Routes as trad in Melbourne and Surrounds

One of the best easy routes here.

Upgraded from 15 when a block came off. There's another still there at about 6m which might go someday so don't put your gear behind it.

Up the broken corner 3m R of 'Hadrian'.

Narrow rib at the L end of the lower cliff. Follow arete and climb L into a large crack and then continue R up the pinnacle to a DRB belay (25m rap into R gully).

Inexplicably given 3 stars in previous guides.

Start 1m R of Consul's arete.

Up the R sloping crack then R up larger crack.

2 star hand jamming ... for about 3 moves.

The obvious hand crack to the ledge and then up the flared crack in the orange face above.

Far superior to SPQR. Good jamming and interesting moves all the way up the nice corner.

The corner crack 1m R of 'Death Gate'.

An area 'classic'. Victoria's first 17, with a crux arguably deserving of at least a grade harder than that. Steep but juggy start as for 'Wishful thinking', then up the obvious crack all the way to the top.

This direct start is now the standard way to do the climb, but 'Witch Original Start' started as for 'Romulus' and traversed across left to the crack.

The obvious crack/corner line on the left of the face around left of Oxbow. The crux is at about 1/2 height, moving off the face and right facing corner and onto the arete of this corner. A critical cam (#1 [Red] BD Camalot in one orientation only) can be found to protect this move. Continue into the scoop above and follow the beautiful flake out right to a tricky exit move.

Start as for Witch, but when a crack departs to the right about 6m from the ground, follow it to a ledge. Clip the bolt and reach up high, then follow jugs to the top.

The corner crack just Right of 'Barbara Streisand'. Finish up the ramp to DRB

Loweroff added by Safer Cliffs Victoria 14 July 23.

Be aware a large Cunningham's skink may be in residence hiding in the flake (waist level) above the bottom shelf.

One move wonder, but still ok.

Start 2m R of 'Conscientious Pontius'.

The finger crack with forks at the top. Finish R up the ramp and corner.

The original route started as for Law Enforcer and was graded (18), so add a grade or two if you start that way.

Starts up the front of the rib, with gear before the first bolt. After the second bolt, step right around the arete then up the pocketed wall

1. 30m (10) Start up the slab, some of the protection is poor. Belay from a vertical crack with foliage and dead tree. Good stance behind the tree.

2. 40m (9) Keep going up, climb a small overlap and head up to the large vertical crack. Belay from below the large overlap.

3. 20m (10) From the belay pull up and over the overlap and follow the crack up. Belay options; either from a tree at the start of Traverse of the Gods or head up another 10m to a small ledge with trees.

4. 30m (6) Follow the cracks and to the top.

Well protected line on left side of buttress to the right of Grey Arete. Climb easily up the rib with the big trench to the wall at top on left with the shallow double corner. Good wires in the left corner then up to jugs and around right to follow the diagonal right leading line to the top and DRB. FA soloed.

Good moves with good natural protection.

Nice jamming up the central crack

This offwidth corner crack has a fan club of thrutchaholics.

Start up the ramp on L then into and up the imposing corner-crack.

Up the crack 2m Right of 'Execution' to broken blocks at the top.

The left of the two obvious trenches in the face where the path arrives at the crag.

Crack on the left.

The lower arete was rebolted with consultation of the FA in Oct 2018, this still requires mixed gear. Follow the initial arete past 3 FHs and onto the slab. Up the slab past another FH to gain the little rooflet, round this past another FH then up the top arete onto it L side to DB lower off. Michael did this onsite, covered in moss in damp conditions. Matty Brooks came in a week or 2 later and cleaned it up and added a bolt or 2 and claimed it. Nice of him to tidy it up for the FA, ha ha!

Start 2m Right of 'It'.

The corner.

Crimpy edges to start past 3 bolts, followed by easy ground through a jam crack.

Pitch lengths are definitely inflated

Start: Up chimney just right of 'Sox Glo' and 'Poxbow'

1. 33m (6) The chimney is climbed all the way to the ledge.

2. 25m (6) The steep little 6m wall on the L to a large ledge. Move L and continue up the clean arete/rib to a small airy belay stance.

3. 32m (6) Traverse L (tending slightly down) past the chimney and around the exposed arete. Step across the chimney and continue to a roomy ledge and cave.

4. 20m (6) Crux pitch! Wander up through the easy cave/chimney to exit conveniently in the descent gully behind the Omega Block. Note the original 30m last pitch, reversed the last 4m of the traverse and climbed up the juggy groove to the top. This is very mossy and doesnt add much to the route.

A much better quality finish, though you have to pretend the block on the R isn't there.

Start 2m R of 'Conscientious Pontius'.

The finger crack with forks at the top. Take the L fork.

1. 18m (12) Bridge the 8m of Oxbow to the chockstone. Step off and climb the L wall moving to near the arete. Select pockets carefully then pull over the bulge to a large ledge and bolt belay.

2. 12m (11) Climb the face just R of the prominent crack-line in the wall above to a big ledge.

3. 45m (7) Up the arete/rib on the L (as for Oxbow) , for 15m to Oxbow's small 2nd belay stance. Pull over the little bulge above and scramble easily to the summit of the Omega block. Descend - scrambling down the juggy NE arete/blocks or rap-off RH side bolts (see details in Omega Block)

The best route on the buttress. Based on a prominent flake down low and a R facing flake/corner running the middle top third of the buttress with some slabs in between.

1. 48m Up and R to flake in the middle of the buttress. climb this and continue up slabs to the L end of a large ledge.

2. 41m (Crux) Diagonally L for about 6m then up to overlapping flake and a bolt. From the small stance continue up until a step R between prickle bushes gains a small stance.

3. 35m Up and L a bit to a good crack, then flake/corner to ledge on the L (Piton belay)

4. 25m Clean corner and crack to the top.

Previously given 2 stars ... what the?! For poor rock-starved Melbourne-ites, it'll eventually be worth doing ... but not even they could seriously give this route any stars.

Start 5m R of 'Hannibal'.

The hand-crack through the bulge, then the wider crack above the ledge, finishing up crack on L.

Bring a couple of big cams.

The dog leg crack 5m R of the arete. A couple of big cams are recommended.

This major corner is a real delight and is a great introduction to granite crack climbing. Traverse L under the overhang and up. Take a big cam for the traverse.

As usual CB commandeered the blunt end for this "extreme" piece of climbing.

Start 9m R of 'Brutus'.

The L corner.

Start 6m Right of 'Barbara Streisand'.

Up flakes to ramp then Right into the orange corner.

Rebolted by the FA in Oct 2018. Start: just left of Poxbow under obvious corner. Up chimney/crack to fused corner protected by 3RBs bolt to rap station

Start 3m Right of 'Androcles'.

Up flakes to corner crack then overhang. On through blocks and ledges.

Good climbing. The gear is adequate but very fiddly; it regularly sees gear-popping falls.

Start 2m L of 'Conscientious Pontius'.

Shares French Revolution's first bolt.

Up orange wall then R to vertical seam.

Climb 'Vulcan' to the flake. You can clip the third bolt of Tina the Ballerina from Pasadena and the second bolt of Barbra Streisand (or go full trad).Go R and around arete, then follow the crack in the upper L wall.

Up Blind Justice to slab, across R into corner, then R to the arete (not great pro till towards the top of the arete), up arete to top of State of Shock. Belay from DBR on State of Shock.

The right of the two obvious trenches in the face where the path arrives at the crag.

Start as for 'Unprofessional Conduct', moving up past a BR and RB to chains.

Steep one meter right of the final head wall and climb the steep cracks.

Start 10m Right of 'SPQR'.

The rotten line.

An average sandbag squeeze job.

The bolted line between 'Hadrian' and 'Big Ears'. Rebolted May 2023 by Safer Cliffs Victoria.

This climb has been upgraded from 16 to 17 in the 2011 Guide Book "ROCKCLIMBS AROUND MELBOURNE" by Glenn Tempest.

The climb has a few thin moves and is protected by one high bolt; however small cam placements are available on the left or right flakes above the bolt.

An obvious corner crack system that is visible from the car park and 3m R of Quartz route.

Pull out of cave(4m R of SPQR) and up right side of large scoop. Step R and up to to big pockets. Straight up widening cracks in the headwall.

Start at the corner 4m R of 'Sweet Chariot'.

Up the corner and little arete feature to the rooflet then R and up.

Rebolted May 2023

This climb has been upgraded to 13 in the 2011 guide book "Rockclimbs Around Melbourne" by Glenn Tempest. If you dont know how to jam, its most likely considerably harder.

The thin seam up the middle of the wall to the horizontal break, then up to a ledge and easily over the blocks at the top. Brass micro-nuts recommended.

Quite a nice climb now with the addition of a fixed hanger down lower. Up the face on small edges in the pale water streak, past 2 Fixed Hangers. Finish up the jam crack. Double ring bolt belay at top.

Perhaps the best route at the crag, and kept nicely clean by traffic. Start under the appealing clean finger cracks 4m R of RaD. When the cracks disappear, move onto the slab and up to a comfortable stance. A ringbolt above protects delicate slab moves, after which the climbing becomes easier.

A nice little crack to start with a bold run out to finish.

Ridiculously run out to the first bolt. If you’re sane, you can protect the lower moves by placing trad protection in the crack of Royal Auto.

Excellent, sustained and steep for the You Yangs. Has been re-bolted with 2 FH. 2 carrot bolts on top as anchor and easy walk off to the left.

An epic adventure.

1. 25m (10) Same as 'Speigal's Overhang'. If 'Speigal's Overhang' is busy, 'Route One' is another option.

2. 29m (8) Up the crack in the middle until the overhang. Build semi-hanging belay right under it or left into the corner to a ledge. Very vegetated pitch.

3. 20m (17) Up through overhang. Follow two BRs to the second overhang (crux, very stiff for 17). Belay on small stance 2m above and a bit to the left

4. 20m (17) Delicate slab climbing. Traverse left then follow a thin crack to a BR, then straight up and a bit to the right to the 'Traverse of the Gods'. Move right to belay as for Speigal's Overhang. Then several options how to end this climb:

   • 'Xanthene Direct' (16)
   • 'Greg's Direct' (14)
   • 'Speigal's Overhang' (10)

You can link 4th pitch of 'Xanthene' and 'Xanthene Direct' (total linked pitch length of about 65m).

Start 2.5m Right of Cicero.

Up broken flakes to overhang then crack over blocks. Right beneath summit block to crack.

6m R of boulder against cliff (forming step). 1. 16m (8) Up and left passing BR to get to big flake. Follow flake to DRB and lower off or continue the next pitches. 2. 26m (11) Up and L to follow flakes to stance. 3. 24m (6) Straight up to the top.

This route is described in Rockclimbs Around Melbourne by Glenn Tempest.

Superb climbing all the way. Three excellent pitches. Start below the distinctive cricket ball impression on the wall 5m R of Junglescope.

1. 48m (16) Climb straight up the technical slab past 2 FHs to the comfortable Junglescope ledge.

2. 50m (14) Climb the R-curving arch (directly above the belay) for a few metres, then straight up the intermittent cracks and seams on the increasingly delicate slab. Belay across L at the base of the corner as for Junglescope.

3. 32m (17) Climb the slabby grey wall tending up and R to under the middle of the steepening headwall. A few tricky moves over the overlap (FH), then up the final clean wall.

Start as for 'Hannibal' the short crack on Left to ledge, Left and up.

Mantle into the R-facing corner, then into the jam crack. Quite tricky at the grade, and kept clean by traffic.

Start: Start 3m R of P.

On back side of the biggest block - Left Leading Crack to vertical seam/crack. Rap Station at the top of this climb.

Start 4m R of 'Snatch and Grab'.

Loose scary corner/crack.

Up the arete above the bouldering slabs, past 2 bolts and tree branch (sling). Double bolt belay towards the back of the block.

The R-curving flake

Kept clean by traffic.

Start: Start at the lowest point of the base of the R end of the crag.

The obvious corner inside the alcove

As for Poxbow past the crux then finish on left arete (as for Blind Sox) rather than traversing right on the flake (FA Solo)

Excellent, high quality slab climbing up through a thin seam. Climb past 3 RB's to bomber RP/micro wire placements. Double RB belay. Rebolted 14/23 with bolts and glue provided by Safer Cliffs Victoria.

The bolted section is kept clean by traffic but the upper slab is in poor condition as most parties seem to finish up PF. Please pitch in with some brushing so that this route can keep it's independent finish.

Start: Start as for PF.

Takes the rounded arete at the R side of the Tor. Start *m R of Asylum for the Insane (and shares its final crack). Step across L onto a narrow ledge and up to a FH. Then up the easier terrain (FH) before stepping L to the final crack of AFTI.

Start as for 'Silent Assassin' at the base of the rib, but trend slightly rightwards. Up through cracks/groove to chains on left. Not run out but fiddly gear that some will not be happy with. Take care.

Stunning line up the best piece of real estate at the crag. Follow the seam past an awkwardly placed retrobolt, before joining Jacobite higher up.

Originally graded 24, however several key holds have now broken off and there seems to be a consensus that it's at least a grade harder. DO NOT AID THIS ROUTE ON CAMS OR CAM HOOKS. The flake is fragile and prone to breaking when loaded by these devices.

Obvious finger crack in the middle of the wall right on the side of the walking track.

For those at the grade it's an excellent adventure through otherwise hostile territory.

Start as for 'Witch'. Head left along the large flake, joining 'Boogie til you puke' along the way. Clip Boogie's 5th bolt (on the arete) then traverse delicately left. Finish up the final groove of 'Broomstick', passing a carrot along the way.

This route is described in Rockclimbs Around Melbourne by Glenn Tempest.

A wonderful sustained adventure on perfect brown sandstone. There are various belay possibilities.

1. 40m (13) As for Jerry-Pot.

2. 40m (12) As for Jerry-Pot.

3. 40m (14) Up the thin crack until it runs out. Not far above this is small slot that accepts a 0.5 cam. Step R, then back up L under the overlap and shallow L-facing corner. Up the clean-cut corner and cracks to join the last few metres of Junglescope.

It may be short but this little crack is actually worth roping up for. The L-leaning finger-crack 4m R of "Ecosse" is fairly tricky.

The obvious crack 6mt left of the gully at the right hand end of the cliff. Follow the crack to half way, then step left and follow the crack to the V-corner to finish.

First climb on the L of the 2nd tier. Tackle the wall up to the thin crack. Head straight up passing a BR near the top where you should see two stray BRs to your left in a cutout and one to your right.

Lovely climbing up the pockety groove in the middle of the wall opposite Witch and 3m R of Sze.The actual cruz moves are a wee bit bold if you are pushing the grade.

Unlikely to be a FA, but hey, I'll claim it until someone else does.

This climb has been upgraded from 8 to 9 in the 2011 Guide Book "ROCKCLIMBS AROUND MELBOURNE" by Glenn Tempest.

Start 2m Right of 'Cuniculum'.

Up the black streak past 2 x RBs then Left along the easier crack.

Contrived slab between Fido and Rover.

Space Jugging starts at the overhanging, juggy crack left of the left arete. Up and slightly right to a carrot bolt, then follow the jugs up the arete past another carrot bolt.

Links Gods Ledge with the 3rd pitch of Speigals Overhang. Recommend placing gear before stepping out, the 2 bolts (look new) are at the right end of the traverse.

Begins 6m L of the end of the 2nd tier. Take the wide yet shallow crack to a ledge. Continue up and R to get to big ledge before overhang. Over on the left to gain crack and top out.

Rarely done but looks ok.

Start: Start 5m L of WR.

Start below FH and shallow corner 2m right of MOW. A few moves up this then diagonally left past 3 FH then medium wires 0.75-2 cams to chain. Re-bolted 2016 but needs further cleaning. Can be finished direct above 3rd bolt as for COC.

Good first lead, well pro on good rock. Juggy rib 5m R of oxbow. Just left of narrow gully/crack. Follow rib just just under overhang. Join onto dummy bidder to finish stepping R

Start 3m Left of 'Golgotha'.

Up arete to the ledge below Octavia's crux, then Right and up grooves to ledge. Up cracks then Left to finish up Octavia's final crack.

This climb has been graded at 5 in the 2011 Guide Book "ROCKCLIMBS AROUND MELBOURNE" by Glenn Tempest.

Straight up the featured slab 2m left of 'Harpic' (the easy slab right of 'Twyford Adamant') passing a large creaking flake high up on the left. Poor Protection