

"Class 3 scrambling off‐track, where handholds are necessary and a fall could result in serious injury or death, is considered rock climbing, whether ropes and other safety equipment is used or not, and subject
to the provisions covering rock climbing"

'Where handholds are necessary.'... That certainly wipes out a lot of good routes

[ggorgeman]

Are we willing to add the introduction of dingoes into this conversation, or does that become to vexed???

Cheap shot there as I think that plan has been vetoed.

[CraigVIC]

The dingo plan has been officially dumped.

[mtrain]

The main thing that I find reassuring is the fact that there are never any rangers patrolling to enforce anything anyway and there is no chance of being caught walking off track or dispersed walk in camping.

[Baeng72]

The main thing that I find reassuring is the fact that there are never any rangers patrolling to enforce anything anyway and there is no chance of being caught walking off track or dispersed walk in camping.

I camped at mud (hut) creek camp, arriving at 8pm at night, and unless a ranger is just there by an improbable sequence of events, I think you'd be unlucky. And that's on the GPT.
I reckon they might target an area where people are rockin' up and leaving fires or rubbish, otherwise, maybe ask for receipt of campsite booking when they see a person with camping gear at Hall's gap? Or not, because, it's legal just to have camping gear in a car without intent to use it.....
Not the first to say this but: I just dislike what appears to me to be an excuse to funnel park users into paying for a private service that they can quite capably attend to themselves without causing permanent damage to the environment under the auspices of protecting the environment from a different group of people who'd never be bushwalking into a remote camp anyway.

[Xplora]

The dingo plan has been officially dumped.

It would be hard to introduce a predator into an area where they are trying to breed endangered Rock Wallabies. DELWP were employing a professional shooter to control wild dogs in the Rock Wallaby area.

[CraigVIC]

I can see how parks could easily make life difficult for me without needing to catch me actually walking. Will they bother? I don't know. The extensive network of moto x single track in the otways says otherwise. People still get off track at the Prom even though the single road in and out etc makes it seemingly easier to control.

But, even if I can easily ignore the new rules when they come in I still think it's awful. They have a rule, no campfires, that they are completely unable to enforce so they make an additional rule, no camping. Where's the sense? The new rule can only affect those that followed the campfire rule anyway. The logic that the people who didn't care about the campfires will now care about a camping rule is ludicrous.

[Mcspud]

I find it disgusting that fees can be so high. This is starting to reek of elitism. I for one wouldn’t do this walk based on the fact it leaves out those in our community who can’t afford these crazy prices.

[scroggin]

Agreed Mcspud. Also the fact you cant skip campsites if you feel you can complete it in fewer days and save on money let alone the price per a platform if you walk by yourself. Looks like I will be giving the Grampians a miss in the future.

[Bill P]

Mcspud and others, please dont be so hasty to dismiss this walk. Most people who currently walk this track , and enjoy the exquisite new track work, do it as a series of day-walks. They don't pay anything. For overnight walkers, for the next two years distributed hike in camping is allowed , so you can currently camp at non GPT Sites for free.

They quality of the new trackwork is unlike anything i have ever seen and i would love to know more about the track builders. I reckon all those large slabs just south of Mt Abrupt summit must have been individually placed by chopper. There should be a documentary on the track construction.
Bill

Last edited by Bill P on Wed 02 Mar, 2022 12:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[CraigVIC]

Fair go Bill, that's not true. MM plateau was significantly changed for the GPT. Presumably the Mt Difficult realignment was designed to meet the GPT coming from Troopers.

[Bill P]

Hi Craig, Yes sorry i forgot about that. Id just walked from Sturgeon to Griffin fireline along the GPT and noticed a stark difference between the old and new tracks. I have amended the post above.

Cheers

Bill