Thursday, 30 November 2023

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:53): (621) My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment and concerns the continued closure to climbers of Mount Arapiles in my electorate. This state park includes some of the best natural climbing in the world and has been closed since 2020 to allow archaeological surveys assessing Aboriginal cultural heritage. Excuses from Parks Victoria are wearing thin. The area is covered by a recognition settlement agreement signed by the Barengi Gadjin Land Council, which commenced on 13 December 2022. While the Mount Arapiles–Tooan State Park was previously managed under an Indigenous land use agreement with Parks Victoria, the RSA now grants the whole park to the Barengi Gadjin Land Council as Aboriginal title. Minister, what difference will this change in status make to climbing in the Grampians, and is this the cause of the totally unacceptable delay?