★★ Whale Watchers 17

Start as for Whale of a Time but continue upwards, trending slightly right, all the way to the top. Put a long draw on the 4th bolt down from the Whale of a Time double bolt belay as you rap in (hard to clip and a bit runout, maybe some holds have fallen off).

The modern climbing scene and all the access issues that go with it requires modern ethic and all climbers should familiarise themselves with general good crag etiquette to ensure access is maintained into the future.

The following is a short summary for the area:

• The Wollongong area has a historical mix of sport, trad, and bouldering, with fully bolted sport routes emerging as the dominant form in the last decade
• Do not bolt or rebolt existing trad or bouldering routes
• No chipping of the rock to alter the difficulty of a route or create new routes. Loose or dangerous rock may be removed with careful discretion
• Top rope and lower-off through your own gear. Fixed anchor protection to be used for final lower off only to minimise wear
• Minimise excessive chalk usage and make brushing of holds a regular routine. Consider using alternative chalk colours to minimise visual impact
• Do not bush-bash new access trails, stick to existing marked trails where possible
• Do not remove vegetation, both from around cliff bases and on the cliff. Brushing down built-up lichen, dirt and chalk off existing routes is acceptable maintenance
• Do not leave rubbish or gear at the crag. Gear left may be confiscated by NPWS
• Respect any announced closures of tracks, cliffs and areas in the region
• Don’t play loud music at the crag, consider the amenity of nearby climbs and non-climbers alike
• Speak up against anti-social behaviour, unsafe behaviour, or other activities that threaten access – contact your local advocacy association - ACANSW
• Rebolting shall only be carried out by suitably competent and trained persons. The minimum standard is 316 stainless U-bolt or ring eye-bolts with pure epoxy glue. Refer to http://www.safercliffs.org
• Remember you are responsible for your own safety, and the safety of your friends!

Learn more at https://www.cliffcare.org.au/education