Climbers say government plans to open up discussions about Arapiles state park are a 'charade'
Castle Crag at Mount Arapiles state park was closed after culturally significant sites were rediscovered. (ABC Wimmera)
In short:
The Victoria government has extended the consultation period on proposed changes to protect culturally significant sites at Mount Arapiles in the state's west.
The decision to lengthen discussions comes after local residents and climbers felt "shut out of the process".
What's next?
The public will have until February 14 to have their say on the draft management plan.
Climbers say the Victorian government's decision to give more people a say on plans to better protect cultural land in a park in the state's west is nothing but a "charade".
The public will have until February 14 to provide feedback on a draft management plan that aims to close about half of the Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park's world-famous rock climbing areas.
The government told climbers on Friday it would extend the consultation period for reviewing the Arapiles management plan.
Traditional owners have previously said the plan would "reset" the balance between cultural heritage and recreational use.
Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, the body representing traditional owners of the area, said the cultural protections had been more than 30 years in the making.
The draft management plan — which amends the original 1991 version — was released in early November after a series of archaeological and ecological surveys in the state park area.
Sites such as scar trees, rock art and a stone tool manufacturing area in the park were of international significance, the Aboriginal corporation said.
The decision to lengthen the consultation process came after local residents and climbers felt "shut out of the process".
Mount Arapiles is a popular rock-climbing area in western Victoria. (ABC News: Mark Doman)
Consultation 'is flawed'
Victorian Climbing Club representative Kevin Lindorff said the consultation process had been flawed.
"We have been told there can't be consultation on cultural heritage because of heritage laws," he said.
"It makes us wonder about the point of any consultation and what its scope could include.
"We need to look at other ways of protecting cultural heritage other than huge exclusion zones. It's been done pretty much all around the world.
"Even in the Arapiles where a bit of cultural heritage was identified, there was a very small exclusive zone and that was fine ... people have respected that for 20 years."
Locked out of natural spaces
Wayne Webb owns a climbing shop at Natimuk in the Arapiles and said climbers were slowly getting locked out of natural spaces.
"The whole process needs to be redone," Mr Webb said.
"All groups that have an active interest in that place [Arapiles] need to come together. We all care so much about the area.
"This whole scenario played out in the Grampians already.
"Climbers and users have been locked out of large swathes of the Grampians for environmental protections."
Climbing shop owner Wayne Webb says the consultation process is flawed. (Supplied: Wayne Webb)
A Victorian government spokesperson said the consultation extension would give the community more opportunities to make submissions.
It said the new interim CEO of Parks Victoria, Graeme Dear, would lead the consultation to make sure the community was heard.
The Victorian government will also invest $1.7 million to improve walking tracks, signage, access points and visitor facilities.