Launceston City Council Chops Cataract Gorge Bolts

So I just spoke with Jill from Launceston City Councils Parks and Recreation division, she was unaware of the works but committed to raise the issue with the Department head (who is away today) and that he would call me on Friday.

As for the council's failure to consult, is there a Tasmanian representative body for climbers for the council to consult with? I'm a Queenslander and our absence of an effective representative body for climbing (until the middle of last year) was - with hindsight - the key factor in losing access to a number of crags.

-Adam Gibson

Hi guys,
Thanks for raising this. Do you have email or postal addresses for the council or councillors that we can write to to voice our concern?

The code of conduct mentioned is available here:

http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/upfiles/lcc/cont/parks_and_recreation/pdfs/gorge/rock_climbing_code_of_conduct.pdf

Hi Andrew,

Do you have any specifics, i.e. which climbs the bolts were chopped from, or whether they were rap anchors at the top or on the actual climb? It would be worthwhile getting these details. It would be unlikely that your typical council worker would have the required qualification to remove bolts from the route!

Emlyn Jones

I just got off the phone with Chris Moore from Launceston Parks and Recreation, but having seen your post andrew I'll call you and then call Chris back.

Okay, just got off the phone with Andrew, Tried Chris Moore again but he'd stepped out, he's been sent an email to call me back.

In my initial conversation with Chris he stated that the works stemmed from rockfall on tuesday (which they believed to be climbing related) and was an effort by the council workers to prevent climbing access whilst the rockfall was investigated to see if there were further stability issues and did not reflect a permanent closure. I expressed that chopping bolts was not a suitable mechanism to achieve a temporary closure and suggested the use of lock-out tags or similar and Chris agreed that this would have been a better course.

In the end not enough of what Chris said lines up with the actions occurring on the ground, so I'm going to talk with him again and push further.

-Adam.

Yesterdays antics started with 4 flouro clad workers milling about at the base of the cliff while one dangled from a rope weilding a big crowbar trying to dislodge loose rock. Interestingly, all this was carried out while tourists still walked up and down the path. A few shards of rock were dislodged and they packed up and left. Our thoughts were that there had been a rockfall and they were checking for loose rock. An hour later they were back with the angle grinder again with 4 spectators while one braved the heights on the rope. We were not quick enough to pack up and get to the other side before all bolts were hacked off. The rock fall had occured in a chossy gully to the left of the climbs that no one climbs and can't be reached from the climbs that were chopped. Apparently some tourist reported someone "dangling" near where the rockfall occurred, however, a few minutes later when a council worker returned to witness the offender there was no sign of said climber? My suspicion is one of the local teenagers have had a scramble and pushed a few rocks off.

The council have agreed to the idea of a meeting with those concerned but we have yet to discuss this with the head of the parks department. We will keep everyone posted once we get any progress. At this stage it does not appear to be the start of a mass bolt removal session but the lack of consultation, after all the work that went into the code of conduct, is what has everyone dissapointed.

If you are around Launceston at 3pm tomorrow Sat 20th we are having a quick get together of concerned climbers to get our response to this issue in order prior to going public with a media release. Bob McMahon has volunteered to lead the charge and is suitably fired up about the whole scenario. Meet upstairs at MD’s, see you then.

Ian

Hi folks,

So I thought I was happy and that a mutually acceptable resolution was well and truly on the cards when I last spoke with LCC as of yesterday afternoon. However in reading what they've written and published I simply do not feel it adequately reflects what I was told in telephone conversations and until there is a better correlation between what they say and their written intentions I feel its important we keep on this issue.

As such, I strongly encourage all local climbers to get involved and attend both the climbers meeting and any meetings with LCC. Take the time to ring your climbing partners and friends, a little bit of effort goes a long way in achieving a positive outcome for the climbing community.

Regards,
Adam Gibson.

See below the media release from Bob. A meeting is scheduled at 12.30pm Thursday 25th at the council with Jeremy Ball and Andrew Smith. It would be good to get as many along as possible.

Cheers,

Ian

MEDIA RELEASE Monday Feb 22nd 2010

Rock climbers label decision of Launceston City Council employee to have safety bolts removed from climbs in the Cataract Gorge as irrational.

Climbers met in Launceston on Saturday 20th Feb 2010 to discuss the implications of a rock fall onto the tourist track in the Cataract Gorge and the reaction of the Launceston City Council.

“It is our understanding that Mr. Andrew Smith of the Parks and Recreation branch of the Launceston City Council instructed workers to chop safety bolts from a climbing area in the Cataract Gorge in the vicinity of a recent rock fall,” stated Ian Ferrier of Mountain Designs Launceston.

“The really baffling thing is that the gully from which the boulder dislodged is not even a part of any of the recognized climbs that have been de-bolted,” he continued.

LCC workers abseiled down the buttress and cut the bolts off with an angle grinder.

Bob McMahon, author of the rock climbing guide to the Cataract Gorge, rock climbing instructor with Launceston based wilderness adventure company, Tasmanian Expeditions, and president of Climb Tasmania Incorporated, questioned Mr Smith’s understanding of risk management.

“There have been numerous rock and tree falls in the Gorge over the years. That’s the nature of the place. These incidents have been managed, as one would expect them to have been managed. Warning signs were erected, affected areas cordoned off, track repairs undertaken and slope stabilization work done when necessary,” he explained.

“At no time have rock climbs in the vicinity of any incident been deliberately rendered unclimbable.”

“So what makes this incident any different?”

“Is it because an assumption was made that a climber was responsible for the rock fall, in which case the chopping of the bolts on nearby climbs by LCC workers can be interpreted as collective punishment of climbers in general?” asked McMahon.

“Mr Smith needs to explain the thinking behind his actions and clearly indicate whether or not he means to continue these maverick acts that run contrary to the spirit of communication and engagement that forms the foundation of the Code of Conduct,” concluded McMahon.

Climbers, the Launceston City Council’s Peter Goss and Lucy Marshall and the late Linton Kerber of Sport and Recreation, drew up the climbing Code of Conduct for the Cataract Gorge. Land use managers in other parts of Australia use the Code of Conduct, published by Council as a leaflet, as a model.

“It’s crucial the Launceston City Council liaise with the climbing community if any situations arise in the future. For them to engage in unilateral action only creates conflict and misunderstanding. They have our contact details and we ask them to consult in future. Meanwhile, of course, there is a problem with the vandalised climbs,” said local climber, Rob de Cesare.

CONTACT: Bob McMahon 0448 547290

G’day All,

Just a quick update on today’s very successful meeting. The council has agreed an error was made and that the bolts can be replaced. It appears the officers on the ground made the call to chop the bolts without any further consultation. Climbers will be notified in future if anything similar occurs again. Ongoing we will be reviewing the code of conduct to allow for temporary lockout of climbs should a rock fall occur . This may just involve the use of a simple padlock on the bolts while the area is assessed. All in all a very positive outcome. The council were overwhelmed with the response and did not realise climbers were so passionate about their sport.

Cheers,

Ian