In the aftermath of the widespread climbing bans in the Grampians/Gariwerd, a new group dubbed the Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network (GWRN) has formed with the express intent of starting the process of reconciliation with Traditional Owners (TOs).  According the GWRN’s first press release, it was ‘formed in response to concerns about the relations between Traditional Owners and recreational users of Gariwerd (Grampians National Park) and Djurite (Arapiles-Tooan State Park).’ Claire Evans, a climber, Grampians/Gariwerd resident and spokesperson for the Network,…

NSW climber Michael Tonon recently climbed a new hard line at Blackwall on the Central Coast that he’s dubbed Fourier’s Proof (V14). We had a chat to him about the ascent. Tell us a bit about the new line, what’s it like? Fourier’s Proof makes about 17 moves through a roof, the last of which is a dyno off some bad holds to a jug with your feet tucked way in under the roof. From this jug you get a…

Did the Australian Climbing Association Victoria (ACAV) succeed in taking control of the Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) at last night’s AGM? Yes, and no. Last night at the VCC held its AGM upstairs at a pub in Fairfield. The number of attendees was comparatively very high, with people packing out the room and choking the doorway. There were around 75 attendees in person, 15 or so dialled in from Natimuk, five were on the line from Sydney and a few…

Vertical Life takes a look at the new formed Grampians/Gariwerd Stakeholder Reference Group and tries to understand the process of stakeholder engagement and whether it has value or not Parks Victoria is undertaking stakeholder engagement as part of the formulation of a new Landscape Management Plan – there has been a change in the nomenclature away from ‘Park Management Plan’ (as it was previously known). This includes a Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) and a series of community meetings both in…

Ryan Siacci outlines a hat-trick of Peruvian first ascents for Australian alpinist, Sebastian Pelletti The 2019 Peruvian winter has been a cracker for young Australian alpinist Sebastian Pelletti. Together with various partners he opened three new routes in the Cordillera Blanca, as well as managing four other ascents of ice and mixed routes near 6000m. Pelletti established a new route on both Huamashraju (5434m) and Huamashraju Este (5400m). Both were predominantly rock routes with some minor glaciation, and each went…

The newly formed Australian Climbing Association Victoria (ACAV) has made a significant move in its campaign to keep the Grampians/Gariwerd National Park open for climbers. The ACAV’s lawyers sent a letter to Parks Victoria (PV) on Monday 2 September asserting that the set aside determination for the Grampians’ climbing bans are invalid and that they should be revoked.