Allow Rock Climbing in the Sydney Harbour National Park

Support lifting the climbing ban within the Sydney Harbour National Park.

Let us climb Clocks (22) Balls head again!

Rockclimbing is a legitimate activity that is compatible with the management criteria for SHNP

Climbing is low environmental impact, largely unseen by other park visitors, can be carried out safely by competent climbers with modern equipment.

I agree with all the positive comments posted regarding allowing rock climbing in the Sydney Harbour National Park.

I'd like to add that if thousands of wild camels are being allowed to destroy central Australia which ultimately affects the whole of Australia then I can't see how a small number of climbers who respect the environment they are climbing in should not be allowed to climb in the Sydney Harbour National Park.

I support the lifting of the ban on climbing in the SHNP.Modern rock climbing techniques and equipment have evolved to make it more environmentally friendly and safer than in the past.Climbing and climbers are less obtrusive than most other uses of national parks.So lets bring it back we are legitimate park uses.

I'd like to add my vote to allow rockclimbing in the lovely city of sydney! I've climbed in much of Australia and in Europe and Asia, and I don't understand how rock climbing is any different than other national parks that allow access?? There are many climbers world wide that would love to access some of the most beautiful cliffs in the world!

At the very least, I'd like to see National Parks have an open discussion with the Sydney Rockclimbing club, and give the climbing community a chance to dispell some of the myths surrounding climbing. It's safer than driving to the blue mountains every weekend!!

Rock climbing is a safe activity if practiced correctly. Climbers are environmentally conscious and prepared to adhere to guidelines in ecologically sensitive areas. They dont litter. What they do lack is a strong lobby group like fishermen - a group that does litter, rips out marine life to use as bait, is unsafe with regard to access and never seems to have their activity limited despite leaving tonnes of plastic and tinnies around every rock platform in the state.

Rock climbing has less impact than walking on the environment, and the sea cliffs are a stunning location in which to go climbing. Access should not be denied. There is no logical reason from an environmental perspective as to why climbing should be banned. Litigation concerns would be the only reason and these should be readily addressed in a Plan of Management that absolves the NPS of responsibility. To my knowledge there are no cases of climbers bringing litigation against a council or parks service due to their own activity. Wlakers tripping on a path are a greater litigation risk!

Let climbing back into all SHNP precincts

I support all calls to allow rock climbing in the Sydney Harbour National Park.

Liam Jackson

Oatley, NSW

I support opening up more areas for climbiners in Australia's national parks, including SHNP.

Certain cliffs may pose issues, for safety of other users or in cases of particular floral or faunal sensitivity, but where they do there must be effective communication between all parties. Being locked out of any discussion is offensive.

whilst rock climbing in and of itself may be low imapct on the environment what about the impacts of any supporting infrastructure required such access roads/tracks, increased traffic and carparks, toilets, assembly areas at the begining and end of the climb, waste collection and removal. Would the climbers contribute funds to the development and maintenance of the 'climb' or is it the expectation that NP&WS just permit entry to North Head to rock climb?

I support the reintroduction of climbing as an approved activity in SHNP. Due to the nature of climbing in SHNP it is unlikely to be a major focal point for climbers however specific areas and routes are likely to be popular again, particularly given their easy acces and high aesthetic value. Few things beat a dawn ascent of The Fear with a visiting climber to say 'welcome to my city of Sydney'.

Management of potential high conflict areas (eg, routes on loose rock above very highly trafficked walking tracks, areas of identified ecological sensitivity) could be restricted by exception. This approach is utilised successfully in other Parks in the NSW reserve system.

There is significant social assosciation with climbing on the cliffs now considered to be part of SHNP, and in many areas the activity predates the Park.

I fully support the lifting of the ban. I can see no harm what so ever in recreational climbing these areas. I climbed the north head area extensively through the late 70's and all of the 80's without incident or any noticable effect on the environment. Being able to access remote locations gave us the opprtunity to both enjoy and participate in the clean up of the north head area below the cliff line which can only be of benefit to our community. Rock climbers and abseilers use correct equipment and edge protection which saves valuable rock formations. It is however interesting to note that whilst the ban applied to climbers the rock fisherman on any given day are climbing up and down north head still with no bans on there travel and still using whatever equipment comes to hand. The majority of all rescues in this area are of ill prepared fisherman.Its time to let everyone enjoy the national parks instead of once again locking every thing up bercause it is easy to manage it that way.

I support this lift on this ban!

I support lifting the climbing ban. It would encourage those of us who can't always travel to the Blue Mountains to climb locally more often, and improve accessibility of the sport to all. As others have already mentioned, it's compatible with current park uses... in fact I think it's quite an attraction to see the odd climber on a Sydney sea cliff.

I support the lifting of this ban - and also including bans on other rope activities. Climbing is a relatively low impact activity undertaken on the whole by environmentally aware people who pass their knowledge of the natural world on to others.

I support the lifting of the rockclimbing ban on SHNP.

Those of us from the Blue Mtns would like to experience other areas with different outlooks - e.g. coastal - for climbing, abseiling and other rope activities.

Climbers as a group are environmentally responsible and could be relied upon to keep the areas they use in the best conditions possible.

Unfortunately the Blue Mtns also has some closed areas that seem to have been randomly applied and although they were to be reconsidered 5 years after closure, it seems they may not be opened for a long time.

It's definitely time to open up SHNP to climbing and rope activities again.

Lift the ban.

I agree the ban should be lifted and that SHNP reopen the park for climbing and other rope related activites.

I'm a Canberran climber. I support lifting the ban, and agree that if there are specific issues (birds nesting) that need to be addressed this can be done easily.

A simple example is the ban on climbing at the Kambah Red Rocks Gorge during the penegrine falcon nesting season, which is universally respected by climbers from Canberra, interstate and overseas climbers coming to Canberra.

Support lifting the climbing ban within the Sydney Harbour National Park.

Climbers are interested in cliffs where there is solid rock. As a result there is very little floura and fauna on these cliffs. It is true that there is some disturbance at the bottom of the cliff, but walkers have generaly made a path there anyway.

The addition of a few bolts is almost invisible to anyone except climbers who have tuned their eyes to pick out bolts. Ask any climber who has tried to point out bolts to a novice.

I fully support climbing in SHNP and request the ban be lifted. The climbing community is typically very environmentally sensitive, our sport is safe, we are a small commuinity and our impact on the park would be very small (in comparison to ther user groups). Furthermore we have very limited climbing in Sydney outside SHNP and these areas contain some climbing that is rich in history and recognised globally. Finally we have a track record (the blue mountains is one nearby example) for working hand in hand with land managers to help protect and rejuvenuate parks

I think all the major arguments have been made, I support lifting the ban. It makes little sense anyway. If the ban is about safety then remove the fisherman as they are more likely to get taken then any climber. If its about protecting the environment then stop building car parks in them.

I support removing the ban on climbing.

It is hard to understand why it was banned in the first place.

How could climbing be 'incompatible with other park uses'?

If there is no rational reason for the ban then it should not be maintained.

One suspects that the blanket ban was put in the old plan because, although unpopular, it is easy to administer.

Destructive or disturbing rock climbing must be prohibited in National Parks, but climbing is not always destructive or disturbing. If people want to climb rocks -

- without drilling new holes or widening existing cracks, and

- without expecting to drive off roads to get to the base or top of the cliffs, and

- without flattening wind-exposed vegetation, and

- without dropping rocks or gear on passers-by on official tracks, and

- without expecting exclusive or privileged access,

then they should be allowed to do so. (The same could be said about most other activities in National Parks.)

It is hard to think of many places in the park where non-destructive access to both the bottom and top of a climb is available, perhaps the cliffs between Lady Bay beach around South Head to the HMAS Watson fence. I am open to the possibility that other such climbing routes do exist.

Climbing should continue to be banned in those places where there are good conservation reasons for restrictions which should be explained in the plan. It could be permitted everywhere else. Blanket denial on the basis of "compatibility with other users", as in the current plan, does little for the credibility of the NPWS.

I support lifting the ban on rock climbing in SHNP. The other posts have already spoken for me, so I might add simply that all low-impact activities should be allowed on public land. Rock climbing is among the lowest-impact of outdoor activities and participating in the sport generally increases one's stewardship of natural areas.