In February 1983, Chris Baxter, Miles Martin, Dave Moss, Russ Clune and I spent a couple of weeks climbing at Mt Geryon and the Acropolis in Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park. I was 24 years-old at the time and the campaign to save the Franklin blockade was at its height. Upon… Continue reading Southern Gothic Vol1: Acropolis & Geryon
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.
The Tipperary Track: Trail Update
It was a miserable wet and cold mid-winter’s morning when Karen and I dragged ourselves out of the warmth of a Daylesford Cafe and started out along the Tipperary Track. For the first kilometre or so we debated as to whether this was such a good idea. Maybe we are getting soft but the thought… Continue reading The Tipperary Track: Trail Update
Hunting in our Parks: a Deal with the Devil?
On June 20, 2012, the Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill is to be debated in the NSW Legislative Assembly. This Bill proposes to allow hunters largely unrestricted access to many of the best NSW national parks and reserves. A list of the proposed parks can be found here. If this Bill eventually passes it will… Continue reading Hunting in our Parks: a Deal with the Devil?
Silver Mine Walking Track
The Silver Mine Walking Track is located in the Snowy River National Park, one of Victoria’s most remote and least visited semi-alpine regions. By the time Karen and I parked our vehicle at the start of the walk at McKillops Bridge I had a fairly good idea as why so few people visit this place.… Continue reading Silver Mine Walking Track
Pincushion, Tremadog 1982
In 1982 Chris Baxter and I had been guests of the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) at the Buxton Conference. After all the excitement of the conference and long hours (spent mainly in the pub) it was something of a relief to load up our hire car and head off for a couple of weeks climbing… Continue reading Pincushion, Tremadog 1982
Yesterday Gully and Memories Lost
Arapiles, 1980. It was early summer and the days were growing hotter. A group of us headed into Yesterday Gully to search out some fingers of shade. We climbed Snow Blind (23, 5.11b), In Lemon Butter (22, 5.11a) and No Quarter (23, 5.11b). I still have a few blurry pics, but these are best left… Continue reading Yesterday Gully and Memories Lost
To Clip or Not to Clip. That is the Question.
Over the weekend I was out climbing with a bunch of friends. It was one of those half social, half serious climbing trips where sitting around the campfire was as enjoyable as crimping edges on perfect Grampians orange stone. But one particular incident got me to thinking. I’d led a bunch of stuff on the… Continue reading To Clip or Not to Clip. That is the Question.
Vertical Life (#1 Autumn 2012). The Review.
Every now and then something happens and the world slightly shifts. Afterwards, nothing is ever quite the same. Over the last few years the publishing industry has been going through a monumental upheaval, one not seen since 1440 when Johannes Gutenberg perfected the printing press. The internet has taken us to places most of us… Continue reading Vertical Life (#1 Autumn 2012). The Review.
Parks Victoria: Death By a Thousand Cuts.
This Easter weekend some state and national parks are facing industrial action by Parks Victoria rangers belonging to the Community and Public Sector Union. Most likely this will involve the locking of gates to parks which have single points of entry. The union has been in ongoing enterprise bargaining negotiations with the Victorian Government, having… Continue reading Parks Victoria: Death By a Thousand Cuts.
Tarilta Creek Gorge Burned by DSE
Tarilta Creek Gorge (Jan 2012) from Glenn Tempest on Vimeo. Friends of the Box-Ironbarks Forests (FOBIF) have just posted a critical assessment of the recent DSE burning operations of Tarilta Creek Gorge in the Upper Loddon State Forest. You can read their blog and view some images at Tarilta Gorge: burned off, washed away. Essentially… Continue reading Tarilta Creek Gorge Burned by DSE