Cliff Guide for Van Dieman's Land

Just your regular crazy gramps stone.

FA: kp,

Hogadelics Anonymous

Possibly un-climbed or at least un-repeated. 10m left of 'Murder Psalm' is a flake crack which leads to a beautiful slab with two FH's. Possibly bolted by Roland Foster.

Murder Psalm

Strangely this was one of the first routes bolted here. Why they walked all this way for one climb is pretty strange. Overhung blocky corner with two FH's on the blank slab above.

Start: Starts 10m left of 'Physical Graffiti'.

FA: Roland Foster & Dave Vass, 1989

Physical Graffiti

Controversial bolted corner crack, with plenty of suss rock. Not a bad warm-up but far from a classic.

Start: Rusty-coloured corner 20m left of base of Pocketed Wall and 10m right of 'Murder Psalm'. Scramble up to a DBB at base of corner.

FA: Chris Rubecet, 1992

The Naked Flame

Up off-width groove 2m right of 'Physical Graffiti' and swing right to ledge. Diagonally up wall to elegant flake. Up.

FA: Peter Stebbins, Dave Langley, Neil Mahunt, 1992

Ocean Rain

Left leaning line of FHs 10m left of 'Terminal Insomnia'. Either stickclip first bolt or lean over from pinnacle. Burly traverse leads to technical climbing on gritty pockets. Motor up short corner to a climatic finish. Solid at the grade?

Pussy Riot

Shares a couple of moves with TI

FA: The Yerba's, 2012

Sonic Youth

A mega link-up of the entire Pocketed Wall starting from 'Terminal Insomnia' and finishing up 'Sisters of Mercy'.

Start: Start as for 'Terminal Insomnia'.

FA: Kent Paterson, Al Robertson, 2006

Terminal Insomnia

The best sport route of this grade in the 'Grampians'. Brilliant. But unfortunately it seeps very heavily after rain.

Start: Starts just left of black streak on far left end of the Pocketed Wall. Belay off sling thread in pockets.

FA: Neil Mahant, David Langley, Peter Stebbins,

Warped Spasm

Fantastic 'limestone style' pocket climbing up central black streak on the left side of orange wall. It's just beside a heavy seepage line, but only one hold seems to get wet.

Start: Belay as for 'Terminal Insomnia' at thread behind block on ledge.

FA: John Miller, 1992

Cosmic Psycho

Excellent with an exciting pumpy arete to finish.

Start: Start 3m left of Blonde Ambition at a single BR belay.

FA: John Miller, 1992

Youth Alive

A worthwhile link-up with a few metres of new climbing.

Start: Start as for 'Cosmic Psycho'.

FA: Peter Stebbins, 1992

Blond Ambition

Fantastic sustained climbing up the centre of the Pocketed Wall. The finish seeps after a good rainfall, but not as badly as 'Motley Crue' or 'Terminal Insomnia'.

Start: Start 3m left of Sisters Of 'Mercy' at a BR belay.

FA: Peter Stebbins, 1992

Sisters of Mercy

Brilliant with a pumpy and demoralising finish.

Start: The right most route on the ledge. Start 5m right of Blonde Ambition at a single rusty belay bolt.

FA: Scott Maloney, 1992

Not very inviting and has a reputation for a blisteringly hard crux. Seeps after rain.

Start: Start as for Billy Ray Syrus.

FA: Martin Lama, 1993

Billy Ray Cyrus

Good route spoilt by ledge and nasty arete finish. Seeps after rain.

FA: John Miller, 1993

Messin' With The Kid

Seeps like a waterfall, except during long dry spells. Great moves though.

Life's Sad Parade

Outstanding trad line that thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) didn't get grid-bolted by the young guns in the early 90's. Climbers with arm-spans under 1.8m need not apply as the crux move is incredibly reachy.

Start: Takes the corner just left of 'De La Soul' and starts a few metres further left at left facing steep flake.

FA: Goshen Watts & Daniel Reve, 1997

De La Soul

Sustained and technical with some powerful moves. The route is badly scarred by several aid bolts used to place the 'real' bolts.

Start: Line of flakes up very steep wall in the centre of the crag about 10m left of 'The Dope Man' and just L of a solitary pine tree against the cliff.

FA: Matthew Brooks, 1992

Links DLS into TVG

Start as dope man.... punch left at ceiling.

Velvet Goldmine

aka The Dopeman 'Extension'. An excellent line across a prominent feature. A modern classic that was somehow overlooked in the first VD Land onslaught.

Start: Start on ledge at finish of 'The Dope Man'.

FA: Matt Brooks,

"Please can I have another hit?". A classic sandbag for the belay slave. The scene of many failures.

Start: Chalked up mini route that finishes on ledge 5m left of 'Body Count'.

FA: Julian Oldmeadow & Matthew Brooks, 1992

Body Count

One of the best mid grade sport routes in the 'Grampians'. Consistently steep, with amazing pockets and cracks. Can apparently be climbed on trad - but what's the fun in that! Originally graded 27 by an optimistic Matt Brooks.

Start: The severely overhanging corner on the right side of the crag, about 2m right of the well chalked mini route of 'The Dope Man'. This is also the start for several other routes that split off to the right.

FA: Matthew Brooks, 1992

Body Count Arete aka Body Count Extension

Just what VD Land needs - another grade 24!

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

FA: Kent Paterson, 2009

Suicidal Tendencies

Some powerful pocket pulling down low and a delightful flake up high. It's written up as three pitches but you just link them all together into one long pitch of climbing. One star if you only climb the first pitch. Pitches 1 and 2 need rebolting. A 60m rope should be enough to lower off but a 50m won't be.

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

1. 15m (24) Jam up 'Body Count' corner past UB, then step right onto sloping ledge. Up technical pockets then diagonally right on excellent incuts to rap chain. Five FH's in all. Used to be soft at 25, let's see if it's better as a solid 24.

2. 9m (24) A touch easier than pitch 1...but not easy! Clip first FH, then step left and up the left facing flake line on the best rock around, past 2 more FHs to ledge and rap chain. It is exactly 25m back to the ground from this rap chain.

3. 8m (25) From the 2nd anchor bouldery exposed moves head up right past two bolts to finish at top anchor on 'Happiness in Magazines' (30m to ground).

FA: Matthew Brooks & John Miller (pitch 3 added by American Elliott), 2009

My Bloody Valentine

A bit sharp and strange in places and wanders around a bit. Quite good though, and rather steep!

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

FA: Ross Meffin, 1993

Bails around the crux of 'Suicidal Tendencies' via a nice hand crack. Originally graded 23! The crux is the first few moves on 'Body Count'. If you brought the required few pieces of trad gear, linking this into 'Happiness in Magazines' pitch 2 is one of the best warm-ups at this whole crag.

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

FA: Matthew Brooks, 1992

Jane's Addiction

Bouldery and powerful climbing up the black streak high up on right side of amphitheatre (above Brian 'Jonestown' Massacre). Seeps badly after rain.

Start: To get to the start scramble with care onto ledge at the base from the right to belay at single rusty BR.

FA: Matthew Brooks, 1993

Happiness in Magazines

Brilliant pumper.

Start: Start as for TBJM.

1. 20m (25) First 6 bolts of 'The Brian Jonestown Massacre' then traverse left on pockets past two bolts until joining 'My Bloody Valentine'. 9 bolts.

2. 15m (22) Really good in its own right - although some early repeats missed the 2 bolt face sequence off the ledge (look right!) and tradded up the fragile fat flake on the L instead, which is reportedly not much fun. Four U-bolts lead up a delightfully exposed flake on fantastic buckets. Mantle ledge then swing wildly out left (FH) for an orange jug. A couple more steep moves lead to lower-off. This pitch can also be approached via 'Crime Wave' (excellent warm up if you brought trad for CW) or via 'My Bloody Valentine'. Whichever first pitch you do, a 60m rope lets you belay from the ground and lower off the top of the 2nd pitch to the ground.

FA: kp,

Happiness in Magazines (pitch 2)

5 bolts to Double bolt lower off.

FA: KP, Mike Boniwell, 2006

FA: KP,

The Brian Jonestown Massacre

30 degree overhung handcrack with bolts!

Start: Starts on ground level directly below Jane's Addiction and about 10m R of 'Body Count'.

FA: kp, 2006

DELETE THIS

FA: tony barron & myself,