Routes as trad in Victoria Range

The shallow box corner on the right side of the overhanging face.

Straight up wall, over ledge and wall behind.

Start: Start on the left side of small face at the left end of the outcrop.

Diagonally out right and over bulge just left of arete. Over ledge then follow wall just left of arete.

Start: Start as for Lizane's Valentine.

Nice. Vague line on nose.

Gem.

Start: Start at line one metre left of 'Face Full Of Black Boys'.

Up line, left to next line and up.

Good. Line from cave left of 'Pedestrian Crossing'.

Arete of clean wall above platform around left of 'Shaggy Dog Stories'.

Hand crack finishing in bulge at left end of wall.

Thin line 1.5 metres left of Damsel In Distress. Direct finish remains to be done.

Pull through undercut start and up line to BR. Exit right up Damsel In Distress

Major line on right of wall.

Overlap start and up line through 2 bulges. Up cleft and chimney.

Quality easy climb lurking in HB territory.

The position and momentum of this route can not be simultaneously determined. Not in the same class as the rest of the crag. The next crack left of Newton's Law, 3 metres left of Maxwell's Demon, move left at ledge and continue straight up.

A thought experiment intended to show that the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics has only a statistical certainty. Start 4m L of Newton's Law. Wall just R of easy crack to ledge, trend R up grooves.

Noddy's physics need a brush up...there are three Newton's laws, not one! Start under the nice thin crack on the L side of the wall. A great thin crack to the walk-off ledge.

Survival of the fittest. Described without the third pitch so that it gets noticed as a fantastic 2 pitch 18.

Start: Start as for Newton's Law.

1. 30m (18) Up "Newton's Law" for 5m then R to the line of big white scooped out pockets. Up these (take slings for threads), then a piton for the finish to the break.

2. 25m (18) Hand traverse R along the rising break to the rap anchor above "Pythagoras' Theorem".

"Any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object." Routes like this are why you travel for hours/days to get to the 'Grampians'. First 2 pitches are often worked in 1 pitch from the ground.

Start: Start under a low bolt at the base of the most impressive part of the wall.

1. 20m (22) Up past the bolt then R along a break to a semi-hanging belay.

2. 30m (25) The grey line of holds up the otherwise blank wall. Sucks up dozens of med-large wires. Often done on preplaced gear which probably drops a grade.

3. 10m (26) A little boulder problem around the roof past a bolt. Nobody seems to bother with this pitch.

a2 + b2 = c2. Prepare your groin for some hypotenuse action. The other ultra-classic line here.

It's supposed to finish via the third pitch of "Darwin's Theory" but this is often ignored.

Start: Start under the central corner.

1. 10m (20) Pocketed crack to ledge at base of corner.

2. 30m (26) The stemming corner, then move left and finish up the arete.

Kitty is simultaneously alive and dead ... until you look. Start 15m R of 'Pythagoras Theorem'. Short steep corner crack then L up ramp past bolt. Back R through overlap to 3 more bolts up the wall above.

Lovely climbing with excellent protection.

Begin on the right edge of the blank orange shield. Up thin broken crack stepping left to flake then straight up the grey streak. The original route stopped here and descent was by scrambling off right with a possible rappel. However, a fantastic new finish was added in 2003 by Josh Janes:

Instead of stopping/belaying, hand traverse straight left under the roof for 15 meters. The difficulty increases as the wall below becomes steeper and handholds become more spaced. Eventually gain a good stance at the end of the roof and belay from a bolted anchor (added in 2017). Rap from here with a single 70m rope (a single 60m rope might reach - watch your ends).

A steep jug haul up the right-hand tower.

Left of "Return To Gariwerd" is a grey slab criss-crossed by thin cracks.

Start: Start down left of "Jardwadjali Land".

1. 15m (17) Up the corner to the ledges just left of "Jardwadjali Land".

2. 35m (25) Up to the flake that crosses the roof, swing out along this then up the smooth headwall to the top.

The left arete of the buttress.

1. 20m (22) Up "Sailing Away" for 15 metres then traverse left past a BR to a HBB on left arete.

2. 25m (26) Up the blunt arete above the belay and up to a rest at a huge flake. Up to the roof (crux) and climb rightward across this to the top.

The spectacular right arete.

Only worthwhile crack and is on left side of a steep, clean wall. Scramble up to a terrace to start. Climb crack and abseil from tree.

Up the wall to diagonal ramp under the impressive headwall. Right along ramp then up chimney.

Start: About 50 metres left of "Carousel" the track swings up under an east-facing wall. Scramble up to the left end.

Start: Chimney line, second line on left from where the cliff is reached.

Start: First line on the left as the cliff is reached.

Completely out of bounds behind the cage. Finger crack. Second line right of where the cliff is reached.

Grey slab 100 metres right of "Slippery When Wet"

Slab then chockstones just right of "Shiver's Slab".

Flake crack on left edge of buttress right of 'Dandelion Wine'.

The best line on the cliff

On the right side of the outcrops is an orange corner leading to a roof.

Start by scrambling around to the top of the main cliff and aligning with the approach track. If you turn around towards the hillside, there should be a small buttress with a crack before you. The crack is it.

Classic bumbly route in great position. The approach just adds to the adventure.

It takes the massive whaleback ridge that is almost equidistant between "Gondwanaland" and "Red Sail" and can be approached from either.

Orange slab split by thin seam and a great overhung finish. Located on separate buttress 100m left of the second short rock wall you reach on the walk up to the main cliff of 'Gondwanaland'. Bouldery start (RB) then right leading weakness to seam. Up this for 10m then skirt under orange roof and then thug back left across overhang to crux finish. Lower off last bolt or trad belay on ledge and epic walk-down descent. Four bolts plus natural gear to finger crack size. Really needs a lower-off anchor.

Excellent grey wall five metres right of the arête of Up The Road. Start in juggy corner on right side of wall and climb this until you can hand traverse left along break at 3m. Climb the face above trending leftwards to finish up beautiful cracked headwall. Protection is sparse in middle section.

Ninety degree sharp arete with clean wall on right side about 40m right of 'Terra Incognita'. A short corner crack is climbed to a little ledge on the left, then launch up the pocketed arete with some fiddly pro. The final ten metres is jug city. 'Small' to medium gear and slings.

Start at the right leading ramp left of the prow. Up ramp easily then left. Up vertical wall on pockets, then easier climbing to crack system up headwall, finishing up overhanging crack.

Starts as for 'Gibber'. (1) 30m Up ramp then obvious flake crack. Continue up wall to stance. (2) 20m Up main groove to finish directly up headwall.

Dramatic climbing up prow. Up right then left onto wall. Up past BR to short vertical base of the 'Thunder Crack' like line. Up this a few moves then left and up the crazy paving right of the arete to the top.

Possibly Nick's finest new route? A long intricate and technical wall with an exposed finish. Start at the base of ramp a little left of Gibber. Stem shallow corner to BR and pockets. Up past 2nd BR and more pockets to horizontal line. Right leading flake passed 3 FH's gains face just left of arête. Up superb face with small wires and cams before arête can be gained. Finish up arête.

Leftwards leading easy pocketed corner just left 'Wild Iris'. At top of corner place wires in thin crack then swing out right desperately onto arete and easily up this to natural; belay stance. Another pitch above on super jugs leads to top and walk off. Needs a lower-off.

Starts 30m left of 'Wild Iris'. In the middle of the wall is several cracklines; this climbs the furthest right one, approx in the middle of the wall. Absorbing rounded holds and the steep angle keep you guessing right until the end. The gear is abundant but fiddly in shallow, scoopy cracks. Rap anchor.

Line 2m left of 'Picking Plums'. Similar sustained climbing up rounded cracks, but the rock is a little less perfect. Bring plenty of big cams. Traverse off right to chain or belay from natural bollards at top.

This route is at ground level somewhere left of previous route. It has a left trending traverse under a roof, and splitter hand crack / left facing flake emerging from the left side of this roof. The start involves pulling on grass tufts!

Start: Start below the right of three large chimney-cracks angling sharply to the left.

1. 34m (7) Start on massive jugs and continue up and left into the line. Belay out on the left wall when the crack bends sharpest to the left.

2. 45m (7) Climb the left wall to the top.

Quite a bit of excitement. Takes the big orange wall right of " The Go-Between". Start a few metres right of that climb.

1. 30m (22) Around overhang and up wall following a vague orange streak between three overhangs. Step right to belay in an eyrie.

2. 25m (22) Tend left up wall to smooth red streak then straight up wall. Step left to go through break in overhang and up final wall.

It is thought that this route takes the big easy line up the lower tier and crosses the upper terrace to the yellow corner, probably neasr "Humboldt". Looks worthless.

In the middle of the cliff right of "The Go-Between" an easy-angled grey corner is the only break in the initial overhangs. Above is an impressive yellow corner.

1. 45m (14) A tricky start then doddle up just right of the corner to a tree belay.

2. 25m (-) Up easily to terrace below the yellow corner.

3. 45m (14) Fight up the vines into the chimney 9just left of "Humboldt" and bridge up this to a ledge.

4. 15m (-) Easily up jugs on left arete.

The second pitch goes up through the sensational overhangs with some runouts and several no-hands rests.

1. 15m (23) Sustained under-clinging leads to semi-hanging belay.

2. 25m (24) From belay, go right, up, and back left, weaving around arete to belay below final roof.

3. 15m (17) Step left, up, traverse right and up.

Obvious crack splitting the orange tower.Straight up all the stepped overhangs.

Left line up impressive orange wall, finishing through big roof. Trad with some bolts.

Start up pockets as for 'Cosmos', then traverse right along break.Up past BR and continue up line past another BR to rap station at roof (just to the right).

More or less climbs the middle of the black wall right of the pinnacle.

The good section is too short.

Start: Start about 8 metres right of "Calling Hop Harrigan" on the right arete of the face at a little yellow groove.

Climb the flake crack, which rises up to the left, to a rounded, mossy exit.

Start: Start 25 metres right of "Varicose Veins" below a tiny recessed wall with a roof above and a large conifer in front.

A major line at the left end of the cliff. The start is undercut by a cave.

The attractive crack 15 metres right of "Suspended Animation".

Sustained jamming up a beautiful diagonal crack on smooth rock.

The line right of "The Wreckery" at the right-hand end of the face.

Blunt arete with 2 fixed hangers left of "The Bounty Hunter" ? which is where?

Black slab on right side of dark gully around left of "Hang Me High"

Nice thin grey face situated on block near the top of "Jungle Gym".

Steep, juggy climbing and some disconcerting rock.

Start: Start at right-hand end of cliff at obvious flake ramp sweeping up right.

OK but some poor rock.

Start: Scramble 5 metres up the ramp above "Dracula's Blood" to belay.

1. 25m (17) Easily up ramp. Up onto wall and traverse left along line to above the belay. Up weakness to overhang, undercling around left and climb line to stance.

2. 20m (-) Rotten line above, then left and up.

Great but both pitches are bold and require drive.

Start: Start right of the huge wall, where a smooth wall rises out of the forest.

1. 60m (21) Step onto wall from a boulder on the right and climb the vague prow on excellent rock. When things ease, move left and up to belay.

2. 40m (21) Step left and up another vague prow in the wall until a right-leaning flake-line leads up to the roof-line. Ste left at roof then climb around it at its narrowest point. Move right on the brink of the roof, then up headwall past right side of upper roof-line.

Takes the smooth convex wall left of "Don Quixote", starting by the shady gum tree.

1. 55m (23) Delicately past bolt at 6 metres then step right to good nut. Up and slightly leftward until the climbing eases. Tend rightward up beautiful rock to an incut ledge.

2. 20m (-) Up thin vertical crack directly above belay, with a slight detour via a flake on the left. Finish via a cave under the summit roof (as led) or straight up the overhanging white cleft (as seconded).

A grand route with solid climbing well out from runners.

Start: Start at the left end of the long ledge under the main wall, under a small flake high up.

1. 40m (24) Move up on the left, then balance delicately up right to a break. Move right then precariously up to the next break. Traverse back left then straight up to the flake. Step left at top of flake and boldly up wall above to stance.

2. 30m (-) Up, then tend left up wall until able to gain right-hand end of huge horizontal block at the summit overhang. Pull over roof-line to top.

Head up right to a bush, up thin crack, left along break to a bolt, then straight up past another bolt and the left edge of the crater.

Start: Start about 20 metres left of "Tilting At Windmills" on large boulders, below a crater high on the wall.

Runout climbing up a superb wall.

Start: Start just left of "Baltic City"

1. 35m (21) Up left a bit then straight up, about 10 metres left of "Baltic City". At about 30 metres traverse right to a wide flat jug then back left along a dyke-seam then up to the end of the big ledge.

2. 15m (-) Up easily.

Steep, sustained and pumpy on the hard section, with a few suspect little flakes to pull on. From the L end of the wall, climb the juggy grey crack behind the conifer to a broken area. Take the distinctive thin orange diagonal up R and then up. Exit R at the summit overhang.

Good face climbing up weakness at R end of face, which leads to the R arete before a steep conclusion.

A beautiful gobsmacking line. The manky old carrots at the start have now been placed with rings. A long stick-clip is required as the crux is the start.

Start: Start 3m R of the base of the rock step separating the upper and lower tiers of the crag.

Another superb line. The best 27 in the 'Grampians' - although most think its actually 28!

Start: Start about 8m R of After Midnight.

This route takes an obvious crack through a roof 4m off the ground a few metres L of 'Homework'. 1) 18m Up through the roof (crux) to a ledge. Traverse L to belay in a small cave. 2) 20m Traverse out R from cave, and up R-ward leading flake/crack to ledge. 3) 15m Up on jugs to the top.

1. 20m Up arete and step L into L facing corner then diagonally L up steep wall to join 'Quick Draw McGraw' at belay ledge. 2) 35m Up rotten corner to top (or last pitch of 'Quick' Draw McGraw).

Start: Start 12m along from L end of undercut section.

Excellent adventure climbing following the obvious curving line on the L end of the cliff. Generally sound rock and good holds compensate for the tasty steepness. Start at L end of wall at corner under roof.

1. 30m (crux) Up, then move out L to pass overhang. There’s a couple of steps back R to follow the line. Belay on ledge at half height.

2. 30m Continue up curving line to steep exit through notch.

3. 20m Scramble to the top or walk L along terrace to abseil bollard.

The first of three routes which are direct variants of 'Whipping Boy'. Start 6m R of Whipping Boy.

1. 37m (crux) Climb blunt arete under R end of roof. Pass roof and traverse L to line about 3m R of Whipping Boy. Up to SHB level with Whipping Boy’s belay ledge.

2. 30m Straight up, then veer R on buckets, before going up again to join Whipping Boy at the head-wall.

3. 20m As for Whipping Boy.

The second pitch was first led in driving rain. A variant on 'Wallscrawl'.

More of the same with less pro.

Sustained and great.

1. 35m Climb the little corner just R of Wallscrawl, moving R on to the vague arete after the friable section. Up and R on to main wall, then up through smooth section and a little L into the line of weakness which leads to a SHB at central of three deep cracks just above the first main dyke.

2. 25m Continue steeply up the line to tilted horizontal line. Step L, then climb cracks above to a patch of grass, which is just below the second dyke. Head up and R to crack/slot, then straight up crossing horizontal that becomes overlap further R to a dramatic exit L via first weakness R of Whipping Boy etc.

A fantastic route - it's like an easier version of Archimedes Principle (Eureka Wall)! The rock is superbly featured, but it can be rather brittle (esp on first pitch).

1. 35m It's pretty hard to determine exactly where pitch 1 should go, but all options seem to be about the same difficulty. Aim towards the right most of three deep cracks just above the first main dyke.

2. 30m Up and slightly R, aiming for the distinctive eye (which provides the means for passing through the second dyke). Keep on the same up-and-right trajectory to pull through the overlap to weakness in head-wall.

Climbing in superb positions up the most imposing line on the wall. The first ascent was completed in true Patagonian conditions; gale force winds, torrential rain and hail.

Hotter than the 'Sahara'. Starts just R of 'Patagonia' at L edge of giant boulder. Either long ropes or a short first pitch would avoid the need for second and leader climbing simultaneously. Up the juggy crack to a seam, The wall is now climbed direct, veering slightly R at half height to a knee bar at the overlap. Step L and continue up the upper wall to the top, crossing Patagonia's original second pitch traverse on the way.

1. 30m From bottom R toe of the wall, climb intermittent, diagonal crack system up wall to above small, friable cave. Veer L up wall on vague dyke below base of large cave. HB where rising dyke meets major horizontal dyke. 2) 50m (crux) Traverse L across wall along dyke to HB on L arete of face. 3-4) 65m As for 'Whipping Boy'.

1. 35m Start as for 'Sahara' but traverse L across steep wall where 'Sahara' veers R. Through friable section, then up to wall between 'Mother Superior' and 'Sahara'. Face, then vague runnel at 15m, wall. HB at dyke. 2) 25m Directly up wall until it eases, then veer L to meet 'Whipping Boy' at weakness in head-wall. 3) Roped scrambling to top.

The clean corner at the L end of the slab.

Start: About 250—300m L of the main 'bowl' is a smooth recessed slab, bounded by corners at both ends. There you will find this route.

Up the crack and L-facing corner above. David Brereton, James McIntosh Nov 91.

Start: The central line on the wall, above the highest point of the huge detached block.

The L of the two obvious cracks just around L of 'Bowled Out'. Climb the crack for about 10m. Traverse easily L to finish up the arête. Abseil off.

The R crack and corner behind.

Rather contrived. An enjoyable enough route, but not in the same league as 'Romancing Times'. 1) 35m (crux) As for 'Romancing Times' but head up just L of the brown rock past an obvious under-cling at 25m. 2) 35m Up R, taking both overhangs pretty much direct.

Despite the crux being very run-out, James is reported to have declared this 'the best new route we have ever done'.

Start: Start as for 'Bowled Out'.