Nodes in The Playground

The Playground is where most of the weekend action occurs. Its a complicated situation with 35% of the cliff lying within the TCC civilian boundary and the remaining 65% lying within defence (Commonwealth) land. Fortunately, almost all of the quality beginner routes and both access tracks all exist inside the TCC civilian boundary. The actual survey boundary is not clearly indicated - and so at times, there can be confusion as to where you are relative to the boundary... By a remarkable stroke of mother nature, the entire Playground cliff can be top roped since nothing is higher than 25m.

A small but demanding climb follow the crack up the dihedral past two carrots, then start moving to the left onto slopers then top out. (Can be top roped of double bolts at top of climb)

Obvious finger crack in middle of the wall. Move straight up, then to the left to finish on ledge. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

This is simply a continuation of 'Twister'. Climb the sustained crack of twister then continue up the tricky face. The route veers diagonally up and right past two carrots then to "Wimps in the Gym" 's last fixed hanger bolt. It is also possible to avoid the initial crack of twister by approaching from the ledge at Rude Awakening. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Starts in corner move up then traverse left before roof to carrot on the arete then up past two more carrots then left to the fixed hanger bolt. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Start at "Twister" (use a side runner in "T" crack for pro) move diagonally up and right to the arete and carrot finishes at horizontal crack. (Can be top roped of double bolts above climb)

Start on "Wimps in the Gym" to the roof then follow the crack through roof and up the face to finish. Small pro useful on the top section. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Start at "Wimps in the Gym" move left at roof then straight away climb diagonally up and right past carrot to finish. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Start on "Fist Full of Ants" (use trad pro in crack) up to the roof then climb to the right past the roof onto face, past two carrots then finishing on "Fist Full of Ants" last fixed hanger bolt. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Start on "Fist Full of Ants"and move right to the arete (using trad pro) then up through two small roofs then up finger flake on the right past 3 carrots to finish. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Start up Eye Of The Tiger until about 3.5m below the obvious chockstone and at an undercling flake/pockets in the L wall. Make committing moves L and follow the flake system (small wires) to join the final moves of Two Hands Are Better Than One at the last BR on that route.

Start in the obvious corner and climb straight up crack with good moves. Once in the cave reach out to the right to the "Eye" hold then up to finish. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

One of the best crack routes on the 'Playground'.

Start: The obvious crack 2m R of "Eye of the Tiger" good placements for "pro" throughout. (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb)

Pleasant face climbing. Start 4m R of SP below a FH and L of a thin seam. Arc L past 3 bolts to join the original.

For a while the hardest route on Mt Stuart. Up the wall a few metres R of SP through the biggest section of roof and straight up. Numerous FH's

Quality face climbing. Up IYFG to its 3rd bolt, traverse R and up seam to a break for cams. Keep moving R and up the classic face to finish. A small friend or cam is handy for the top out.

Very sustained! Take RP's for this particularly fine thin crack 5m R of SP. Muscle up the progressively harder seam to bulge (crux). After getting through this, the last section of seam protected by a #1 RP makes for an interesting finish. Originally led with a broken finger. Mike Myres (who onsighted this) reckons it would be 21 if it was at Nowra, but I'd like to see the Nowra bumpy boys try to place the gear.

Steep and technical on good rock. Start at the small corner, up and R to gear, climb L of the FHs to join SOAD at the Cam break. At the ledge step L and up the steep jamb crack.

Interesting face climbing, take RPs and take care of the little blocky hold in the middle which is waiting to come off. Up the arete R of SITW starting of the ledge on the R. Swing L around the arete to finish up the top half of SOAD.

Start in the middle of the rock and follow a straight line up. The crux it just below the top cliff.

A good top section. Start up the diagonal crack R of the corner, take this to the ledge, step R and up the thin finger crack to the ledge.

Visiting climbers are advised that a significant proportion of the cliffs lie in Department of Defence (Army) land. Trespassing on defence land is an offense. The Townsville City Council (TCC) controlled cliffs require a permit for climbing and/or abseiling. Do not park too close to the gate else your car may be moved. During the year, the car club holds races on the mountain road; during this time road access is closed. Mark Gommers is negotiating with the TCC to remove certain onerous restrictions such as a permit and indemnity insurance.

Two hard moves. Up the face past a carrot to the corner, layback to the roof and traverse L to double bolts and the crux. The direct start up the hanging arete with one carrot is an open project which will be about 27.

Visiting climbers are advised that a significant proportion of the cliffs lie in Department of Defence (Army) land. Trespassing on defence land is an offense. The Townsville City Council (TCC) controlled cliffs require a permit for climbing and/or abseiling. Do not park too close to the gate else your car may be moved. During the year, the car club holds races on the mountain road; during this time road access is closed. Mark Gommers is negotiating with the TCC to remove certain onerous restrictions such as a permit and indemnity insurance.

Worth doing. Starts around the corner, 8m R of TFT. Easily up face to BR below base of bottomless corner. Layback up corner to below small roof, then slap around R (crux) and pull up to ledge. Up short crack and go for a walk in the "greenhouse" before finishing up the nice wide cracks in the corner. Has seen some huge groundfalls from the corner.

Visiting climbers are advised that a significant proportion of the cliffs lie in Department of Defence (Army) land. Trespassing on defence land is an offense. The Townsville City Council (TCC) controlled cliffs require a permit for climbing and/or abseiling. Do not park too close to the gate else your car may be moved. During the year, the car club holds races on the mountain road; during this time road access is closed. Mark Gommers is negotiating with the TCC to remove certain onerous restrictions such as a permit and indemnity insurance.

A top rope problem up the face R of TGE.

6m R of TGE. Follow the obvious crack leaning L to the ledge. Traverse 2m L up the crack to another ledge. Up the large crack above. Solid for the grade.

A mega pump. 10 R of TGE, at the base of the corner, at the boulder choked chimney. Straight up to the rooflet and bolt (take care and RPs) straight up past another carrot and cruxy bulge to intersect the diagonal crack where it goes vertical. Up the balancy crack.

The traverse is! Very good. Start as for BOMF, but clip the bolt R of BOMFs 1st bolt. Keep trending R to more carrots and natural gear, traverse R to more carrots and natural gear, traverse L above a bulge to the flake near the top. There is a little finish past a bolt on the wall to the R but the climb naturally ends at the ledge with the rings and the a finish is taken up by the next route.

Start as BOMF, following line of bolts trending right and finishing up AF. Unsure of grade, so if you get on it please list what you think it is.

When too much fun is really is too much. A bouldery start at the R of the black streak to good holds, L past the 2nd bolt and R after the 3rd into the luminous lichen and a sequential crux L past the 4th and 5th bolt to finish up the face R of TMFs last bolt which you can clip if you want. You can also do this asa variant finish to TMF, joining it at AFs 2nd bolt.

Thin fun with a hairy mantle above the crux and a protruding carrot. Start at the flake and pocket R of the bush. Up and L and up and L, mantle and finish up the corner past small cams and wires.

Start as for 'Yesterday's Gone' but go right instead of left after the 3rd bolt.

Start 3m L of HW and join it at the ledge.

One of the best beginner routes here. It starts about 12m down and R of GE at the base of the huge detached block. Up the nice crack, then traverse L to arête (crux) and up to ledge passing a FH. Now climb ramp (FH) and exit up mini corner to belay seat and lower off. Also see the alternative HWL.

Up HW to the FH then out R up the steep stuff (cam). Up past another FH and up welcome wire. There is a blind wire placement on this route.

Short and sweet. The short face with 3 FHs up hill in the gully. L of the chimney and starts in the little corner on the L. DRBB lower off now on side of pinnacle for this route.

A very good route, but a scary lead on account of poor bolting. Originally led in the rain, hence the name. Starts where the R-hand side of the big block meets the main wall (chimney), about 10m up and R of HW. Straight up to small sloping ledge (BR) then continue staying just R of the overhanging bulge passing two more BR's.

Insecure climbing up the arete R of SWW. Start up HVS and lean out and clip the first bolt, step down and L then up the face and through the small roof.

Start as Holiday Variant Start and finish as Pathetic Journey.

The way to do Holiday. The shallow corner up the L hand side of the pedestal/flake. Take a sling for the small chockstone. DBB at the top or use the crack & tree belay.

Start up the deep black V corner to the top of the pillar, up into the V and take the L hand wide line.

Another beginner classic. Starts 4m R of SWW in the deep black corner. Follow this corner crack to top of pedestal. Climb up into the three-sided lift shaft and fill your pants as the massive boulder moves. Now layback your way up the R-facing corner to glory. DBB at the top or use the crack & tree belay.

An exciting lead. Start as for Holiday but go straight up the deep dark line (GA) to the chockstones, step L onto the arete and take it to the top.

Looks Gruesome. Start as for for H but go straight up the ugly offwidth past the chockstones through crack (crux) to top.

A slabby adventure. Start as for Holiday to the pedestal. Step across the void to the R (FH) and crank up to the slab (crux). Now delicately up the slab passing two more FH's.

As for S but keep traversing R to the thin crack and up it.

The thin suspect crack 1m left of Gone in Sixty Seconds straight up to join into the crux of Portrait. Take up to size 1 Camalot and 7 draws. Have a solid belayer you trust from crack to first bolt is commiting.

Start as "Gone in 60 Seconds" then trend left at the FH half way up.

Slightly overhanging face climb on thin often chossy crimps. Two bolts and anchors added Jan 2018 for top half.

Start 2m right of "Gone in 60 Seconds" on 3 ring bolts then followed by 5 plates. This had to get completed eventually.

A great climb with a rare roof, starts around the corner. Initially half climbed by the route Excalibur, which climbed the roof on Aid and finished up PAS. Up the crackline past a 3.5 friend and a powerful move at the lip, then slightly L to a FH on the bulge. Climb R of this to a excellent runout finish. May be harder after a major hold broke of in the 90s.

4m R of "Avalon". The 1st 5m was originally known as "First Blood" (Rob Smythe 10/86) and a nasty sandbag at (15) with little gear down low. Two ground falls saw people injured by a sharp stump that is now gone, but is still a risky lead. "Peeni and Suranius" starts the same as "First Blood" then goes L up the crack, over a bulge past a bolt. Exit up the small wall and up the ramp, or try the flake with a bolt on the R if you feel strong.

Crap name - good climb. The scene of Lee Skidmore's brush with death (4m grounder onto back on grisly boulders). Don't let that deter you though, there is bomber pro. Starts right around the corner from the above two routes, about 15m from S. Up the overhanging layback crack then L to arête (BR). Up L side of arête past another BR and some natural pro in pockets to ledge. Finish up the short face behind (BR). Mind rope drag, or use two.

Nice offwidth, if you like that stuff. Start up BGMRTF, up the overhanging offwidth and continue onwards.

The face climbing escape route. Easier than the original. Climb "Psychobabble" to halfway up the offwidth (where it gets rough), make 2 moves L along the thin horizontal and up. Finish up the flake L of the bolt.

Another variant. Up P to the base off the offwidth, traverse L around the arete and climb the face R of BGMRTF.

The name comes from early footage of the route, which is the funniest climbing video ever seen. The hard looking arete above Psychobabble with 4 FHs and another on the continuation above. Start 1.5m L of Psychobabble off the block.

An exposed traverse. Start at the top of Marjorie. Traverse L along the obvious line of horizontal cracks around the corner to finish at Gutz Ache.

The route you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. The wide crack and corner. Start at the twin crack running up the distinct LH corner. Up L of slab to crack and up to large block (crux), over large boulder to finish.

Start 3m R of BGMRTF, up to ledge.

Up the corner to the ledge, face just R of the corner past three carrots.

One of the cliff classics and the epitome of Mt Stuart climbing. If the bottom half was like the top, it would be three stars. Up the grungy corner (14) 3m R of BGMRTF to ledge. From here, boldly blast straight up the 10m face passing three FH's with the crux at the third FH to the top.

As for JB to the 1st bolt, climbing the face just R of the arete past 4 more bolts to a good finish.

A bouldery direct start to any of the 3 previous routes. Up to the 1st bolt, over the roof and diagonally past it. Don't fall clipping the 2nd bolt as you may hit the tree.

Fine climbing up an overhanging face crack. Good gear. Up the crack till it ends, diagonally R and immediately back L into the line and on. Alternatively, from where the crack ends go L to a shake on the arete, up it for a few moves then traverse back R into the line.

Fantastic climbing up the corner and it's R arete, finishing R around the roof. Several FHs.

A sustained thin crack, often seeps after rain. Start directly below the crack, a step down from the main ledge.

The flared offwidth corner crack. Wide at the top and loose at the bottom. Up the flared chimney, though bugle and easily up the crack to top.

A variant of Eridanus. Up E, L along the hand traverse, mantle and traverse all the way L to the top of Marjorie.

Straight up into the Martin traverse and up past the bolts. DBB. (originally natural anchor from boulders and chockstone).

Excellent thin wall with the crux at the top. Wicked from start to finish. Scramble up ramp rising up on L, which is about 10m R of JB, to big ledge with trees; this is is the base of the route.

Can be done with or without bridging at the start. The left wall is used a few times to bridge in the lower half of the route. Climb up the sustained wall just R of the chimney Eridanus passing six FH's. Crux is near the top.

Start up E, R after the 1st bolt and up past several FHs. Bridge R at the first bolt and take some RPs for between the bolts if you like.

The tight chimney. Starts 25m left of Cannonball. Climb the steep ramp to a ledge. There is a dead tree stump at the entrance of the chimney. Slither into the crack and then work your way up in the chimney.

Okay face climbing but contrived. Starting near the bottom of the gully down R of CR. Leans across and clip the FH, up past a medium cam, and 3FHs without bridging across to CR. Run out to clip the third FH.

Looks good but isn't. Clip the FH with the stick and wrestle up past the tree and up merging into Avalanche.

The crack with the ugly wide section at the top.

On the tiny wall below YL. The crack immediately below YL.

On the tiny wall below YL. The V chimney 2m R of Stretch.

A fairly serious lead particularly at the top. Start up YL or A if you want. Take the thin diagonal, moving R to a juggy flake and up to finish. Take RPs and cams to #3.

Initialised.

An airy face with some lovely flakes. There is a bolt on the lip of the first overhang. R though this then L to another bolt, up to the hole and ledge. Follow the carrots up the arete to finish L up the crack past a bolt. Up and R at the ledge to the thin crack to the finish.

Starting on the arête to the left of "Par 3". This fun climb is a mega classic with spectacular views and providing a true feeling of exposure. This awe inspiring climb offering excellent photo opportunities with powerful starting moves and an interesting mix of crimps and balancey high block steps for the rest, up to the lower-off.

Start 1m right of Warlock. Finishes above the obvious cave. Boulder problem on a rope.

Link from Par 3 straight up for 3 more bolts and into Warlock anchors.

Pump then, technical. Up the black diagonal crack (can be dirty), to steep flakes L of the corner. Clip the carrot over the lip, L then R to the next bolt, a thinly traverse L to the black streak. At the ledge finish just to the L of the capping stone.

Brilliant. Up BM to its 2nd bolt then straight up past the FHs. Traverse L at the steepness and finish as for BM. Has been done direct also.

One of the first recorded routes at Mt Stuart. Climbs the obvious R facing corner to ledge at half height then solid laybacking up the flake to top. Tricky to protect down low; take small wires/RP's, very small cam, 0 Camalot X3 works a treat. You need to be solid at grade 17 to lead this route (Can be top roped off double bolts above climb). Be wary of the block at the top which appears to move (though some reinforcement was done late 2021).

A good variation to Cannonball, from the ledge at half height, take the flake on the R to the thin horizontal, traverse back along this to Cannonball.

A rather serious Direct Finish to SF, from the thin horizontal, go direct to the top. Take some small RPs.

Continually interesting face and crack climbing that is not well protected at the start. Up the light coloured face to the diagonal crack (or start up the diagonal of ZZ) diagonal L to a small cam then diagonally R to the crack. Up this to the top, #2.5-3 cam at the top.

Climb ZZ till level with the first ledge. Veer L to join up with Hard Rain. Finish as for HR.

Starts 5m right of Cannonball (ZZ initials). Take small to medium wires and cams. Climb up the wall to the first ledge then zig R and up to the next sloping ledge. Up to the big half-way ledge then zig R to the shallow open-book corner. Up the shallow corner with some concern, then zig L to the welcome ledge. Finish up the right diagonal crack.