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Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
All NSW	(General)	(General)	(General)

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Wollongong climbing access issue?


kuu

7-Aug-2011
9:40:14 AM

Climbers who live in, or visit, the Wollongong area in NSW may wish to peruse the recently released ILLAWARRA ESCARPMENT STATE CONSERVATION AREA DRAFT PLAN OF MANAGEMENT, dated June, 2011.

Under the heading "Other activities" on Page 24 …
**********************************
The west and south-facing cliffs of Mount Keira are used for rock climbing and abseiling, and this has resulted in numerous bolted climbs and the creation of informal access tracks. These activities will continue to be permitted provided safety standards and environmental impacts are acceptable. Basic amenities are available nearby at the Mount Keira Summit Park and access is provided via the Dave Walsh track. Abseiling and rock climbing are not permitted elsewhere in the park due to risks to the safety of participants and other visitors from geological instability, damage to vegetation and rock faces, damage to cultural features and soil erosion.
**********************************
You can find details of the Public Exhibition period, download a PDF copy of the document, or lodge a submission at:
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/parkmanagement/IllawarraSCAdraft.htm


rodw

7-Aug-2011
10:43:20 AM

Lol if there is any "geological instability" that would be caused by all the mines in area I would presume? and what "cultural features" features are they talking about?

Without having a clue...how big is the park once you take Mt Kiera out of it? I presumed most of the escarpment was actually on mine land?

Dr Nick

7-Aug-2011
11:56:48 AM

"Geological instability" = It's a great big pile of choss held together by all the carrots, and if anyone drills a hole to place a bolt the whole lot will avalanche down to take out Wollongong.
A few years ago I was climbing there and saw a lovely great block (cinderblock size) come off one of the classics. It's not the world's greatest rock, although it's pretty much on par for "greater Sydney".

Some good fun climbs there though, and pretty kid friendly (at least on the West Face). I really should head back.

Mr Poopypants

7-Aug-2011
2:17:31 PM

The whole escarpment is now managed by the NPWS, from the Royal all the way south of Wgong.
I'm guessing the concern has been caused by all the slips on the escarpment in recent years. (I can see most of it from my front door) There were some doozies in the big flood event about 10 years ago and regular ones since then, with one particularly nasty one near the South Face of Kiera 2?? yrs ago?
Like all sandstone escarpments, the talus slope is always on the move downhill and being topped up by regular falls off the cliffs. Seems to have been accelerated with all the watercourse modifications along the escarpment. (Last year they evacuated Bulli due to concerns about the dam below the cliffs.)

Seems like they are covering their arses, so if a slip happens and a climber gets squished they can say "we told you not to climb there". The rangers have never been too concerned about climbing at Keira, but the slips are generating a fair bit of press.

Shame about Keira being slagged and neglected. Lots of climbers have passed through there, on their way to better things. I suspect that we all hold a spot in our hearts for chossy little crags where we spent lots of carefree hours with mates in our youth. (if you can call being sandbagged by an old fashioned Graeme Hill bolting and grading job "fun") :-)

G.

widewetandslippery

9-Aug-2011
1:46:04 PM

On 7/08/2011 rodw wrote:
>Lol if there is any "geological instability" that would be caused by all
>the mines in area I would presume? and what "cultural features" features
>are they talking about?

The brilliant views of WIN Stadium and the steel works.
>
>Without having a clue...how big is the park once you take Mt Kiera out
>of it? I presumed most of the escarpment was actually on mine land?

Says in the document the mines own from 15m underground all the way to china. I find it hard to believe the odd extra climbers track contributes to land degredation resulting in landslides. I am aware Joseph Banks wrote about the amount of indigenous burning off going on while they sailed past. There may be more ground cover there now than 200 years. I'd agree with the mention above of liability concerns.


rodw

9-Aug-2011
1:54:29 PM

seems to me its your usual NSWPS modus-operandi of banning climbing were they can because its easier then managing anything...also if there is more erosion going on id say mines were more likely the culprit....but NSWPS wont take them on as that would be more work for them....just blame the other public user groups...much easier.

climberman

9-Aug-2011
5:22:15 PM

There is some climbing above Stanny too isn't there ? Be a shame for it to miss out.

widewetandslippery

9-Aug-2011
5:25:55 PM

And no one goes there because they shouldn't. Nudge nudge ;) ;)

One Day Hero

10-Aug-2011
2:10:50 AM

I really don't get the emotional attachment some climbers have to Mt Kiera?!? It would be the worst crag I've ever visited if some arseclowns hadn't invented Wingello!

Seriously, I spent last year living on Robson Rd, Kieraville.........and it still wasn't worth the 10 min drive to climb there! Went up there heaps on the pushy, great walk to the top past the wierd giant sculpture...........but climbing? Fuk that, its garbage!

Dr Nick

10-Aug-2011
3:55:07 PM

On 10/08/2011 One Day Hero wrote:

>Seriously, I spent last year living on Robson Rd, Kieraville.........and
>it still wasn't worth the 10 min drive to climb there!

It's kid friendly (other than the loose rock, but that's manageable by leaving some space at the base), with some fun mid-grade stuff. It's also easy access, and close to the 'Gong. I like the Big K, but I'm not going to pretend it's the best crag ever.

If you're after 3 star 19+, go to Nowra. If you're after fun and local 15-20 in the 'Gong, go the Big K.

One Day Hero

10-Aug-2011
4:27:44 PM

You're trying to sugar coat a turd! Kiera is so bad that I would rather not climb.

Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Hobart, Launceston and Canberra all have much, much better climbing as close to town as Kiera is to Wollongong.......Melbourne seems like the only eastern city which has similarly shit urban cragging.

If it weren't for Nowra and Point Perp just down the road, the Gong would be a climbing wasteland!

hipdos

10-Aug-2011
11:01:43 PM

Now come on, what about the North Face of the Big K?! Decent height, interesting routes (All 3 of them..) and one of the best views around.. Yes the West Face is pretty average despite having a really nice 'family friendly' bush setting


vwills

11-Aug-2011
9:04:28 AM

On 10/08/2011 One Day Hero wrote:
>>Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Hobart, Launceston and Canberra all have much,
>much better climbing as close to town as Kiera is to Wollongong.......Melbourne
>seems like the only eastern city which has similarly shit urban cragging.
>
>
Newcastle is bigger than Launceston, Canberra, Hobart and Wollongong. IT is happy to claim crap urban cragging as well, but its a great place to live. Then theres always the surf, and excellent not so urban climbing to be had.


wallwombat

11-Aug-2011
11:40:10 AM

On 10/08/2011 One Day Hero wrote:
>It would be the worst crag I've ever visited if some arseclowns hadn't
>invented Wingello!

Thank you. Thank you very much.

One Day Hero

11-Aug-2011
11:40:45 AM

Yeah, I don't really know anything about climbing round Newcastle. How far is it to Bulladelah? Too far for after work? What else is good up that way?


vwills

11-Aug-2011
4:28:02 PM

On 11/08/2011 One Day Hero wrote:
>Yeah, I don't really know anything about climbing round Newcastle. How
>far is it to Bulladelah? Too far for after work? What else is good up that
>way?

If you dont like New Nowra and the excellent climbs at places like the Goldmine or even find a mote of merit in the routes at Supa Fun Happy or La Paz walls at Wingello then you wouldnt like it. Any way, Buladelah is a local crag for local people.......

widewetandslippery

11-Aug-2011
4:47:20 PM

And goats


vwills

11-Aug-2011
6:20:09 PM

They ran away after you visited WW&S

One Day Hero

11-Aug-2011
7:54:54 PM

On 11/08/2011 vwills wrote:
>
>If you dont like New Nowra and the excellent climbs at places like Simples
>Goldmine or even find a mote of merit in the routes at Supa Fun Happy or
>La Paz walls at Wingello then you wouldnt like it.

You have to keep this stuff in perspective, I view Thompson's as a 1 star crag. It can't get any more stars, because its not as good as Araps, Moonarie, Frog, Taipan, Squami, Ceuse, Yosemite, Presle, Valle di Mello etc........and you can't crowd all of those places into the 3 star category.

Therefore, with Thommo's set at 1 star, Simple's must be 0 stars (a couple of those steep gr20's are genuine good routes, grading needs to be stiffened at the whole crag though), and Wingello has to be less than 0 stars..........hence, it should be described as a pile of dogshit rather than a crag, or people will get confused.

I respect the idea that local, after work stuff doesn't have to be amazing to be worthwhile, but thats what's so funny about Wingello and Tianjara........how many climbers live somewhere where they can get to those shitholes without driving past actual good crags?


rodw

11-Aug-2011
9:09:28 PM

On 11/08/2011 One Day Hero wrote:

>I respect the idea that local, after work stuff doesn't have to be amazing
>to be worthwhile, but thats what's so funny about Wingello and Tianjara........how
>many climbers live somewhere where they can get to those shitholes without
>driving past actual good crags?

Actually I think they climb there so they know they wont have to hang out with a person with a very stupid looking hat..kinda a no silly hat haven.

There are 24 messages in this topic.