Queensland Climbing Management Guidelines Compiled for the Queensland Climbing Community 1 Acknowledgement We proudly acknowledge Queensland’s First Nations peoples and their ongoing strength in practising one of the world’s oldest living cultures. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which we live, work, recreate, and pay our respect to their Elders past, present and future. We recognise that there are long-lasting, far-reaching and intergenerational consequences of colonisation, dispossession and separation from Country. We acknowledge that the impact and structures of colonisation still exist today, and that all peoples have a responsibility to transform its systems and services so that Aboriginal Queenslanders can be the ones to hold decision-making power over the matters that affect their lives. We also acknowledge that Aboriginal self-determination is a human right enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and recognise the hard work of many generations of Aboriginal people who have fought for this right to be upheld. This document is intended to act as a guide for the Queensland Public Service, Volunteer organisations, and for personal action, to enable Aboriginal self-determination and provide possible solutions to ensure protection of valuable Cultural Heritage and the Environment for the future of all. QUEENSLAND CLIMBING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES V04 NOVEMBER 2020 2 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Foreword - Consultation Process for The Queensland Climbing Management Guidelines ​ The need for a process for the Queensland climbing community to discuss widely about best rock-climbing practices and how these can maximise safety and minimise impacts of crag environments has long been recognised. Discussions on these themes have been on-going in the local Queensland and wider Australian climbing communities for many decades. These discussions highlighted a need to broaden the ways for climbers to build collaborative relationships with Traditional Owners and land managers. Over the years, a number of endeavours to build and strengthen such relationships have been undertaken; Queensland climbers have been involved, for example, in a variety of collaborative environmental stewardship projects with Land Managers and Traditional Owners over the last two decades in particular, albeit in an ad hoc manner, as need for such projects have become apparent. The recent widespread climbing bans in the Grampians / Gariwerd in Victoria have re-energised such discussions nationally, and provided a catalyst for reflection on the impacts of climbing, whether inadvertent or intentional, negative or positive. This has focussed considerations of how negative impacts on the environment or cultural heritage can be avoided or minimised and on those climbing practices that are most appropriate, respectful and environmentally sustainable. The need to have such climbing best practices and climbing management best practices documented in a readily accessible document that is embraced by the wider climbing community, and embraced by Traditional Owners and Land Managers has been given added urgency. Matthew Brooks, an Outdoor Educator and long-time climber, had already begun to formulate and pen ideas about the scope and content of such a document. When t​he Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) and the Australian Climbing Association Victoria (ACAV), agreed on the need to develop such a document, Matthew volunteered to coordinate its further development and elicit ideas and feedback from the wider climbing community. ​He co-opted appropriately experienced climbers with the requisite knowledge and skills to act as a ‘steering committee’ and provide a ‘road map’ to developing The Victorian Climbing Management Guidelines. The initial focus was to formulate and agree on the broad aims and scope for such guidelines for recreational climbing in Victoria. Once this was done, the focus shifted to formulating an ongoing consultative process and then moving to ‘flesh out’ and develop the content. The first drafts were developed largely by these individuals, mostly drawn from the ranks of VCC and ACAV but also including climbing guidebook writers and licenced tour operators. They also cast a wide net to garner input and feedback from other key groups and individuals with expertise, knowledge and insights pertaining to particular issues covered in the document. This document, the Queensland Climbing Management Guidelines, has taken the Victorian work and reset it in a Queensland context. This similarity of approach and format sets the basis for a national document in the future. This is not a finished product. Further Community consultation continues and constructive feedback is welcome to facilitate ongoing revision and improvement of this document. QUEENSLAND CLIMBING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES V04 NOVEMBER 2020 3 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ R EVISION Approved - Approved - Revision Date Comment ACAQ other V01 01/10/2020 First draft for review V02 QUEENSLAND CLIMBING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES V04 NOVEMBER 2020 4 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1. Introduction 7 Executive Summary Recommendations 8 Climbing Management Principles 10 Modern Rock Climbing Custom and Practices 10 Modern Rock Climbing 10 Sport Climbing 10 Traditional Climbing 11 Bouldering 12 Scrambling 14 Climbing Grading 15 Climbing Stewardship and Crag Access in Queensland 16 Rock Climbing Management Around The World 18 Introduction 18 USA and Canada 19 Europe 21 South Africa 21 Australia 22 Lessons Learned From Other Areas 25 Climbing Area Visitor Capacity 26 Rock Climbing Visitation Historically 26 Rock Climbing Capacity Precedents 27 Gariwerd / Grampians Rock Climbing Case Study 27 Benefits of Cooperative Climbing Management 31 Cultural Benefits 31 Environmental Benefits 33 Economic Benefits 34 Queensland Climbing Management Guidelines 36 Introduction 36 Crag Stewards 36 Education and Climber Behaviour 39 Climber Behaviour and Etiquette 39 Australian Climbing Association (QLD) Code of Conduct 39 Cultural Heritage Protection and Considerations 41 Environmental Protection 45 Cultural and Environmental Risk Assessment ISO 31000:2018 46 Voluntary Closures 46 Cultural Heritage Closures 46 Environmental Closures 47 Climbing Infrastructure Management 48 Climbing Area Configuration 48 Climbing Approach Tracks and Staging areas 48 Cliff Base Environment - The Staging Area 52 Climbing Route Management and Safety Bolt Management 52 Queensland Rock Climbing Fixed Safety Anchor Policy 55 Descent Routes 60 QUEENSLAND CLIMBING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES V04 NOVEMBER 2020 5 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Bouldering Area Management 62 Climbing on or Access through Private Property 64 Key Queensland Rockclimbing Clubs 66 BRC – Brisbane Rockclimbing Club 66 QUT Cliffhangers – Queensland University of Technology Rockclimbing Club. 66 Contacts, References and Links 67 Glossary of Terms 69 QUEENSLAND CLIMBING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES V04 NOVEMBER 2020 6 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1. Introduction The aim of the Queensland Climbing Management Guidelines is to assist in outlining a sustainable future where it is hoped responsible and respectful climbing can coexist with important cultural heritage and environmental protection, working hand in hand with the Traditional Owners and Land Managers. Rock Climbers have largely held a respectful appreciation of the land, including the flora, fauna and cultural heritage these areas contain, though changes in population, participating demographic, and impacts show a need to look more closely at climbing practices and education to ensure a sustainable future. This appreciation is a large part of the reason climbers travel to such beautiful places. As our population expands and areas once distant become more accessible it is natural that there will be a growth of both the recreational and professional commercial popularity of our chosen recreation and the consequent potential impacts. This will make it imperative that we shoulder responsibility as a community to ensure the areas in which we recreate are preserved and managed correctly for future generations. Rock climbing activities are recognised as a legitimate use of public lands all around the world and within many Parks Victoria managed areas, with the natural settings offered by parks being integral to the climbing experience. While climbing activities have some inherent risks, the challenge associated with undertaking these in the natural environment form an important part of the recreational opportunities provided in Public Lands and Parks Victoria managed areas. The use of public lands and remote natural locations brings with it a responsibility to ensure that our activities are not depriving future others from enjoying what we are able to enjoy. Most importantly the natural areas in which we climb are also the Traditional Lands of a people who hold a deep connection to Country that is of great cultural and spiritual importance. The adoption of appropriate climbing practices that are concordant with protection of the environment and cultural heritage is thus of critical importance. The challenges faced in the management and protection of these lands, without undue exclusion of recreational user groups, are not new. There are many examples around the world where these challenges are being successfully met. QUEENSLAND CLIMBING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES V04 NOVEMBER 2020 7 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Executive Summary Recommendations These are the key recommendations made by the climbing community that will grant better protection for climbing