Mt Arapiles is quite simply one of Victoria’s most outstanding natural features. The park, with its 200m-high red quartzite cliffs is also recognised as a major rockclimbing destination and attracts large numbers of climbers from around the world.
Author: Glenn Tempest
Glenn is an accomplished adventure writer and photographer and has authored a number of popular bushwalking and rockclimbing guidebooks. Glenn is the big kahuna at Open Spaces and lives in Natimuk (next to Mt Arapiles and the Grampians) with his partner Karen and two Burmese cats, Sushi and Pinot.
Pine Mountain
It’s supposed to be the biggest rock monolith in the southern hemisphere but I can’t help but be a bit dubious of the claim. Parks Victoria states that Pine Mountain is 1.5 times bigger than Uluru, but it really doesn’t have the iconic status that Uluru does. Despite all of the rhetoric, Pine mountain is… Continue reading Pine Mountain
The Cobberas
Karen and I camped at Native Dog Flat over the Christmas holiday’s. Apparently Melbourne sweltered in the heat while we enjoyed perfect weather (except for some rather amazing storms during the night). We were researching a couple of walks in the area for our forthcoming Daywalks Around Victoria guidebook. The Cobberas are Victoria’s truly last… Continue reading The Cobberas
Cathedral Range State Park (After The Fires)
Tracey and I paid a visit to the Cathedral Range State Park last Wednesday. Tracey was there in her official capacity as the Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) Access Officer and was checking out the climbing access trail up to North Jawbones – one of the most popular and important climbing crags in Victoria. I was… Continue reading Cathedral Range State Park (After The Fires)
Razorback Spur – Lerderderg Gorge SP
Last Sunday Karen and I teamed up with friend Stuart Imer to check out yet another circuit walk in the Lerderderg State Park. Joining us were NZ couple Nic Learmonth and her partner Chris, who have just recently moved to Melbourne. Right now the river is flowing so it was a good opportunity to see… Continue reading Razorback Spur – Lerderderg Gorge SP
Chewings Range Traverse
Karen and I recently spent 18 days and 250km walking across the Chewings Range in the Northern Territory. Two old friends, Stuart Imer and Michael Hampton, joined us for what turned out to be one of the best long distance walks we have ever done. We started out of Alice Springs and followed the first… Continue reading Chewings Range Traverse
Werribee Gorge & The Island
I visited Werribee Gorge State Park on Wednesday. It turned out to be one of those perfect spring days that Melbourne is justifiably famous for. My friend, Ian, had never been to ‘the gorge’ before and I took the opportunity to show him around what I consider to be one of the most underrated parks… Continue reading Werribee Gorge & The Island