Shared Not Shut - Connections to Nature, to Each Other, and to Ourselves

Shared Not Shut is a campaign about fairness, accountability, and the right to enjoy outdoor spaces in a way that respects cultural heritage while maintaining access to outdoor recreation. Through unity and strategic action, they are pushing for necessary legislative changes and holding our government accountable to ensure long-term protection of outdoor users' rights for all.

Bogong Equipment had the pleasure to speak with Jess on behalf of the organisation (the other half being co-founder Melissa, who was being interviewed on a podcast in relation to Shared Not Shut at the same time).

Most recently, Shared Not Shut hosted a vigil on Easter Sunday to take a moment to acknowledge how much Dyurrite / Mount Arapiles means to everyone, reflect on the complexity of the current situation with openness and care, show up in a peaceful, respectful way to express love for a place, and share a moment with others who feel the same.

At Easter, when Dyurrite and Natimuk are usually buzzing with life and stoke, it felt important to hold space like this. It gives us hope for a less divided future.

Who is Shared Not Shut?

Jess grew up on a beach and her father was a surfer. She is a marine biologist and practising researcher with a PhD in marine protected areas – including the Great Barrier Reef. She also collaborates with colleagues in the USA and unbeknownst to me, kelp and other systems are not just at risk but endangered at present.

In her late 20s, Jess got into rock climbing. She loved it so much that she met and married a fellow rock climber! Her husband grew up in Natimuk and they both live in the same town next to the world-famous Dyurrite / Mount Arapiles.

Melissa (they/them) is founder and former president of ClimbingQTs. After many years, Melissa stepped back to advocate for access, focussing on equality and accessibility. It’s about making sure that everybody, especially those with barriers that limit their access to the outdoors, but to ensure everybody gets a seat at the table.

Why is access important to you?

It’s not just about being in the spaces or seeing nature, but understanding and connecting. Communities are built on meaningful relationships with each other, and, like many others, I have found such an amazing community through the outdoors. To me, access is about fostering and supporting meaningful connections. Connections to nature, to each other, and to ourselves. Importantly, what those connections look like is different to everyone.

We started Shared not Shut partly to provide a space to talk about the issues of recreational access, and why it's important to everyone, in a safe and respectful way. We felt that previous conversations had not been constructive, and part of the reason for Shared Not Shut is for a balanced way for current and future conversations to happen. While we are still learning exactly how to do that, most of the feedback so far has been positive.

In our conversations, it's always important to recognise Aboriginal peoples and acknowledge their deep, unique, and significant connections to Country. We can’t speak to their aspirations, but we need to talk about and listen to each other’s stories, be respectful, and not make assumptions.

The hard ground is when the processes around restricting access are flawed, which is what we are seeing at Dyurrite / Mount Arapiles. Rather than supporting reconciliation, the way in which the Dyurrite Cultural Landscape Management Plan has been done is eroding community progress.

Shared Not Shut was born out of Natimuk, but we are a nationwide campaign. We are currently in the listening and learning stage, building relationships with peak outdoors bodies, and representative groups across a range of communities. Our end goal is to find a way to balance preserving access and protecting culture, as well as encourage equity, inclusivity and transparency for current and future generations.

For the latest updates, join the mailing list via the Shared Not Shut website and follow their social media on Facebook and Instagram where the Easter Vigil Welcome speech is on display and much more.