Routes as sport in Victoria

Fun roof climbing, past a slightly spooky block.

Starts in Nick Cave, on the right hand side past two bolts and finishes up headwall at a sling anchor.

Sustained crimpiness up microscopic edges. Fixed hangers up beautiful wall 3m R of Little Thor.

Tara Sutherland's Jan '98 ascent was the first Aussie female ascent of a grade 29, followed shortly after by Megan Osborne.

Originally climbed by Claw with a rest and named "Wild Drugs and Crazy Sex".

As for 'Look Sharp' to first bolt, then move left and up the wall past more bolts.

Bolted pre-86, and even then the 2nd bolt was poxy and the 3rd bolt hadn't been put in. Unsurprisingly this seems to have been completely ignored ever since.

A forgotten Gordy concoction. up face past 2 FHs then move right to vague arete past two more FHs.

Left of Astral plane

Roof above 'Togrul Khan' past two BR. Inadvertently retrobolted after the FA. It's a bit necky getting to the first bolt. The direct start from the bottom of the wall has been done (Smith Hoskins, 4/5/96), as has the sit start (!!) (Hoskins, 14/5/96).

Start: Start above 'Togrul Khan'.

It may be a grade-17 sport route but the runout above the last bolt (although easy) should not be taken lightly. As for 'The Last Disco Dancer' to its third bolt. Head up L (crux) to a stance on the arête. Continue up the slab to the ledge and lower-off anchors.

Technically interesting climbing up the wall L of 'Cassandra'. Clip the first bolt on 'Cassandra' then veer L and up past three more bolts. The crux moves are pulling past the final bolt into a bottomless crack/pocket. A few slabby moves off L gains the ledge and the lower-off anchors.

Slippery and technical. The pikers variant to 'Pain Street'.

Start: Start up 'Cassandra'.

Start as for Jetlag, 2m Left of the original but finish up HaGF instead. Still great climbing even though the Jetlag finish has been added.

Start: Start left of the big corner of "Orestes", about 4m Left of It'll Never Fly.

Thin steep face then traverse left to arete. Up arete (#2 BD cam) to lower-off.

Start: Just left of 'Orestes'.

Climb It'll Never Fly almost to arete, then cut back diagonally right and up to another bolt (exciting) then up to anchor.

Start: As for It'll Never Fly.

Short, soft and bolted - needless to say this one is popular. Start on the uphill side of the Iron Void pinnacle.

At the top of the crux of Exodus II, break right to a 2nd bolt, then up and right to a 3rd bolt (past undercling pocket). Upon reaching the edge of the crack weakness (Copyright), cut back left via yet another boulder problem up the unlikely headwall. Sustained power.

Very nice, albeit short. A rare sport route at this grade at Araps. There is gear after the last bolt, but it's very easy.

Scramble R along the ledge from the block at the start of Pritchard's Neuralgia. Starts up the easy corner, can be done as a sport route but worth taking a medium cam for before the first bolt. Wild overbolting mitigates the dubious jug.

Recently re-bolted.

Excellent long-overlooked addition that incorporates a direct finish to Strolling RHV. Direct line up the centre right of the buttress that would have been completely uncontroversial had it pre-dated Strolling RHV.

Sustained climbing leads up and slightly left through a bulge to a technical crux. After the 4th bolt, continue straight up on blowable slopey pockets. Do not traverse off R here if you want to bathe in the social recognition of a legitimate ascent.

Start: 3m R of Strolling.

Two carrot bolts protect the face. Would be an amazing boulder/solo, but has not been done yet.

From the anchor of Anxiety P1, head straight up the arete on its right side, but instead of deviating out left in the last two-thirds (original finish), keep trucking up the arete all the way, to lower-offs.

As for AN but follow the original aid line up leftwards from the 2nd FH - don't drop down to get to the arete. Bouldery. Start as for AN.

Bolted by Kimbo decades ago, this long-standing problem succumbed to the short strong bloke with dreads. Start as for Anxiety Neurosis and boulder direct through the bulge to the start of Bounds and finish up it or Anticipation.

The steep arête right of Missing Link following four bolts up and right before joining the finish of The Prow. Start 3m left of Station to Station at the U Bolt.

Start as for StS. As for StS to the break then up the arete, making sure your photographer is ready for when you whip.

The unclimbed line of bolts. It looks like Veneer has cleaned up the first 15m of this as there are no other bolts between TYOLD and V. But this old line might also include another bolt up higher … clarification welcome.

Start 3m left of Unrequited. Climb the face left of Unrequited passing three bolts before gaining that route a few moves before it escapes right. Step left and boulder the short wall above passing a final high bolt.

Start just R of Unrequited. A more fingery version of Slopin' Sleazin' perhaps?

Originally climbed at 31, but subsequent ascents have used the larger holds just L of the old crux.

Start: Boulder start through underclings left of The Undertaker to jug, then out to crimps out left and up, briefly into Siva Direct. Trend right up to a hard boulder problem finish (direct via the pinch). A left hand sequence is also possible.

Up Undertaker to about 6m, then left and up past bolts. Dave has bolted and been working on an independent start.

As for 'Nati Dread', but power straight up after the lip past a new crux to rejoin the original route (finishing as for that).

Up the orange wall past 5 inconspicuous carrots. Apparently, finishing directly past the last one is the most 'enjoyable' way to do the route.

Start: At the R edge of the grotto, 2m R of Catch 22/This.

A popular sport route (but you may wish to take some gear for the finish). Stepping left into Boomer for the first half is quite unavoidable.

Start below the orange wall near the highest point of the arch, and follow the line of fixed hangers.

Awesome power route taking the main line through the cave. "The best power route in Australia" (Nathan Hoette).

Thin with some long moves on fantastic rock. 5 FHs to the right of Blackguard. Lower off.

Climb the thin wall between CP and T. Bring medium cams to make an anchor for belaying. Re-Bolted 2024

The blank looking beautiful buttress left of Chinese Algebra

Joins the hardest bits of both routes and is supposedly a grade harder than each of them. At least two repeats, Chris Lindner in 2009 and Byam Keil in 2023.

Start as for Pretty in Punk, finish as for Punks in the Gym.

Deterred many very strong suitors for many years and finally fell to the Kiwi Wizz kid

Looks bloody desperate.

Four bolts on the wall right of Spasm. Don't bridge at the start but do bridge the finish.

Right-hand line on little wall with a rusty carrot. Used to have a fixed pin and two bolts but has now been rebolted. Steep thuggery to awkward topout. Now has 4RBs and a DRB lower off.

Originally trad, and originally started up the wide groove just left of Braindrops. When the route was sent into Argus the route name was rejected and thus never recorded. The bolts, lower-off, and direct start were added by Geoff Little in 2018.

From the ledge 12m up Lamplighter, 4m left of Braindrops. Up shallow right-facing corner past RB (20) to ledge. There's a stick clip on the ledge to clip the next bolt safely (please leave the stick there), then pull through roof seam and continue up wall past three more rings to a lower off (17m to ledge, 25m to ground).

Pure face climbing funkness. Originally graded 25 and worked on via some very dubious gear. Climbs the crazy groove 10m R of Lamplighter past 4 ringbolts to a DRB anchor. Super technical and sustained, with a variety of options available for undertaking the crux, none of them particularly a giveaway! Unconventional and classic moves make this one of the best routes at Arapiles.

An outstanding climb taking the major line on the South Face. Quite finger intensive and very exposed. Originally climbed with a piton as the last gear - though this has now somewhat controversially been replaced with a bolt. A small cam can be placed in the top runout.

Start on low prow of rock 1m right of 'Act In Haste'.

Gambol upward to the low roof (possible low cam if desired), and clip the first bolt. From the second bolt, a blind move to the right, around the arête (for a grade 21 move right again and up 'Is It About A Bicycle?'), then head straight up with a foot on either side to clip third bolt and up to finish.

The tough-looking bulge just left of Pumping, to lower-offs. Name TBC.

A righthand finish to Slinkin'.

Start: Start as for Slinkin'.

Awesome sustained face climbing linking Lord of the Rings into Zorlac the Destroyer

Remarkably sustained face on thinner and thinner holds. If you fall off the slab you'll be in good company.

Start as for "Wackford Squeers".

Start at the weakness down right of "Wackford Squeers" and go fairly much straight up.

A bolted boulder problem. The holds are generally good, but seeing as they are all vertical - guess what that means for the feet? 'Dynamic' and very powerful.

A direct start to 'Anus Horribilus'. Start as for that route but go straight up through a small undercling to the 2nd bolt. Cruxy moves lead into the finish of the original route.

A classic at the grade. Bouldery start leads to quite continuous climbing on good slopey holds. Steeper than it looks!

Climbs the direct start to Pooh Sticks and links that route into Anus Horribilus. Despite being slightly contrived, a brilliant conception. Two distinct halves offering Blue Mountains like crimping to start, followed by gritty slopers.

The original start steps off the pillar at the 2nd bolt (left hand in pocket), and is a couple of grades easier.

Toby Pola - pulling on above the direct start... but below the original start!

Tweaky

Climb the bulging arete to the right of Pooh Sticks - beware the tweak factor!

Ultra technical face climbing.

Start: Attractive orange streak at the very base of 'Mysteries' 'Gully' (downhill from Goats Song).

Originally called 'Nativity' Direct Start and poorly protected. Now retro-bolted and popular.

Starting just right of arete, climb pretty orange wall through small overlap. Continue steeply up wall to small stance and rap anchor.

The slightly overhanging little wall down and R of the entrance to Intrepid Gully has three ring-bolts. It's quite technical but very short so boulderers will probably just highball it at V2!

An Arapiles sport route - bolts where you need them (and nowhere else). Straightens out A Hundred Little Baby Bums by going straight up the brown streak past 7 bolts. Somewhat ironic given every other route here induces brown streaks of their own ...

Clip protruding carrot of Hundred Little Baby Bums under the roof and monkey on to the face. Straight up past 3 more fixed hangers in the middle of the brown streak (escape out left into AHLBB is possible at both bolts 3 and 4 at grade 25 and 26 respectively). Up on to slab and AHLBB's 2nd carrot and a final sting direct up past another 2 FH's though a steep finish.

A good find by Muki Woods finishing up the funky wall to the right of 'Werewolf'.

Start: Start as for 'Tribulation'.

Far left most route. Start direct under the first bolt at grade 21, or climb in from the left at 20. A tricky mantle in the middle spoils the pumpy slopy fun. Five RBs and lower-off. Be wary of the last few metres, the jugs are a bit too big for comfort.

Cracked bolt has now been replaced (2022). Possibly the best route at the Guardhouse. Wave to the scout hoards at Staplyton Campground as you pull to glory through the ceiling. Located on left side of wall. Reachy orange goodness to start to reach prominent roof cave. Over roof and up right side of subtle arête to final juggy wall. 5 UBs and double UB lower-off.

A punchy start (sandbag?) leads to a sustained finish through and around the roof. Stick clip the first bolt, then four more to the anchors.

3rd bolted line from the left: RB then FH then RBs the rest of the way.

Short punchy number. The 4th bolted route from the left with the white stained scoop in the middle. Up slopers to roof heuco. Over this on incuts then one final tough move to jugs. Chain anchor. 4 RBs.

Named after George the baby gecko, that hitched a ride on a backpack all the way to Brunswick... causing havoc at Jac's place for two weeks before being returned to the Grampians! Follows left-trending line of four ringbolts in centre of crag just right of big scoopy hueco in rooflet. Stroll through delicate start just left of first bolt, locate the secret hold at second bolt, and march your way to glory over steep juggy terrain. It can be extremely difficult to put a draw on the third bolt because the ring is recessed quite deeply (it depends on what type of 'biner you use, some skinny ones go on easily, others are impossible). Double RB lower off.

Weaves around black streak on far right side of main wall. Bouldery start up slopers and slots to easier ground. At halfway head slightly right to rest stance then up past RB and crux dyno. Finish up steep jugs. Five RBs and DRB lower-off.

A good warmup before heading up to the terrace. Starts left of Fractionally Flamed and follows the juggy steepness. 5RBs and rings to lower.

Sandy slopers. Starts back at ground level and 40m right of the main wall. White clean streak on otherwise juggy grey wall. A tad runout for the inexperienced. 3 RBs and lower-off.

Start off big slopey pocket, head up trending riight to anchors shared with My Body is a Cage. Can be wet after rain

Start off block, head left under 2 bolt along tricky rail a up and back right to jug and 3rd bolt, head up to anchors shared with Tech Noir

First line of bolts, to the left of the start of the access traverse.

Link up. Climb Easier Puzzle and after the fourth bolt trend up and left to join Green Moon at the fourth bolt.

Originally a trad route retrofitted with 4RBs some time prior to 2015. Takes the middle of the three warm up lines at the start of the fixed rope. Finish at anchors for HSHM.

Steep and juggy sport warm-up at the far left end of the cave. Starts halfway across the approach traverse at single u-bolt belay. Up through orange jugs and then grey cracked face. Runout between bolt 1 and 2 is a bit scary.

Good pumpy workout on nice orange rock. Starts at left end of cave at small well chalked rooflet. Stick-clip first bolt. Out left across crux roof past two RB's then up scoops on jugs (2 RB's) to good rest. Step right and thug through steep territory past final RB to jugs and DRB lower-off.

An excellent bonus finish to 'Media Puzzle'. From double ringbolts monkey upside down on jugs out right along the horizontal break for 4m past 2 extra FH's then up to chains (crux).

November 2016 - first FH on extension is loose!

A bit stupid. Starts 2m right of Media Puzzle - up a few metres then traverse left to join MP. Climb all the way to top of cave. Ignore bolt out left Bolted by Monty in the dark ages.

Short and brutal in true Nowra fashion. A direct start to 'Antics'. Starts 10m right of Media Puzzle at ground level. Three FH's. Either lower off first bolt on 'Antics' or continue outwards for the full grade 26 finish.

Anyone say girdle? A scuttling novelty route across a big roof. Originally attempted on trad – but after Neil pulled a huge block off the lip and plummeted headfirst onto the halfway ledge it was decided to bolt it. Climb to first bolt on 'Stepping on Snakes', traverse left across 'Army of Ants' to big ledge. Walk left across this to FH and keep going across line (big cams) to roof flake (FH). Out impressive 3m roof and up steep arete past RB to lower off bolts.

Line of FHs through roof left of 'Antics'. Start as for MD. 2 boulders broken by no hands rest. Bolted by Monty in 2004.

Another HB signature roof route. Follow 'Army of Ants' to first bolt, then traverse left to ledge. Climb left leading roof flakes through 5m ceiling directly above the ledge past 4 FH's to lip. Back jump to clean. No anchor.

Short, powerful and popular. Start just right of small arete in centre of cave at ground level. Don't wear slip-ons unless you're OK with losing a shoe mid-route! Thin reachy face to start precedes big dynamic moves up steep wall and finish via big scoopy roof 1 FH & 4 RB's. Lower off chain.

Classic steep thugging. Mantle onto slab then up very steep horizontals to final roof dyno. Five RB's and double RB lower off. Watch your back when lowering off.

Easier start just right of SOS – then finish left as for SOS through the roof. 4 U-bolts.

Self explanatory. Far right side of cave. A 'Nowra' style mini pumpfest. Three RB's up steep orange wall. Double RB lower off at top.

Great easy sport route! Left most bolted line on right edge of roofy section. Big jugs up slightly overhung wall finishing at bolt anchor slightly to the right. Retrobolted - originally a trad route.

Starts about 4m right of 'Fot as Huck'. Long reaches between good holds trending left to the same anchor as 'Fot as Huck'. Originally a trad route.

Located on a separate buttress 10m directly up above and behind Dagwood Dog. Access by scrambling up via a cairned slot at the left end of Bikram Bloc. Fun climbing with a great outlook through gentle bulges flirting with the arete. Should be a hoot (aka dyno) if you are short. It receives all day sun in winter and late arvo shade in the summer.

Face starting immediately L of TOC veering up and L to the 3rd RB then continuing straight up to the anchors. Rap rings at belay.

The first bolted line you come to on the approach track. Wrestles its way up the arete on the left end of the wall. Rings at belay.

A little short but has awesome sustained and technical face moves. The second ring bolted route up the middle of the clean face on the left side of the block. Sun from around lunchtime. Rap rings at belay.

Starts in the shallow corner 2m R of DD. Follow the crack system up and slightly R, stepping back left as it steepens. Originally lead on fiddly trad. Still a touch licheny.

Steep fun just right of the corner, 8m right of DD. Double U anchor, best to rap to clean.

Tricky start then cruisy yet thought provoking face climbing. Clip and lower anchor. Sun from late arvo.