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Cape Woolamai, Philip Island
[ Climbs | Images | Map | Forum | Trip Reports ]
  Quick Stats
Climbs *** ** * Hardest Longest Rock Access
42 0 1 6 22 108m Sea Cliff 45 Mins

Some of the rugged Woolamai coastline - Photo by Tony Brotherton.Contributed By: Rupert Freeman.

Cape Woolamai is a wild place of rugged, windswept cliffs, seabirds and crashing surf. It is a granite promontory sticking out from Phillip Island into Bass Straight and as such it bears the brunt of the weather. The rock is coarse-grained granite with colours ranging from grey and orange through to a deep rusty red. Be warned however, this place is not for the inexperienced or the faint hearted. The cliffs are decaying and the climbs on them are generally serious and intimidating. Much of the rock resembles used kitty litter and the fixed protection is either long gone or rusted beyond hope. You will clip it anyway. All that said the place has a fantastic atmosphere with some good climbs in spectacular positions.  There is something really exhilarating about climbing near the sea and as the Eastern Victoria guide suggests “Climb here and you will realise its attraction.”.


Jeff Triplett leading Matelot (11) - Photo by Tony Brotherton.Getting There   Push For The Summit

Drive to Phillip Island – Allow about 1.5 hours from Melbourne - follow the signs down the Bass Highway and cross the bridge onto the island. After about 2km turn left onto Woolamai Beach Road. Follow this all the way to the big car park by the beach. There are toilets at the surf lifesaving club. Pulpit Rock is the obvious big rock visible out on the point to your left. Walk east along the beach for about 1km until you can climb up some wooden stairs back onto the dunes. You can also continue along the beach if the tide is low. Follow the walking track around the coast until you reach a wooden seat. From here you get a good view of The Pinnacle Traverse (5). An easy scramble will get you down to climbs on Pulpit Rock. The climbing here is broken up into a couple of main areas, Pulpit Rock Area (including the Pinnacles), Middle Coast Area, The Big Cliff (which is probably the most frequently visited of the areas here), Pirate Pete Cove, and the Red Rock Area. Access generally involves a scramble down a steep hillside, but it pays to know where to head down. Grab a copy of the VCC’s Eastern Victoria guide which will give you more detail on finding climbs.

Above Right: Jeff Triplett leading Matelot (11). Below Right: Geoff Brian (?) on Poseidon (15). Bottom: A late afternoon view of The Pinnacle Traverse (5). All Photos by Tony Brotherton.


Geoff Brian (?) on Poseidon (15) - Photo by Tony Brotherton.Gear   Push For The Summit

Helmets are a very good idea. You can pretty-much leave all your small wires behind and just bring middle and large-sized wires and lots and lots of cams. Don’t forget to wash all your gear after the trip as salt water and sea spray will get into everything. 


What Else?   Push For The Summit

There is a great circuit walk round past the lighthouse if you get there and the weather is bad. This will take you past all the climbing areas and give you an idea of the remote feel of the place. The surfing and swimming at Woolamai beach are great and the walk back along the beach after a day on the cliffs is fantastic..

A late afternoon view of The Pinnacle Traverse (5) - Photo by Tony Brotherton.


Climbs At Cape Woolamai   Push For The Summit

Pinnacles Area/Pulpit Rock

Height

Grade

Stars

The Lectin

12m

10

 

Ulysses

31

8

 

Struck Dumb

35

21

 

The Blanc

42

3

 

Comfortably Numb

25

19

 

Gardyrobes

18

14

 

Down By the Seaside

25

17

 

Seagull

27

6

 

The Anemone

12

5

 

The Pinnacle Traverse

108

5

*

Nerve Case

20

8

 

 

The Middle Coast Area

Height

Grade

Stars

Man the Yards

50

10

 

Jaws

18

15

 

Cleft Chimney

30

3

 

 

The Big Cliff

Height

Grade

Stars

Matelot

50

10

 

Poseidon

18

15

*

Tsunami

30

3

*

The Plunge

55

16

*

The Ancient Mariner

67

14

 

Carious Crack

75

11

 

Popeye

78

19

**

Barnacle Bill

73

16

*

Nostromo

85

15

 

King Neptune

60

14

 

The Candle

22

9

 

The Mermaid

35

17

 

 

Pirate Pete Cove

Height

Grade

Stars

Point Percy

85

15

 

Pirate Pete

63

12

 

Shockwaves

90

15

 

Splash the Boots

53

15

*

Terra Firma

80

15

 

Rack of Ages

20

17

 

I Had Sex on TV

20

21

 

Dolphin Snuff Video

25

22

 

 

Red Rock Area

Height

Grade

Stars

Balcony Slab

33

7

 

Wet Dream

24

9

 

Hello Sailor

24

14

 

 


Further Reading:
Eastern Victoria - A rock climbing guide, edited by Michael Hampton, Robin Holmes, Paul Martin & Others, and available from local climbing shops, or the VCC.
Melbourne’s Best - (Rock Insert)
 


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