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Description

Main Wall is the first wall you reach as you come in on the walking track.

Emergency Location : Mount Arapiles, Bushranger Bluff 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).

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).

Some content has been provided under license from: © Australian Climbing Association Queensland (Creative Commons, Attribution, Share-Alike 2.5 AU)

Routes

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Grade Route

A pleasant, low-angled buttress.

Start: Start 20m L of Melville's Cave.

FA: Keith & Maurice Leslie, 1967

Very nice.

Start: Immediately right of 'Bullet Buttress'. A steep wall leads to a baby chimney, then up easily and step left into BB.

FA: Maurice & Keith Leslie, 1967

Up via the offwidth slot then finish as for 'Long Bow'.

Start: Start just R of 'Holdup Line'.

FA: Ceri Law & Geraldine Thompson, 1981

Short chimney then finish as for 'Stage Coach'.

Start: Just right of SC.

FA: Bill Andrews, Ceri Law & Ian Wilson, 1980

The groove with snap-o-licious flakes and a tricky finish.

Start: 1m R of 'Working Class Hero'.

FA: Ed Briner & Norm Osborne, 1970

Line immediately right of Long Bow.

FA: Adrian Ridgley, 1994

Start at crack two metres left of Ckinell but climb up grey slab on left to an easy stance directly below large thread. Straight up to middle of the two steep roofs. There's an undercling with a rattling tooth like block that is not going anywhere. Tricky gear and pumpy to place but regular gear can be found. Once over the roof follow the same line as Fracas to the top or head right to rap anchors.

FA: Freya Hik & Hywel Rowlands, Dec 2017

Start at crack line two metres left of Ckinell, up crack, gradually veering left into second crack, then through large guano filled pocket and jug hall through the easier section of roof above pocket. Easy climbing to top or head right to rap anchors.

FA: Hywel Rowlands & Freya Hik, Dec 2017

The overhung arete 1.5m left of Ckinell. Limited gear at roof and pumpy to place.

The slightly overhung corner. Beware snapping holds especially on the poorly protected start.

Start: Just L of Melville's Cave.

FA: Paul Gillis & Norm Osborne, 1970

Long traverse.

Start: As for 'Ckinell' to gain Melville's Cave. Step right and traverse under the overhangs all the way to 'The Ghost Of Melville'. Meander right just above second cave, then up.

FA: Paul Gillis & Norm Osborne, 1970

Out through big roof in the main cave. Downgraded to 24 in recent guide.

Start: Beneath L side of Melville's Cave. Then the thin wall above.

FA: Geoff Little, Maureen Gallagher & Jon Muir, 1988

Mosey up to the cave via the L crack, launch out onto the lip jugs of 'Repo Man', then veer R and up on good but spaced holds past two FH's into the finish of 'Cricket Bats In A Box'.

FA: Douglas Hockly, 2017

Poor pro. The right side of the cave to a sickle flake, then left.

Start: Below the R side of Melville's Cave.

FA: Jon Muir & Geoff Little, 1988

Step R from cave to ledge. Then up corner or nose, both with poor pro.

Start: Start as for 'Cricket Bats in a Box'.

FA: Maurice & Keith Leslie, 1967

Start 5m right of Melville's Cave. Up wall and through cruxy overhang.

FA: Peter Martin & Ian Howe, 1980

Start 10m right of Melville's Cave. Climb the rotten crack and go through the overhang at the top.

FA: Norm Osborne & Ed Briner, 1970

Cracks, then finish up gully or up crack to the left.

Start: 8m right of 'Sexless Sue'.

FA: Andrew Corlass, James Falla, Teddy Bear Thompson & Sue Magoo, 1983

Discontinuous cracks.

Start: Start just L of 'Revolver Crack'.

The deep crack.

Start 20m right of Melville's Cave.

FA: Maurice & Keith Leslie, 1967

Lovely rock to start, and a dramatic exit to finish.

Start: As for 'Revolver Crack' then head R up thin crack.

FA: Bill Andrews & Julie Tulloch, 1975

ATTENTION: There can be a Bee Hive on this route, take care.

The major corner, facing the second cave.

Start: 3m R of 'Revolver Crack' up major corner facing second cave. Step left to finish.

FA: Bill Andrews & Julie Tulloch, 1975

Presumably this climbs just R of the corner taken by 'The Ghost Of Melville'... but the write-up doesn't say.

Start: R of 'Hangman'. Up slab, keeping right of corner to big pockets, over tricky bulge then directly up and through roof to top.

FA: Mark Witham, Steve Reynolds, Merilyn Reynolds, Michael Hartman, Rhonda & Emil, 1996

Bring some painkillers.

Starts in the second cave (Nick Cave) through the obvious weakness in the roof with one bolt.

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.

Set: muki woods

FFA: muki woods

FA: muki woods, Jan 2018

The least mossy line.

Start: About 3m right of 'Big Dog's Cock'

FA: Michael Hartman, Mark Witham, Steve Reynolds, Rhonda & Emil, 1996

The crack 6m right of 'The Ghost of Melville', through overhang and up gulch.

FA: Wendy Eden & Lassi, 1 Nov 2018

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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): Chris Baxter & Glenn Tempest

Date: 1994

ISBN: 0646167308

A Guide to selected rockclimbs at Mt Arapiles,the Grampians and Mt Buffalo

Accommodations nearby more Hide

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