Vol. 18 No. 27 Vol. 21 No. 49
FREE PUBLICATION Wednesday, January 13, 2016
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Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Dream come true Horsham boy Ted Johnson is relishing a newfound sense of independence as he rides around town on his new custom-made bike. The Ss Michael and John’s Primary School student had both legs amputated at birth and has never been able to ride a conventional bicycle. With a custom-made option, costing $11,000, beyond the financial reach of Ted’s family, his school community organised a ‘Ten4Ted’ fundraising campaign in December. The fundraiser smashed its initial goal, raising more than $15,000 in less than two weeks. Ted’s mother Abbie Clark said the order for the special bike had been placed shortly before Christmas but took about six months to be built and shipped to Australia. She said Ted had been thrilled when it finally arrived. “As soon as Ted saw the bike he thought it was amazing,” she said. “It was made in Poland and the company in Melbourne we bought it from was called Melrose Wheelchairs. They were so helpful and they knew what they were talking about – both the guys were in wheelchairs themselves. They knew exactly what we needed. Ss Michael and John’s Primary School hosts ‘Wheelie Wednesdays’,
where students bring bikes, scooters, skateboards, roller skates and other wheeled methods of transport to school. The school will host another wheelie event on Friday this week. Ted said the ability to ride with his schoolmates was ‘pretty cool’. Ms Clark said Ted was still getting the hang of using his new bike. “Most kids from the age of about three years old have been riding something, but Ted hasn’t, so it’s all about getting used to the idea of riding,” she said. “Once he gets old enough and more confident he’ll be able to ride to school on his own.” Ms Clark said she was still in awe of the generosity displayed by Wimmera people to help raise money for Ted’s bike. “I have to thank the school especially and then all the individuals and businesses across Australia that helped us out,” she said. “We really don’t know how to thank everybody – it was the most humbling thing. “We’re trying to make sure we get out and about, so if anyone sees us, give us a wave.” – Colin MacGillivray
Rock climbers unite BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
P
lans to form a peak governing body representing rock climbers in Victoria have been fasttracked as climbers continue to push for returned access to sites in Grampians National Park.
Parks Victoria announced the closure of several ‘special protection areas’ in the park in February, citing concerns about the cultural and environmental impact of rock climbing activity. The Grampians region, known as Gariwerd to local Aboriginal groups, is home to about 90 percent of known Aboriginal rock art sites in Victoria.
Parks Victoria said the actions of some climbers had angered Aboriginal groups, with fixed bolts and corrosive chalk found within metres of art sites. Climbing groups argued the bans were reactionary and made without proper consultation, putting financial strain on licensed tour operators who run rock-climbing schools in the area. A meeting between several tour operators and representatives from Parks Victoria, Aboriginal Victoria and the state government was held in Halls Gap earlier this month. Victorian Climbing Club, VCC, president Paula Toal said the meeting
had been a positive step forward, but still left uncertainty for tour operators. Climbing permits for Summerday Valley in the northern Grampians expire on June 30, and there are no plans to renew them. “If we lose Summerday Valley in the long term, I think tour operators are really going to suffer,” Mrs Toal said. “It is a destination for people who come to Victoria to go climbing, and if they only climb modest grades it’s one of the few places with quality modest grade climbing. It also impacts not just the licensed tour operators, but businesses in that area.
“I’m sure this is having a huge impact on places like Mount Zero Log Cabins, because that business really caters to the climbing community. “We’re ticking up to a deadline that is now less than two weeks away and I don’t know that any further communications or assurances have been made to the LTOs. “It’s one of those situations where, having worked with government before and the bureaucracy involved, these things take time. “I’m not alarmed or concerned, but it’s obviously a bit dissatisfying that we’re not necessarily moving for-
ward as quickly as we’d like to.” A Parks Victoria spokesman described the meeting as ‘constructive’. He said there were still plenty of places open to climbers in the Grampians, but Parks Victoria would continue access negotiations with climbers. Mrs Toal said the VCC and other groups such as Sport Climbing Victoria and Outdoors Victoria were now focused on forming a peak body representing all climbers in Victoria by the end of the year. She said a peak body would give the state’s climbers a unified voice. Continued page 3
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