Mountaineering Talks
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
There are two upcoming talks by mountaineers:
Patrick Hollingsworth -
Patrick Hollingsworth became the third Western Australian to climb Everest this year. He is doing a slide show on July 28th at UWA Social Sciences Theatre at 7pm for 7.30pm, $15 at door. Sponsored by Mountain Designs, who are providing a $100 Gift Voucher as a door prize. Contact Mountain Designs for more info.
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Mark Sheen -
Come spend an evening with Mark Sheen and learn about his experiences on some of the world’s highest and most rugged peaks that have made him the world-class mountaineer he is today. With peaks under his belt such as Spantik, Broad Peak & K2 in Pakistan, Denali in Alaska, Elbrus in Russia, Aconcagua in Argentina plus the holy grail of mountaineering, Mount Everest in Nepal, Mark will speak on his triumphs and tragedies and his plans to do more in the high mountains of the world.
This presentation will be held on Tuesday 27th July at Mainpeak’s Osborne Park store at 6.30 pm for a 7 pm start. Tickets for each presentation are just $10.00 each but numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. Contact the Osborne Park store for bookings or for more information.
Perth Guidebook Photo Competition
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 | Uncategorized | Comments Off
The 2010 Perth Rock Climbing Guide is well under way and we are looking for some photographs to illustrate it with including the cover photo. This is your chance to have your photo on a 1000 books! Anybody can enter, please email the Editor Ross Weiter with your entries on rossw@climberswa.asn.au.
Conditions:
1. Entries must be a JPEG file at least 1.5Mb in size.
2. Entries should be accompanied by name of the author and description of the photo.
3. Only colour images will be considered for cover photo, however B&W can be used elsewhere.
4. In submitting the entry, you are implicitly giving permission for it to be reproduced in the new CAWA Perth Guide. Since the guide is prepared solely by volunteers, your financial remuneration will be nil.
5. You are also giving permission for your photo to be modified in any way so as to suit the layout and content required.
6. The cover photo will be credited to the author, other photos will not be credited.
2010/2011 Memberships
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Dear Climber,
the CAWA membership year runs from 01 July until the following 30 June. This means that your 2009/2010 membership has now expired and so it’s time to renew your CAWA membership.
(Note: If you have joined or renewed in the last month or so, your membership may carry forwards through until the end of June 2011, in which case there’s no need to renew now. Please check your records if you are unsure about this, or email cawa@climberwa.asn.au for more information.)
During the past year, CAWA has organised a number of climbing trips, including ones to Willyabrup, Kalbarri, the Albany area and Peak Charles. There has also been a few social and slide nights and more are planned in the near future. CAWA members also get discounts at the gear shops and climbing gyms.
In addition, CAWA represents the interests of WA climbers and has frequent meetings with DEC, Water Corp, Dept. of Sport and Rec and other government agencies to discuss issues such as access to climbing areas, changes in Regulations and policy and so on.
By supporting CAWA, you help CAWA support you.
You can renew your membership or join by using the secure online form, or by downloading, completing and returning the printable membership form. Follow the links from www.climberswa.asn.au/cawa/membership/
Happy climbing!
Phillip
CAWA Committee Member
Canning Dam Quarry Access Finalised
Monday, June 7th, 2010 | News | No Comments
I am very happy to finally be able to announce that we have finalised the access to Canning Dam Quarry. As discussed previously on the website, access will be for members only and during the initial ‘trial’ period, only for six weekends during that first year.
However, that’s a great start! When originally approached by individuals, the land managers said they would not consider access. When approached by CAWA, the land managers were, after some initial resistance (Water Corporation), willing to enter into negotiations and nearly two years later, this is the result. It demonstrates very clearly that a good working relationship between land managers and climbers is possible. DEC has been instrumental in facilitating access and helping us to negotiate with Water Corporation.
The quarry does not currently have any bolted routes and access to the top (such as at the other quarries) to set up ropes for other than for route setting will not be possible. At this stage it is anticipated that the routes in this quarry will require lower offs.
DEC requires that all climbers and route setters are CAWA members and that CAWA is responsible for ensuring responsible use of the quarry. The way in which the quarry activities are managed will determine any future access beyond the one year trial period.
Any CAWA members interested in bolting routes in the quarry will need to apply to a bolting panel (which will be formed by people who will NOT be bolting routes) and be able to provide evidence of both experience and skill in this area. Bear in mind that DEC is requiring us to oversee this process. Bolting in the quarry must conform to the CAWA Bolting Guidelines.
For further information, please contact us at cawa@climberswa.asn.au.
Regards
Dena
President
Perth Rock Climbing Guide 2010
Monday, May 17th, 2010 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment
8 years after the first edition and 3 years after going out of print, a new Perth Rock Climbing Guide is sorely overdue. We have had delivery issues due to people unable to find enough personal time, which has now pushed out the delivery to later in the year. Ross Weiter, the author of the 2002 first edition will produce the 2nd edition when he returns back from the Alps in early July.
The revised schedule is:
10 August - circulate updated text to gyms for public comment (no pictures)
1 September - advertisers will be contacted with the format details
1 October - advertising deadline
10 October - proof copy out
31 October - guidebook to print shop
21 November - guidebook printed
1 December - guidebook fully distributed into shops and gyms
Please send any contributions (comments on last edition, new route info, grades etc.) to rossw@climberswa.asn.au We are keen on any people with graphics design skills to format the guidebook, otherwise the appearance will be the same as for the 2002 guide.
There will be a cover page photo competition coming up soon, details TBA.
New Peak Charles Miniguide
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 | News | No Comments
This is now available for downloading under the Climb/Miniguides drop down menu or by clicking this link. There now is an added photo of Northeast Buttress which will be hopefully populated with all the climbs, eventually.
Castle Rock Walk Trail and Summit Closure in Porongurup National Park
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 | News | No Comments
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) wishes to advise that the Castle Rock Walk trail and Castle Rock Summit within Porongurup National Park will be closed to all Park visitors from 15 March 2010 to 30 June 2010.
This closure is required in order to make the area safe for contractors to carry out works necessary to remove the old lookout structure and construct two new lookouts, one lower level lookout and one upper level lookout.
Access to Castle Rock Picnic Area, Tree-in-the-Rock picnic area, Nancy-Hayward Peak Circuit, Devils Slide and Wansbrough walk will remain open.
DEC apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation.
For further information please contact the DEC Albany District Office on (08) 98424500.
President’s Report 2009
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 | News | No Comments
Humans do not like change, which means it is often viewed with fear and suspicion. However, it is one of the president’s primary responsibilities to provide direction for the organisation, which inevitably involves change. When we take on a committee position, we are each responsible for making an effort to improve the organisation during our brief time in office. On becoming your president, I embarked on a mission to improve CAWA, knowing that I would meet with resistance and criticism along the way (fortunately I realised that I wasn’t entering a popularity contest), but it has still been very challenging to remain positive and keep persevering.
I did not take on the role of President to sit back and twiddle my thumbs. I took it on because I thought that I could make a positive difference and in doing so, hopefully change the perception held by a few, that CAWA committee meetings are tea drinking social events. Not only am I in my prime (or so I keep telling myself every time my fingers violently object to crimpers) but personally, I prefer coffee. And, as a committee, I believe we have made a difference.
The current committee will attest to the fact that any attempts to stray from the path of decision making and moving forward during meetings will prompt me to out get my whip and spurs. I mention this not to frighten away new committee members but so that potential nominees understand that the time they give is respected and valued.
At the committee meeting in May 2009, I presented my vision and goals to the team. Feedback was sought and with everyone on board we embarked upon an era of change.
My vision: That CAWA becomes an association that climbers not only want join but want to be actively involved in.
CAWA’s goals:
- By the 2011 AGM we will have enough volunteers to fill every committee position.
- By the 2010 AGM we will have increased membership numbers by at least 50%, ideally with a large number of younger members who will then continue to support the association and then become involved in its management.
- The next edition of the CAWA Guidebook to be on sale by June 2010.
- To launch a new CAWA website that is user friendly for both members and the committee by the end of June 2009.
- By August 2009 a regular (either two or three monthly) newsletter is to be produced so we stay in touch with members and keep them updated.
We are currently on track with all except the second one. In retrospect, expecting such a rapid increase in membership numbers was unrealistic because effecting any sort of change was going to take time. However, this is a learning process. The much anticipated updated and revised CAWA guidebook is expected to be available in June 2010.
One of our most significant achievements over the last year or two is improved relations with the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). This is critical to meeting some of the main objectives of the association, which are to ‘promote and develop rock climbing’ and ‘protect and promote the interests of rock climbers’ in WA. Contrary to the view held by some climbers, DEC is not the enemy and has in fact been very helpful in facilitating access to Canning Dam Quarry. We are in the process of finalising the agreement.
Like any other relationship, it requires work. Canning Dam negotiations took place over an extended period of time but ultimately we achieved our goal of obtaining access and it is the perfect example of how the correct approach makes all the difference ─ CAWA, as an organisation, succeeded where individuals have previously failed. It also illustrates the importance of having a peak body to represent and further the interests of climbers.
During the year there have been a number of well-attended and very enjoyable climbing trips to such places as Willyabrup, Mt Frankland, Peak Charles and most recently, Albany. Our attempt to trick the weather gods and travel to Mt Frankland in March rather than September did not stop the rain. However, all was not lost and two new routes made an appearance. For the uninitiated, table bouldering provided a new and addictive activity (complete with sparklers for added difficulty) on New Years’ Eve at Albany.
Another of the year’s big achievements for us was launching the new CAWA website. It is definitely still a work in progress, with more functionality to be added as time goes on. We are planning to use the site to improve communication with members and encourage constructive feedback so that we can be sure we are giving you what you want. Well done to all who were involved in this project.
Acting on requests to consider the current relevance and restrictions of the Albany Adventure Climbing Zone, CAWA engaged with Albany locals and it was agreed that in its current state it was outdated and hampering the development of climbing in the area. At the November 2009 committee meeting, a motion was passed redefining the AACZ (see January 2010 newsletter and web forum for further details), which has already resulted in at least one fabulous new route being bolted at Peak Head over the Christmas break.
It is very important for me to thank everyone who has supported your committee and myself over the last year or so and made it possible for us to achieve so many things. Particular members of the committee have worked tirelessly and volunteered more than their fair share of time to help us get things done (much better than having to deal with me in nervous breakdown mode). In doing so, they have not only improved my mental health, but also demonstrated their understanding of the importance of following through on a commitment because without that, it is impossible to achieve anything.
Due to limitations my health has imposed on me, there have been extended periods when I have not been able to climb. But, it is my passion for the sport and concern about access issues that saw me first join the committee in 2007. I mention this because there are many of you out there who benefit from the work that CAWA does and have valuable skills that could assist the organisation and help us continue to improve in all areas. Whether you climb hard, occasionally or are a beginner, I encourage you to give some of your time to help develop and support the association that is beavering away to support you, by nominating for a committee position.
Happy climbing!
Dena Rao
President
2010 CAWA AGM
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 | Events, News | No Comments
The main items on the agenda at this year’s AGM were reporting the committee’s activities for the year and electing a new committee. The physical turnout for the AGM was disappointing, with almost as many proxies as actual people. Thanks so much to those who did send in their proxies-it was much appreciated. I have posted the President’s Report as a separate news item where you can see the summary of the year’s activities and achievements.
This year, I am looking forward to seeing through to completion such tasks as the new edition of the Perth guidebook.
I would also like to welcome back some familiar faces as well as some fresh new ones. To see the details of who is doing what, please check out the ‘About’ section on the home page and select ‘Committee’ from the drop down menu.
There are currently two positions vacant on the committee. Treasurer and a general committee position. Anyone who is interested in either of these positions, particularly treasurer, is encouraged to contact me.
Dena
President
Mt Frankland Trip Fri 26 Feb - Mon 1 Mar 2010
Monday, February 22nd, 2010 | Events | No Comments
The coming long weekend will see a CAWA trip to sample the slab delights of Mt Frankland.
Mt Frankland is about 5 hrs from Perth and this year we will be camping at Fernhook Falls. It is not possible to book camp sites. There is a camp kitchen and toilets but no showers (you can have a wash in the river).
Some of us will be heading down late on the Friday night.
Please contact Ross on 0422 927 962 or at Ross.Weiter@WorleyParsons.com for more details.
Regards
Dena
President