Help

Mari Buttress

Seasonality

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

Description

Good summer crag with solid shade until late afternoon. The climbs starting up left of Megalomaniac should be avoided as they aren't all that good and accessing them could cause erosion damage to the new Central Gully track.

Emergency Location: Mount Arapiles, Mari Area

Access issues inherited from Arapiles

Cultural heritage closures now apply to some parts of Arapiles. This advice continues to evolve and may not be fully reflected in this website; refer to Parks Victoria for details applicable at the time of your visit. https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/-/media/project/pv/main/parks/documents/management-plans/mount-arapiles-tooan-state-park/mount-arapiles-tooan-state-park---aboriginal-cultural-heritage-protections---october-2020.pdf

Bird Nesting September-December Raptors usually nest on the following climbs in Spring : Cassandra, Eurydice, Harlequin Cracks, Revelations. Nesting usually finishes mid-December. There may or may not be signs in place at these times. Please keep 50m clear of these climbs if there appears to be nesting activity.

State Park - no dogs. No fires allowed Oct-Apr (inclusive).

Approach

Go up the Central Gully track, take the fork to the R just past where the track gets steep. If you're really lazy it's a much shorter walk down the Central Gully Track from the road at the top.

Descent notes

Rap stations above Megalomaniac and above Electric Warrior. Or you can walk down either side of the buttress.

Ethic inherited from Arapiles

Mount Arapiles is first and foremost a trad climbing area. The few sport climbs tend to be in the higher grades where no natural pro is available.

Bolting, particularly retro-bolting, is discouraged and should only be undertaken after extensive consultation with the local climbers, first ascensionists, etc. Inappropriately placed bolts have been chopped.

Do not chip the rock.

Look after the park.

  • Stick to the paths.

  • Don't disturb the wildlife.

  • Routes near peregrine falcon nesting sites are closed in the spring.

  • Minimise the impact of your camping (fuel stoves not fires, take your rubbish with you, etc).

Tags

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

Do not climb to prevent erosion risk to new Central Gully track. Wall left of "Meanwhile…", on left end of the Mari cliff.

  1. 20m Up the front of the clean wall, keeping left of the black moss streak.

FA: Keith Lockwood & Steve Findlay, 11 Mar 2017

Do not climb to prevent erosion risk to new Central Gully Track. Start 15m L of Megalomaniac. Go up below thick moss streak then step R to crack, up it briefly then up the buttress on the L staying out of the moss.

FA: Kieran Loughran, Phil Wilkins, Steve Burke & Angela Emmerson, 1985

Not very popular, but if you must do it approach by moving left from Megalomaniac next to the cliff. Do not bash in direct from the Central Gully track as this can create erosion. Start below the sickle/crack of EA. Up past BR, take the bulge on the R, then more easily.

FA: Kim Carrigan, 1985

Start as for Megalomaniac. Up Megalomaniac a little, L to sickle crack, then over roof.

FA: Mike Smith & Dennis Kemp, 1981

Links the middle section of Polygap into the top of Evans Above via the obvious higher traverse. Reach left from the stance on Megalomaniac to clip first and second bolts of Polygap then head up, verring slightly leftwards. Traverse left via tricky underclings and smears to join Evans Above where it steepens. Twin ropes and or long slings are handy.

FA: Bradd Jimmink & Geordie Webb, 5 Feb 2019

As for M then left past two BR - middle contrived - continue to clip one more BR.

FA: FRA Hoskins & Frost, 1994

Worth 3 stars in some eyes, barely worth 2 to others! A classic hand crack with an annoying bulge at the start. When the crack opens into a chimney/gully at the top, continue following the crack veering left to find a belay stance and natural anchor.

FA: John Moore, 1967

Start up Megalomaniac then move right and follow weakness, gear is a little fiddly at times, but there is plenty of it to keep you happy.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Evelyn Rees & Louise Shepherd, 1981

Start R of Megalomaniac. Up unprotected blank wall (23) to join Power Crazy for 3m, then R on poor slopes to join a line through the bulge.

FA: Jon Muir & Brigitte Muir, 1985

Arete left of Mari. Clip bolt from Mari then return to ledge to reach holds.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Geoff Weigand, 1984

Quite classic and good fun. Climb the obvious corner on the left side of the wall. An awkward start then jamming to a little roof. A bit tricky but not too cruxy. Take care with gear in the glassy crack - cams have a habit of either skating out or walking in.

FA: Phillip Stranger & Chris Baxter, 1967

Initial moves poorly protected. Bring micro cams, RP's and also some large wires, a 7or8 can help if you're creative. Start 3m R of Mari. Thin flake then R into corner, then stay L of the gully. The RHF takes the groove on the R (21) for the last 10m.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Tony Marian (RHF by Jon Muir & Maureen Gallagher), 1985

Apparently this route had a peg, however that appears to have fallen out (the missing peg shouldn't stop you from getting on it though!). Take lots of #1 RPs. Often mossy, may need a brush. Start 2m R of Devoid. Finish up the gully, before traversing right to the chains of Electric Warrior.

FA: Kim Carrigan & John Smoothy, 1979

Start R of Vacancy. Bouldery blankness into vegetated crack.

FA: Mike Graham, 1980

An excellent route with hard bits down low and up high. Start below the major crack on the right side of the wall, 2m L of the Droop Street arete. Move up to the seam to a tricky move, then enjoyable climbing follows to a solid finger crack at the top.

FA: Glenn Tempest, Joe Friend & John Chapman, 1976

Sustained arete, ample gear but you need to be able to hang on to get it in. Start a few metres R of Electric Warrior. Step left into line then up and right at 10m.

FA: Andrew Thomson & Nic Taylor, 1977

Start 2m R of Droop Street. Short crack to a mantle, then easier wall.

FA: Louise Shepherd & Natalie Green, 1979

Poor pro up wall with large scar at 10m. Start 2m R of F.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Steve Monks, 1984

Wall with poor pro. Start 2m R of IPD.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Louise Shepherd, 1979

The diagonal line. Start 4m R of CS.

FA: Louise Shepherd & Kim Carrigan, 1979

Pumpy and scary. Wall to join flakes, then go 3m R and finish just L of D. Start 8m L of D.

FA: Mark Moorhead & Steve Lassche, 1980

Tiny steep crack. 'Best viewed as a B2 problem - the crux being a long dynamic off mean slopes to a small hold above a roof' - Carrigan. Start just L of the arete.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Chris Peisker, 1979

"Climb the tree, and lean over to place a #3RP. Reverse to the ground and climb the arete". The tree is long gone so you'll need to preplace the RP by other means. Start at the arete just R of D.

FA: Kim Carrigan, 1984

The next climbs are on a block above the main Mari crag. From the top of Mari pinnacle, walk left to meet the access track to Cecilia. Lets Do Lunch starts on the front right arete.

As you walk off the top of Mari Buttress you pass under some large boulders. This route takes the twin cracks just up from the small climb down. Up righthand crack. Climb both to little roof. Step back into righthand crack to top. The hardest move is the first one. Up to the roof, step left onto the foothold and crank.

FA: Richard Smith & Jon Bassindale, 1999

Up to pin, step left then up headwall. Start in the gully right of UIMB, on the left wall.

FA: Jon Bassindale, Richard Smith & Greg Pritchard, 1999

At last - some truth in advertising! Start right of the gully right of Maman! Maman! This route takes a line up the left side of the rightmost boulder, on the face facing Central Gully. Up shallow groove to break. Swing boisterously out through roof to top.

FA: Nikki Sutherland & Deb Sweet, 1999

See arapiles.net for a photo. Start at the front R arete of the block, R of DDT.

FA: Richard Smith, Greg Pritchard, Louise Shepherd, Nikki Sutherland & Jon Basindale, 1999

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): Simon Mentz, Glenn Tempest

Date: 2016

ISBN: 9780987526427

This selected yet in depth guide, in its third edition in 2016, is a must for first timers or regulars to the "Pines". By Simon Mentz and Glenn Tempest. It features 1200 routes over 23 different areas as well as bouldering, history info on flora and fauna, plus heaps more.

Author(s): Gordon Poultney, Simon Carter

Date: 2013

ISBN: 9780987087461

444 of the best routes on the best stone on earth? Yes Please! Who has time for all those other wondering pitches anyway when Gordon Poultney and Simon Carter have picked out the classics and printed it in a pocket size handy guide with string attachment. You'll take it on the multipitches, you'll take it to read in the toilets, you'll take it everywhere!

Author(s): Lindorff, Goding & Hodgson

Date: 2011

ISBN: 9780646529387

Get ready to fully experience the rock climbing scene in Victoria with Sublime Climbs, a comprehensive guidebook authored by Kevin Lindorff, Josef Goding, and Jarrod Hodgson. This full-color, 380-page book covers the best climbing locations in the region, including Mt Arapiles, Mt Buffalo, and the Grampians. It features descriptions of over 700 routes, topographic maps, and breathtaking images. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the sport, Sublime Climbs has everything you need to make the most of your climbing experience in Victoria and experience all of it's classic routes.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

Share this

Wed 17 May
Check out what is happening in Mari Buttress.

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