Routes in Victoria for selected grade

Start at the R end of the base of the buttress.

1. 43m (12) Up the slab (some fiddly pro) to L facing corner. Up corner to ramp. Belay at top of ramp.

2. 12m (12) Move around the arete, then up. Airy traverse L around the arete (grovel across or grab the undercling, lean back and find good holds above), and across the front face to belay on the nose.

3. 20m (12, crux) Diagonally R across the face to a bottomless chimney. Belay at the top of the chimney.

4. 15m (12) Up the steep juggy line to the Bard Terrace.

5. 30m (12) Up the bottomless corner then R onto and up the wall.

Start directly below the turret perching high above the right end of the face, just in front of a large boulder.

1. 40m (12) Up 2 metres to horizontal weakness, traverse delicately left along this for 6 metres, then go up to major overlap. Traverse left to break through left end of overlap to large ledge. Walk right to obvious, left-facing corner. Small gear essential to protect this pitch.

2. 25m (12) Jam corner to roof and step right around arete. Climb wall past some old pitons to an inset ledge below final tower.

3. 30m (12) Traverse right to shallow corner. Up corner then steeply up front of turret. Scramble down back.

A climb which gets the heart going no matter if you're on lead or seconding, with the first pitch, by itself, being a great line!

Start: There are two deep cracks at the base of the Watchtower. Start at the left-hand crack.

1. 45m (12) Up the fading crack to a ledge, traverse left past an old carrot bolt and climb the corner to small ledge.

2. 17m (8) Up the rest of the corner to base of chimney

3. 31m (12) Up the chimney without taking the detour. Belay just above

4. 18m (8) A bouldery start leads to an easier finish.

Start on the face 2m right of 'Anthony's Arete'. Up for 2 bolts then step over the trench of 'Locris'. 4 more bolts to anchor.

This is the original version. Dunes Direct (described separately) is now the usual way to go.

Start up the L-facing corner of a huge flake leaning against the east face of the buttress (crawl through behind the flake from the right or scramble easily up from below).

1. 36m (-) Up the corner then trend R up slab to the base of a short chimney facing R into the gully.

2. 6m (-) Up the chimney.

3. 40m (9) Traverse L, step down, and go a bit further L. One tricky move up then continue straight up easy wall to the Oasis (the big ledge between 2 huge boulders).

4. 27m (-) Traverse L to ledge, then up the short steep crack with good jugs, and up the clean corner above.

5. 10m (-) Short corner then easy finish.

The cleanest section of wall 10m right of 'Locris'. Retrobolted in 2016 at the request of the first ascensionist. Rap station descent.

A fine old classic whose grade seems to be gradually creeping up. Used to be grade 8 back in the day. Many variations are possible. Start at the chimney 7 metres right of Five Fingered Mary.

1. 25m (12) Follow the chimney until the line divides at 25 metres. Step right to a ledge.

2. 20m (11) Step back left then up the steep right-hand crack. Exit right onto ledge below steep bushy chimney.

3. 20m (11) Traverse 6 metres left and around nose of rock. Up onto wall, then continue up until able to traverse right to base of short slot.

4. 10m (11) The slot is desperately slick. Alternatively, climb the steep juggy wall on the right. The pitch finishes at the big ledge of the Tennis Court.

5. 43m (8) From the top of pedestal climb tricky weakness left of red overhang. Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap, then up to summit. This is as for the last 2 pitches of Spiral Staircase and may be split as for that climb.

Easy climbing up a nice corner with lots of gear placements.

The retrobolt eliminated serious fall potential, making this route a must for confident leaders at the grade ... but don't expect to be sewing it up with gear every metre. The southeast face of the Morfydd pinnacle faces the back of Fang Buttress. Start under this face.

Nice jamming up the central crack

1. 25m (feels a bit harder than 12.) Note: 1 guidebook says 20 metres, another says 28m, somewhere in between? Up to ledge, then up a bit further before moving left to where you'll see two carrots - one old and manky, the other slightly less so. Often a wet streak just above. Continue up to a stance at right end of obvious horizontal breaks. Good trad anchor here. Older guidebooks say there's bolt belay but we didn't see one.

2. (10m). Awesome traverse with great gear and easy climbing to massive ledge and trad belay.

3. (24m). Up the wall behind the distinctive horns to trad belay at top.

Descent: Follow foot pad to descent gully and rap anchor above 'Island Cruise'

Up the crack 2m Right of 'Execution' to broken blocks at the top.

Definitely the best way to climb Siren, especially as it only has one move at grade 12 and creates one of the best easy corner pitches anywhere!

1. 25m (4) As for Siren

2. 35m (8) As for Siren

3. 35m (8) As for Siren

4. 50m (12) Brilliant corner as for Siren but instead of stopping at the belay at 25m, continue up and step right through the rooflet and on to more glorious corner above. Belay on major ledge. From here either walk of left or...

5. 10m (11) Walk left along the ledge to the small right-facing corner and finish up this for full value.

The crack up the front.

Start: Start at a small outcrop just L of the main 'Charity' Wall face.

1. 18m (12) Bridge the 8m of Oxbow to the chockstone. Step off and climb the L wall moving to near the arete. Select pockets carefully then pull over the bulge to a large ledge and bolt belay.

2. 12m (11) Climb the face just R of the prominent crack-line in the wall above to a big ledge.

3. 45m (7) Up the arete/rib on the L (as for Oxbow) , for 15m to Oxbow's small 2nd belay stance. Pull over the little bulge above and scramble easily to the summit of the Omega block. Descend - scrambling down the juggy NE arete/blocks or rap-off RH side bolts (see details in Omega Block)

Borderline for a star but an interesting jamming experience. The crack right of "Lights In The Sky"

As usual CB commandeered the blunt end for this "extreme" piece of climbing.

Start 9m R of 'Brutus'.

The L corner.

Short corner and arete on left side of wall, starting 2 metres left of "Party Tricks". A bit contrived up high.

This good combination gives another way to approach the nice overhang on Manx. Some people prefer Manx RHV and others prefer this.

The slick chimney between the Iphigenia Buttress and the Clytemnaestra Buttress.

Start at the top left end of the wall, 3m R of the major chimney (Red Parrot Chasm - described on the Reaper Buttress page).

1. 30m 12. Up the wide crack then through sculpted territory, eventually stepping left to rap anchor on ledge.

2. 20m 11. Finish up the gross wall with no pro, or move L to finish up the chimney.

First pitch/rap off point is a little longer than the 25m mentioned in the 2008 Arapiles Selected Climbs guidebook. A 60m rope still easily touches ground though.

This climb has been upgraded to 13 in the 2011 guide book "Rockclimbs Around Melbourne" by Glenn Tempest. If you dont know how to jam, its most likely considerably harder.

Up the crack 1m to the right of The Pintle's more vegetated crack, crux at bulge about half way up. Great trad climb with load of placements. Belay on ledge in front of small cave. Can exit out 4m R to bottom of Big Fun or continue up Pintle LHV.

Up the thin crack, with a small overhang halfway.

Start: Start 6m R of Hope.

OK. Start as for Morgul Khan.

The bolted line R of Kitty's Litter. Straight up the slab avoiding the loose flakes on the right past 2FH to rings.

The obvious crack on the main boulder near the passage. A classic introduction to jamming.

Start: Start as for The Bard (which is described on the 'Bard Buttress' page).

1. 46m (10) As for p1 of The Bard.

2. 25m (12) Step R from the belay across 'Eagle Cleft'. Above the big roofs on the bottom left side of 'Tiger Wall' there are two major diagonals going up the left side of the wall. You meet them here in 'Eagle Cleft', where they are about 4m apart. Take the lower diagonal to a belay ledge.

3. 30m (12) Continue up R along diagonal for 8m, then go L over a small nose. Go up the wall then R into the start of a chimney and climb it to a belay.

4. 25m (-) Chimney upwards to Flinders Lane.

Start 4m R of 'Snatch and Grab'.

Loose scary corner/crack.

Start off a granite platform below a thick crystal dike.

Up the arete above the bouldering slabs, past 2 bolts and tree branch (sling). Double bolt belay towards the back of the block.

Old fashioned fun up the deep chimney crack 25m right of Pathos and just left of the prow of Flying Circus.

This is the climb that puts the "F" back into grade 12. 'Steep' and sustained and requiring route-finding ability. Pay close attention to the description especially on the third and fourth pitches. Pitches 1 & 2 are best combined because of the poor belay options but great care will need to be taken with drag with lots of slings required.

Start: The line 6 metres right of 'Diane' which is clearly initialled D. To There are no longer usable initials at the base of climb, but just to the right are clear initials KK.

1. 24m (12) Climb the line which leads into a steep corner. Up this until it eases to a small stance below a crack on the right wall.

2. 24m (11) This pitch is not as well protected as the rest of the climb. Up to the foot of a small flaring chimney where there is a useless old peg. Go 2 metres up chimney then boldly traverse right for 5 metres. Go up past another useless old peg to a good ledge. There is a large dead tree in this vicinity, don't belay on it.

3. 20m (10) On up the line for 15 metres (do not go too high) then step right to the foot of a corner.

4. 21m (11) Traverse 3 metres right then up scrubby gully to a ledge in the corner. Steeply up corner and belay on the right. Not a great pitch.

5. 31m (9) Climb up wall for 5 metres and then go right into obvious crack which veers up right.

Next line of bolts to the R. Up past 3FH [the top one is shared with FS] to DB and rings.

Up the hanging block just L of the hole, then L leaning groove.

Start: Start on the R side of the crag.

This block sits above the top of Milawa, one row of boulders back. Walk off the top of Milawa and head up between two boulders to emerge facing the block. From the summit track it it is one of the first boulders down from the summit. Two rings for belay and descent on top.

A fun easy route. Start on the top of the detached flake and cruise up the line.

Fun Guy is a retro of Clostridium Perfringens which took the left side of the slab protected by clipping the original bolt on Vibrio Parahaemolyticus.

"Start at the corner system near the right end of the grey, lichen covered slab. Initialled. Follow the left crack and finish up the left hand corner." (Simon Mentz, Glenn Tempest; Grampians Selected Climbs)

Deep crack 2 metres right of "Romper Room". Take big gear, knee pads and crack gloves.

Left leaning slab. Above a walk in the park. Good first lead.

The grey face around right of the cave. Up weird chimney-crack, left along horizontal and climb pocketed wall above.

Begins 6m L of the end of the 2nd tier. Take the wide yet shallow crack to a ledge. Continue up and R to get to big ledge before overhang. Over on the left to gain crack and top out.

The wall covered in protrusions, left of 'Eat Your Vegies'. Starts as for 'Needlepoint For Beginners', but then steps over the void to the juggy wall opposite.

The corner.

Start: Line 18m R of 'Blues Maker'.

Up the L-facing corner.

Start: Start just R of a chimney which is on the R side of a mossy wall to the R of F.

Something to get its teeth into you. The start and finish are enjoyable, but the middle pitches are weird, spooky and poorly protected. Take a double-length sling.

Start: Start 9m R of 'Strela' at the initials "MB" below a groove.

1. 35m (12) Gain the groove and follow it to the first big ledge. Traverse 10m R along the ledge before belaying.

2. 15m (9) Scramble up diagonally R. Step around the arete to gain the ramp that runs back L. Follow the ramp and then step out onto the front. Move L a bit and then up to belay on another big ledge.

3. 25m (12) Move up a bit and then traverse L to the other side of an obvious horn of rock. Things get strange here and it's hard to work out where to go. Go L to mantle onto a huge, vibrating knob. Move up and R and back R to a weakness in the overhangs. Scuttle up this exposed break to the next big ledge.

4. 25m (12) Quite pleasant climbing up intermittent cracks and walls. If you head up and rightward you should arrive at the abseil bolts as for Simpleton.

Towards the L end of the wall there is a crack which ends at about half height. Up this and then continue on up the slab.

Enjoyable, especially the top bits. Start near the L edge of the buttress below some bumpy intermittent flakes.

1. 45m The flakes and straight up the the L end of the Junglescope belay ledge.

2. 36m Up the corner on the L to a poor stance.

3. 33m This crack above till it runs out, Traverse L to the arete and up to some flakes. Traverse back R to a tree.

4. 26m The corner above.

Up short right-facing corner and deep line right of Greenfingers. Near the top, veer left across the wall to the rap station. Originally graded 10 by Noddy.

Up C for 5m then R into the clean corner, with a bulge and then nice laybacking.

Start: Start as for C.

Essentially a variant finish to "Long Hair And Greatcoats". It originally started by moving around the right side of the huge chockstone but that is worthless.

Start as for "Long Hair And Greatcoats".

Follow Long Hair And Greatcoats to manky old peg at top of shallow black corner. Make a committing move left and then up interesting thin crack to top.

This route is far longer and offers better climbing than Raspberry Ripple, but for some unknown reason has been neglected so much that the moss has returned.

Start: Start under the small detached flake which is 8m up R from the start of PF.

The corner 1m R of Brutus. Up short corner crack to ledge. Move up arete/slab (no protection) and join Brutus at layback crack.

Usually top-roped after Brutus.

The route begins at the base of the slab which forms "Well's Cave" and tops out above the cave chamber. Descent can made by down climbing the northern section of the slab.

Up and right to ancient peg runner then left and up onto grassy ramp and wander up this. Start 8 metres left of the conifer near the Bostok ramp. There's a ramp of spiky grass at 8 metres.

2m right of AA. Follow crack to quartz. Continue to little cave R then up to top and 2 FHs belay.

Quite pleasant really.

Start up Future Past and climb directly up, keeping about 2 metres right of the blunt arete, to the top.

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

First pitch doesn't get a lot of traffic so can be dirty. Great second pitch.

Start: Start at the rounded arete, about the same place as Eeyores Thistles.

1. 26m (12) Diagonally up wall to short left-facing corner. Up this, over the small overhang and up the line to the terrace.

2. 18m (11) Pull up onto the undercut wall 3 metres right of the cave (Spanish Eyes starts at the cave) and traverse left to the prominent crack. Up this to finish right of the overhang.

No chimneying required! Major L.facing chimney bounding R side of main slab.

This is the next line up the ramp from the first belay of The Baptism.

The landmark right facing leaning corner on the left side of the wall. The line looks good but the rock quality is fairly suss in many places. Bring a full rack.

companion corner to Beowulf, but not as good, nor as well protected.

Probably harder than a 12!

Good fun with fairly good protection. Start 12m R of Subliminal Cut, just right of the large block leaning against the cliff, or under the block itself. Up the wall past the right side of the block. Smooth slab, crux, from ledge on top of the block (there is a wire but short people will have to get up to it) then easier ground up line of least resistance to the headwall. Step left and climb diagonally left to the rap anchors.

Takes the prominent diagonal that runs up left into 'Mururoa'.

1. 41m (12) Climb the initial overhanging corner via the left arete. Grade 14 if started on the right. Follow the ramp into 'Mururoa' and up the corner to a big ledge.

2. 5m (-) The recessed corner above.

The groove then directly over the bulge.

Start: Start at the next line R of P.

7m Left of Plaque at entrance to Wells Cave.

1. 40m (12) Follow the crack using various techniques and the arete to find yourself in a belay hole.

2. 22m (9) Up wall to top.

A popular easy route, but be warned the protection is spaced on the first pitch. Start on top of a boulder at the landmark corner at the top of the approach track. 1. 30m (11) Up the corner then up and left to belay under the left end of the roof. This is same as pitch 1 of Bullfrog. 2. 30m Up and across diagonally left around arete. Traverse left on exposed jugs until below a small mossy corner. 3. 50m Up corner then across large ledge. Left to twin chimneys and up these to top.

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.

Deep flaring crack 15m left of QB

A memorable excursion up a monster chimney. Protection is spaced.

Up chimney to large chockstone at 30 metres. Go around overhang and up to ledge (2 old pitons, possible belay). Bridge widely to top.

From start of 'Tiptoe Ridge', take left-leaning grey diagonal then step right to short right-facing orange corner on right arete of south face. There are some loose blocks.

The right arete of Arachnus. Quite fun and there are numerous possible variations.

The line up the centre of the buttress located between Blue Eyes and Fig Leaf. 2 carrot bolts.

Incorrectly written up as Straining Rail which is located downhill on the Chain buttress. Northwest Vic guide in 2000 only recorded the routes Sze and Drain Pipe and mentioned a few lines to the right of the later on this face.

Very popular beginners climb. Could be Trad but very poor pro. Start in the corner on L (It's cheating to use the big boulder behind you) and then head straight up the wall.

The small orange corner. An energetic start off the ground on the arete directly under the roof. Up to the roof, step left and up.

The crack around right of Comic Relief.

Interesting all the way. Well protected. "it's not quite a muffin, it's not quite a cookie - it's a mookie" (Ambia Scott)

Start: About 100m left of the 'Death Threat' buttress is a nice grey buttress (lowest point of the cliff) which faces 'Red Chilli Nights'. 'Mookie' starts about 5-10m from the lowest left hand blunt arete and a nice corner. You should be able to see the chains at the end.

SDS wide easy corner crack

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.

Another gully.

Corner R of DnD.

The amazing orange water streak starting off the left edge of the small ledge. It should get the attention it deserves now with 6RB to DRBB.

If accessed via the walk in to the base, scramble easily up from the main ledge. If abseiling in, this is the line descended.

Retro'ed with permission from the FA 01/24.

initial 6m right of Pamular. Veer right up wall then crack to corner. p.2 up corner. Old guide suggests it might actually be OK.

A few metres left of A smile from Julia. Layback up corner crack to a rest stance on blade below cave. Head up and bridge wide, then follow chimney up to mantleshelf. Finishes at Ledge which is start of Sandpaper Crack and others.

Starts at spiky bush. Climbs up for a few metres and then starts tending right

Attractive crack below left end of roof at left end of E-facing section of cliff. Crack to bypass left end of roof, to lower off bolts.

Similar to Bung.

Start as for Bung but after stepping right continue straight up the wall rather than following line.

Layback to the top.

Variant climbs the crack then traversed right to the nose. Jason Scott (18) Circa 86-88