CAWA has been in contact with DEC regarding the Hills Centre being closed on the weekend. DEC were not aware of the Centre being closed on the weekend, and subsequently have discovered the following:
The Nearer to Nature Perth Hills National Parks Centre (PHNPC), who have been accepting bookings for both Mountain and Statham’s Quarries on behalf of the DEC Mundaring Office, will be reducing their opening hours. Due to a reduction in funding, the PHNPC will be reducing their opening hours, both on week days and weekends. The hours will be adjusted to when the Centre is running Nearer to Nature activities, so the opening hours will become variable.
Therefore the DEC Mundaring Office is preparing to take over the booking system for the quarries, along with other public and recreational inquiries, which the Hills Centre currently provides. Ultimately the opening hours will be longer, particularly on weekends, with the DEC Mundaring Office taking bookings. In the mean time, the variable opening hours of the Hills Centre are already in effect (i.e. the Hills Centre is not open on all weekends, but will be open most week days.) Therefore I would suggest that if you are thinking of climbing at either Mountain or Statham’s Quarry on the weekends during the next few months, to phone during the week and make a booking.
If you do need to phone the Hills Centre on the weekend, and the Centre isn’t open, then there should be a voice mail message with a mobile number to call. Please phone the number they give you (this may change weekend to weekend, depending on who is on duty), and the person you speak to should have the gate codes and take bookings. Please leave a message if they don’t answer straight away.
The transition will be occurring over the course of the next few months. As this is a sudden change in operation for the Hills Centre, not linked to the DEC, the DEC and CAWA would appreciate your understanding over the next few months while the booking systems get changed over and the phone numbers to call are changed.
CAWA will endeavour to keep the climbing community informed of any updates.
Reminder – the phone number for the Hills Centre is: 9295 2244
Opening Hours are 8:30am-4:30pm on week days.
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