A Crag Guide gives an extensive view of all sub areas and climbs at a point in the index. It shows a snapshot of the index heirachy, up to 300 climbs (or areas) on a single web page. It shows selected comments climbers have made on a recently submitted ascent.
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Contributors
Thanks to the following people who have contributed to this crag guide:
Murray Mark Ashmore I Skip Crux Holds Brendan Heywood Ben Jenga Zac Schofield Alec Landstra Richo Ryan Sklenica Johan Szabo
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Table of contents
- 1. South Central 48 in Area
- 2. Index by grade
1. South Central 48 routes in Area
- Summary:
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Mostly Sport climbing
Lat / Long: -34.855474, 150.589286
description
For some, 'South Central' embodies all that is ugly about 'Nowra', a short, steep, dusty, urbanised crag but then there are those that are totally captivated by the powerful style of climbing here and feel at peace with the world as the dappled early morning sunlight filters through the trees and dances on the rock.
The climbing here requires power, endurance and lots of it. The rock is steep and comprised of those notoriously slick 'Nowra' slopers so if there has been extended periods of rain or high humidity don't expect conditions to be great. But having said that, 'South Central' is a crag you can still climb at if it is raining.
So be warned, if you only come here once expect to get spanked and go home with aching forearms and a reputation in tatters but if you have the courage to come back a couple of times and get used to the style of climbing required you might start to believe that 'South Central' is the best crag at 'Nowra'.
access issues
This climbing area has recently become a focus spot for tension between climbers and the local Aboriginal community. Be informed and respect closures. Clean up chalk and rethink adding additional new routes to crags with access issues.
approach
Driving west along Illaroo Rd, turn right into Phillip Dr, left into Castle Glen and at the end of the road turn right into Jamieson Rd and park down the hill at the end of the road. From here walk 70m straight ahead down the track until you reach a small 1m high waterfall on your left (usually dry). Cross the creek here and continue for 30m until you reach the crag. Alternatively you can park as for 'Mortein Wall' and work your way past 'Rosies', 'Bartondale' etc until you reach the waterfall.
ethic
Mostly developed as a sport climbing and bouldering area. Some trad climbing exists, mainly the pure cracks. If developing new areas keep an eye and and ear out for Aboriginal cultural heritage, including cave art.
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
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1 |
★★ Dickman And Throbbin
FA: Graham Fairbairn, 1992 | 25 | 12m | |||||
2 |
★★ The Duralax Kid
FA: Nick Sutter, 1992 | 25 | 12m | |||||
3 |
★★★ Black Flag
FA: George Fieg, 1996 | 29 | 15m | |||||
4 |
★★★ Black Rage
A good line that shares the first two rings of 'Maintain The Rage' before veering slightly left and up the wall and finishes up 'Black Flag'. FA: Luke Magill, 2006 | 29 | 15m | |||||
5 |
★★★ Maintain The Rage
Up BB for 3 bolts then go straight up. Start: Start as for BB. FA: Chris Wallace, 1995 | 27 | 15m | |||||
6 |
★★★ Brown Badge
Excellent bouldery first move, then just plain excellent. Start: Start at the cheatstones 5m L of SB. FA: Paul Westwood, 1994 | 27 | 17m, 9 | |||||
7 |
★★ Maximum Cutshot
Classic South Central climbing! Do the start dyno of Brown Badge, then head right past a couple independant bolts to join Spermies, and finish at its anchors. FA: Mark McGivern, 8 Dec 2021 | 29 | 10m, 4 | |||||
8 |
★★★ TNT
Same first move as Brown Badge, then head right to finish all the way up ANS. Originally bolted by Rob Lebreton FA: Mark McGivern, Aug 2022 | 32 | 15m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
9 |
★★★ Spermies
3 incredibly powerful moves. A poxy route - or a great boulder problem? Was briefly the hardest route in the country at grade 33. Now considered to be a V10 boulder problem on a rope. Route name changed at the request of the first ascentionist. FA: Paul Westwood, 1995 | 31 | 8m | |||||
10 |
★★★ Physical Graffiti
Start up Sunshine then bust left under Plastic Exploding, traverse left and up and finish at the anchors of Spermies. FA: George Fieg | 31 | 15m | |||||
11 |
★★★ Plastic Exploding Inevitable
Up ANS for a few bolts then, instead of veering R to finish, keep heading left for a few more bolts through steep territory just left of the arete, finishing just R of 'Brown Badge'. If you love pumped forearms then at the last bolt (before anchor) traverse left to finish up Brown Badge. Start: Start as for Ain't no Sunshine. FA: Zac Vertrees, 1999 | 29 | 20m | |||||
12 |
★★★ Ain't No Sunshine when he's Gone / Ain't No Sunshine
Has been called the best 28 in the world. The real classic of this area. Relentlessly steep and consistent cranking. Very enjoyable moves with no let up until the anchors. Start: Start below the obvious hanging arete. FA: Stuart Wyithe, 1993 | 28 | 15m | |||||
13 | Project | 12m | ||||||
14 |
★★ Crenshaw Boulevarde
FA: George Fieg, 1998 | 30 | 10m | |||||
15 |
Hats and Hoods / Crenshaw Extension
FA: Chris Webb-Parsons | 33 | 13m | |||||
16 |
★★ Public Domain
FA: Rob Lebreton, 1996 | 28 | 12m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
17 |
★★ Comin' At Ya Hyper
FA: Andrew Bull, 1995 | 27 | 12m | |||||
18 |
★★ Red Baron
Heel hook your way up to the third bolt (strenuous clip). Throw for the lip, grunt, then continue to the top holds trying not to fall whilst clipping. Awesome! FA: Paul Westwood, 1992 | 26 | 10m, 4 | |||||
19 |
★★★ Dungeon Master
FA: George Fieg, 1995 | 31 | 20m | |||||
20 |
★★★ Dungeon Mistress
Right hand exit to dungeon master, keep right after the first jump around the lip and finish up the slab. FA: Matt Warner | 29 | ||||||
21 |
★★ Mega Death
Up obvious corner to wild traverse rightwards on roof. Very underrated thrashing. FA: Paul Westwood, 2000 | 26 | 10m | |||||
22 |
Mega Death Direct
FA: Garth Miller, 1994 | 27 | 10m | |||||
23 |
★★ No Name
FA: Chris Wallace, 1995 | 23 | 9m | |||||
24 |
★★ There Goes The Neighourhood
FA: Andrew Bull, 1992 | 24 | 9m | |||||
25 |
★★ Scum
FA: Jared McCulloch, 1992 | 25 | 10m | |||||
26 |
Scumbag
FA: Zac Vetrees | 31 | 20m | |||||
27 |
★★★ Scumy Sex
link up of sex machine into scum FA: George Broadfoot, 2006 | 26 | 10m | |||||
28 |
★★★ Sex Machine
FA: Jared McCulloch, 1992 | 26 | 10m | |||||
29 |
★★ Crime Is Art
FA: Jared McCulloch, 1992 | 23 | 10m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
30 |
★ Two Bolts And Not For Me
Not the original start but rebolted and fun. Start up Art is Fucked and head left at the rail for 2 bolts. Finish up to rusty looking chain or add some extra excitement and go up to Crime is Art anchors. FA: Tara Sutherland, 1993 | 23 | 9m, 5 | |||||
31 |
★ Art Is Fucked
FA: Dave Filan, 1992 | 23 | 8m | |||||
32 |
★ Hunted Child
FA: Stewart Wyithe, 1992 | 22 | 8m | |||||
33 |
★ Strike
FA: Paul Westwood, 1992 | 23 | 7m | |||||
34 |
★★ Trib
Start halfway between Strike and Silver Hands. Straight up through bulges. Finish at Strike anchor. Bottom is protected by either boulder pads or the first bolt of Silver Hands. Top protected with cams. | 20 | 5m | |||||
35 |
★★ Silver Hands
Was once the hardest 17 in the known universe. They come from far and wide to feel the pockets, stroke the slopers, and clip the chains. Now it is your turn to join the masses and see why Silver Hands is number one in the world. FA: Paul Westwood, 1992 | 19 | 9m | |||||
36 |
★★★ Silver Hands Sit
The obvious mega classic sit start to the most popular route in the world. Warm up your tendons first this 17 is a little spicy. This also stores the current record information for the Silver Hands speed record. Silver Hands but speedy. Top rope speed climbing Silver Hands. Rules: One foot on the ground and you only have to slap the chains. God speed. | 17 | 9m | |||||
37 |
★ Bag Of Sand
FA: Paul Westwood, 1992 | 21 | 8m | |||||
38 |
Special K
Route name changed at the request of the first ascentionist. FA: Paul Westwood, 1992 | 23 | 8m | |||||
39 |
★ Itchy Quims
FA: Graeme Hill, 1992 | 21 | 9m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
40 |
★ Burping Burgers
FA: Veronique Hill, 1992 | 19 | 8m | |||||
41 |
★ Poo With Me
FA: Graham Fairbairn, 1992 | 24 | 9m | |||||
42 |
★ Poo With Me (Right variant)
FA: Graham Fairbairn, 1992 | 24 | 9m | |||||
43 |
★★ Word Up
FA: Andrew Dunbar, 1993 | 24 | 12m | |||||
44 |
★ Hard At It
FA: Greame Hill, 1997 | 24 | 9m | |||||
45 |
★★ Dungeon Dykes
Don't be put off by the lack of chalk, this climbs really well and is more straightforward than the other 23s here. FA: Greame Hill, 1999 | 23 | 7m | |||||
46 |
Torra Torra Pass
If you are finding this tough, just remember that it is a 21 at south central. FA: Veronique Hill, 1996 | 21 | 6m | |||||
47 |
Bush Bash
FA: Mark Woodard, 1996 | 17 | 5m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
48 |
Slippery When Wet
FA: Graeme Hill, 1997 | 17 | 6m |