Help

Lucas Heights

Seasonality

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Summary

Steep sport climbing in the mid grades and with all day shade.

Description

An unusually substantial cliff overlooking the scenic Woronora River set amongst lush forest and within critical meltdown distance of Australia's only nuclear reactor. The routes generally climb gorgeous steep water worn orange rock up to 20m in length. Most routes are now well bolted with ringbolts & lower-off anchors (2014). It is a good destination during summer since it faces south. Sections of the cliff seep after heavy rain and during winter when it gets no direct sun.

Access issues

There was once a bit of rubbish near the bottom of the cliff from the upper lookout that has been cleaned up. If you see any rubbish please help take it out. Bring mosquito repellent in summer. Some very angry Peregrine Falcons are quite often in residence during spring.

Approach

To get to the crag, drive to corner of David Road and Old Illawarra Road in Barden Ridge. Drive south down to 89 Thomas Mitchell Dr. for 50m and park before the left turn. Pass the gate to the reserve, and follow the large, flat fire-trail west. Take the right-hand trail, along the ridge top. Pass a first large old quarry, and then a second. 20m past the second quarry, stop at a clearing. Look sharp left, almost back--there is a small cairn at the top of a steep, yellow descent gully. Follow blue tape marks on branches along a faint trail. Trend down and right under the scrappy cliff, always staying close to the rock on your right. Climbs described right to left facing the cliff (east to west).

Ethic

Everything of worth at this crag is sport-bolted.

History

History timeline chart

Dave Barnes and Chris Wallace in the 90s, Neil Monteith in the 2010s

Some content has been provided under license from: © Australian Climbing Association Queensland (Creative Commons, Attribution, Share-Alike 2.5 AU)

Routes

Add route(s) Add topo Reorder Bulk edit Convert grades
Grade Route

Fun little bouldery route. 3 bolts to lower off, or link into ‘Gargamel

FA: Fez, 3 Sep 2021

Climb LinkedIn and go straight up to the crux of Lovin' Lockdown to get full value from this line. You can run out the easy middle section or extend the draw to reduce drag. Feel free to point out if this link-up's already been climbed!

FA: James S

Start up 'Lovin Lockdown' for 3 bolts then veer right, and up to Gargamel's nose. Get someone to second to clean, alternatively top out and belay off carrots.

FA: Jason Lammers, 1 Sep 2021

Super fun, up and veer rightwards to rooflet and crack above.

FA: Jason Lammers, 31 Jul 2021

As per 'Lovin' Lockdown', but don't clip the anchors, lean over and clip random bolt in the middle of the wall and carefully ride ramp over to 'CC' anchors.

FA: The Bangor Chimp, 1 Sep 2021

Start up 'Lovin' Lockdown' for 3 bolts then left up to corner crack.

FA: Jason Lammers, 1 Sep 2021

As per 'Covid Corner', but traverse across the ledge to the ironing board hold, thru the mini roof and up to anchors. Extend draws as required and get someone to 2nd to clean.

FA: Jason Lammers, 1 Sep 2021

Nice full length sport route that is slightly spoiled by the midway ledge. Start below shallow corner in front of block with FH. Up the corner to sloping break, traverse right 2m then up with a powerful move to door-handle jug (sling it). Mantle onto ledge, then left a metre and up steep juggy grey wall to hard slab move to gain base of huge roof. Monkey across roof for 2m to chain-anchor on lip (hard to clip, toe jam the break!). All bolts, including the FHs are glue-ins and bomber. The route originally bailed left at the third bolt, and was extended by Neil in 2014.

FA: Chris Wallace, 1994

FFA: Neil Monteith (10m extension), 2014

A bonus long pumpy traverse finish to Interior Castle. Up that route to the top of the corner under the big roof, take a breath, then launch rightwards along break. It's easy at first but the further right it gets slopier, steeper and with less feet. Anchor at far right end of roof. Either back-clean or get someone to second.

FFA: Neil Monteith, 2014

This steep rightward leaning corner system looks grade 16, was originally graded 19 and is now considered at least 22 after several prominent failures. Despite the sandbaggery it's the best line of the cliff and has a very baffling pumpy bulgy section in the middle. Starts 5m left of NF, below the prominent corner, just before small overhanging section at about waist height. Look for shiny unreccessed ringbolts (don't worry - they are bomber). Stick-clip first bolt then stem up corner to ledge. Layback, grunt and swear up the bulgy bit to next ledge. Up monster jugs to the roof then finish with an airy traverse left to lower-off bolts. In the ye olde days there was a second pitch up the 7m dirty arete. Looks for rusty BRs.

FA: David Barnes, 1994

A flawed and incomplete route superseded by the easier and better OtaNS. The bolts on this route are very unsafe rusted unwelded rings. Do not trust them. Start: Below undercut wall. Campus jugs past crap RB, then up easy slab to ledge. Straight up to manky RB, and aid on this to bypass hard move. Continue up past another crap RB (beaten up) to ledge. Move up and left over bulge and mantle onto the grotty black slab and rap chain.

FA: David Barnes, 1995

Great steep climbing which stays dry in almost any weather. Straightened out and easier version of Forever is Hard To Imagine. Two u-bolts up face to ledge. Swing left across horizontal then up juggy steep stuff to final roof move to clip anchor on lip.

FA: Neil Monteith, 2011

Shares start and the first 2 bolts with OtaNS, then heads left thru slopey steepness to easy finish on nice ergonomic jugs.

FA: Jason Lammers, 2014

Start up Cortisone for 5 bolts then traverse left under the top roof for two bolts to finish of the Apeis anchors.

FA: Wade Stewart & Josh Porter, 9 Sep 2021

The following two obscure climbs are gained by abseiling in either from above the roof right of FiHtI, or from the ledge left of the DBBs on IC.

From belay ledge DBB climb short corner (cams) then up juggy face and slab above (rusty BR).

FA: David Barnes, 1994

up nose to BRs

Start: as for PRT

FA: David Barnes, 1994

Back to ground level, about 10m left of Ode to the Nuclear Scientist.

Outrageous roof climbing. Short wall then out roof on pockets to catch the monkey bar jug in the lip. Finish up tricky slopes heading left (don't go up the dirty crack). All u-bolts apart from one FH in the roof.

FA: Neil Monteith, 2011

Start 5m left of MB climb up the fern wall and reach out to the sloper rail. Traverse and cross through monkey bars and continue through to slopers of doom to the jug for the anchors.

James Stuart

Set: Josh Porter

FA: Josh Porter, 1 Aug 2021

Climb the first half of Apeis Stupidius and take the early exit to finish Monkey Bars

FA: Josh Porter, 4 Sep 2021

Climb the start of monkey bar to the second break then head right to finish Apeis

FA: Josh Porter, 16 Jan 2022

Fun jug featured roof climb. So many options on how to tick it.

FA: Wade Stewart, Aug 2021

Start below the big roof 5m left of Monkey Bar. Boulder up the wall (no bolts) then out the big roof. 3 FHs to chain on right.

FA: Chris Wallace 1990s

Start 2m left of where's Wally. Up the thin crack to the fun roof jugs then out to the crimpy lip and up to the seam to clip anchors. It's short but sweet. Hope you've got a knee pad. 🥳

Set: Josh Porter

FA: Josh Porter, Jul 2021

Not worth the star given here. The following climb is accessed by rapping in from the top from the 'main' lookout. Scramble along a narrow ledge in from the right. Rap down from a rusted chain to a hanging belay off manky chain. May have once been worthwhile after extensive cleaning but these days it is a sea of black and green lichen and the bolts are heavily rusted. Rightward trending black slab with 2 FHs and two pathetic miniature rusted unwelded ringbolts. The top section looks impossible - unless there is some sort of secret hold under the lichen??

FA: David Barnes, 1995

On the far left end of the crag is a grid-bolted section of excellent bulging orange and back rock capped by roofs. The next four routes all share the same start, a ramp of small logs in between ferns.

A long thin traverse on gorgeous orange rock. Start up Reactorvate for two bolts, then head right for 10m past FHs and RBs to handcrack. Up this for a few metres to anchor bolts on bulge.

FA: Neil Monteith, 3 Feb 2015

First two bolts of Reactorvate, then slightly right and straight up seam on reachy fingerlocks to roof crack. Undercling out to lip and anchors.

FA: Neil Monteith, 2014

Gorgeous orange bulging wall about 20m left of Where's Wally. Rightwards up grey slopers to hollow undercut orange flake. Traverse left across sloping break to small corner. Up this to horizontal crack under big roof. Traverse 2m right then out roof (crux) to anchor on lip. Hands on the top for the tick.

FA: Neil Monteith, 2014

Bouldery from start to finish! Starts 1m left of Reactorvate. Up and left on grey jugs, then over reachy rooflet to first horizontal break. Up using the mutated hold to next horizontal break. Jam/undercling/curse up the wall to next horizontal break under big roof. Swing through this to hard final move onto ledge and lower-off rings.

FA: Neil Monteith, 2014

2m left of Mr Burns, above small tree stump. Steep start through bulge, then long moves between horizontals and through roof to anchors. Reachy!

FA: Neil Monteith & Wade Stewart, 2014

An epic traverse, and possibly the longest trad route in the Shire. Up Yo! Don Bosco to the third bolt, then traverse right along the horizontal break under the big roof for 30m to bolt rap anchor. The crack is mostly hand size, but some finger and fist sized cams are also needed.

FA: Paul Thomson & Neil Monteith, 2014

Located at far left hand end of main wall at left end of major roofs. Stick clip first RB on lip of roof, balance onto cairns on rock ledge, boulder over lip and up rightwards on juggier face to DRB anchor. The original route went up for another couple of bolts up the dirty black slab. This route tends to seep heavily during the wetter months.

FA: David Barnes, 1994

A short but fun route with a short but punchy roof finish.

FA: Scott Rowling, Jul 2021

Easiest route at the crag (that doesn't involve a rap in). A fun route up a waterwashed groove and juggy roof. Starts 50m left of Yo! Don Bosco, starting on higher terrace just right of small tree growing against rock.

FA: Neil Monteith, 2014

A fun warmup with 4 different styles in one. Punchy start leads to mantle, slab and then mini roof.

FA: Wade Stewart, Jul 2021

Another easy route at the crag. 5m left of Fusions, Tricky start over little overlap then up featured seam crack to break. Finish straight up to double U bolt anchor under roof.

FA: Heath Black & z_swander, 6 Jan 2015

Fission Trip for three bolts then left through rooflet on amazing rock. Keep traversing left to hanging bulge and finish up slab then reach over roof to finish jugs and single large U bolt anchor. Best to back jump to clean.

FA: Heath Black, 6 Feb 2015

Right to left traverse of the awesome horizontal break starting at the base of Fission Trip. A good little pump.

FA: Heath Black, 2014

Did you know?

Did you know that you can create an account to record, track and share your climbing ascents? Thousands of climbers are already doing this.

Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Mike Forward and Peter Balint

Date: 2023

With 2065 bouldering problems ranging from V0-V15 across 57 areas nestled around Sydney, the all new Sydney Bouldering Guide will keep you occupied for years to come. Just because we live in Sydney we'll try not to be biased but honestly this city has some amazing bouldering and usually not more than a few minutes off the road or some even near parks and train stations. There's no need to camp out and trek for hours to get to world class problems, they're right on your door step.

Authors Mike Forward and Peter Balint spent over 7 years putting this guide together and is the first new bouldering guide for Sydney in over 20 years. It's over 350 colour pages including 600+ colour photo tops, crag tops, amazing images and more.

Author(s): Neil Monteith & Simon Carter

Date: 2021

ISBN: 9780645299908

Featuring 1142 climbing routes located at 24 of the best crags in the Sydney area, this A5 size guide book is super user friendly with easy to use colour cliff topos and access maps. Covers sport and trad climbing at a variety of grades, something for everyone.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

Share this

Wed 26 Apr
Check out what is happening in Lucas Heights.

Get a detailed insight with a timeline showing

  • Ticks by climbers like you
  • Discussions of the community
  • Updates to the index by our users
  • and many more things.

Login to see the timeline!

Deutsch English Español Français Italiano 한국어 Português 中文