Rock Climbing at Loddon River Falls, Victoria, Australia

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						Quick Stats
Climbs	*******	**	*	Hardest	Longest	Rock	Access
21	0	3	4	23	20m	Basalt	5 Mins

For the latest revision please download the PDF.

The Loddon River is not a thundering torrent of white water, even in mid winter. The "falls" (pictured below) consist of a short, polite drop into a tranquil little pool suitable for swimming, surrounded by 25m high basalt cliffs, that are probed by the tentacle strands of brambles. Said spiky intruders also guard the opening moves to what small number of routes exist, and hug the lip of the crag making belays less than pleasant. Recent new routing and establishment of belay bolts, however, has helped greatly to improve this crag.

The surface rock is also prone to splintering, making wearing a helmet an absolute must especially for those below. It has to be said, if you're looking for a picturesque water fall try the near by Trentham Falls instead, and if you're looking for a full day of cragging - well there still isn't that much here despite recent first ascents. Never-the-less, the Loddon River Falls area is a surprisingly fun outing, offering a sense of adventure, at least three nice lines and tranquil, perhaps even beautiful surrounds.

Access is gained from "Sewell Road", off "Holcombe Road" out of the little township of Glenlyon. (See: approach map and check the VCC guide for details). You can drive down the final dirt track for about 1.5km, then get out and start walking across the paddock on your left until you strike the river. You'll see the cliffs pretty quickly. A small foot-pad leads down through the brambles to the base of the main wall. Dump your packs beside the stream, and looking directly across at the highest section you should spot a reasonably obvious line following one of the many vertical cracks (pictured below). Start in the dual cracks, then, at about halfway up, the right side of the line terminates at the top of a slightly free standing pillar (good rest), and the climb continues on the left crack/arête to the summit.

Above: Michael on the FA of "Fear Of Choss", 20m Grade 16. The rock is a tad crumbly on the final three of four moves, but should clean up with traffic.

"Fear Of Choss", 20m grade 16 is deserving of at least one star. If the line was transplanted to somewhere popular (like Werribee Gorge), it would be given two stars and raved about. Out at Loddon River, it needs a bit more traffic to knock off the remaining loose chunks before it could be considered a classic. (Gear goes into the solid crack system. The loose stuff is all merely surface material). During my lead I had to fight off the brambles near the start and deal with several splintered holds making us fairly confident the line had not be done before. (FFA since confirmed with VCC). Our second triggered the fall of some football sized chunks, but the route should now be reasonably clean, making subsequent repeats safer and more enjoyable than my nervous on-sight ascent. The line eats cams, accepting camalots size .75, 1 & 2 with ease. I had doubles of these sizes, but could have used more. You no longer need a 20m length of static line to set the belay off a large tree set a ways back from the top, due to the new lower off rings.

Beware the mine shaft immediately left of the base of the aforementioned climb - you can't see it until you're inches from it. The route leading up from the mine is "Mine, Mine, Mine" 20m grade 23 and has one bolt protecting the opening moves with the rest traditionally protected up the the same lower off rings. Beware the chossy top out. Five metres left of the mine shaft is "Shellshock", the 20m grade 17 that follows two yellow streaks. I haven't climbed this line, so I can't comment on it.

Above Left: Neil does a high clip on the first ascent of Stem Cells (22). Above Middle: Kent on first ascent of Pull the Pin (20). Photo By Neil Monteith. Above Right: Nick McKinnon on the first ascent of The Dirt Unit (22) Photo By Neil Monteith.

Left again you'll find Sick Baby Blues (18) and just left of the upper waterfall you'll find two new routes on a 10m wall. Stem Cells (22) is described by Neil as "involving very powerful stemming and using very unconventional holds. The crux is protected by a couple of rings then the finish climbs boldly above a few small wires". Pull The Pin (20) sits left of Stem Cells is a "It is a great bolted subtle arête with a few tricky moves".

There is potential for more new routes in this area. Have fun, and don't forget your helmet!

Climbs At Loddon River Falls:

Guide By: Neil Monteith. For the latest revision please download the PDF.

West Side - Main Wall

This is the large wall on the opposite side of the river from the carpark. It is150m wide and about 20m high. The bottom is quite overgrown with brambles and thistles. A deep mine shaft sits directly under the route Mine Mine Mine. Robin Holmes came face to face with an irate and hungry Tiger Snake in the bottom of this mine when attempting to retrieve a lost shoe! This wall gets full morning sun until about 2pm.

1] Question Mark Crack 15m 15
Jon Bassindale, B. Hindmarsh. 4.4.03

2] Mud by Pig 15m 15
B Hindmarsh, Joni 20.3.04

3] No Knees 15m 14
C.Goy, Bryce, Anna Mezzaros, Craig Golding ??.2.03

4] Unknown arete 17m 23?
FTRA Jon Passindale 11.7.2004

5] Club Mud 15m 15
Jon Bassindale, Anna Mezzaros ??.2.03

6] Wee Blinder 10m 19/20 **
Excellent thin crack starting from the left side. Jon Bassindale 28.3.04

7] Fear of Choss 18m 16 **
Stellar double hand crack between columns. Starts about 5m right of mine shaft. When the right column runs out finish up left crack to dirty top and double U bolt lower off. Bring lots of hand/fist crack sized cams. Michael Boniwell, Kent Paterson 25.05.2002

8] Mine Mine Mine 18m 23 **
Classic. Thin crackline located directly above mine shaft. Take care climbing above shaft from the left to clip hard to reach FH. Bouldery crux then into thin finger crack. At horizontal break at two thirds height step right and finish up finger crack to double U anchor. Kent Paterson, Neil Monteith 11.2003

9] Tiger Feet 18m 16
Nice start then average loose ledge traverse. Starts 4m left of Mine Mine Mine. Up cracks onto ledge. Wander up and right to loose topout. Jon Bassindale, Bryce, Dominic Hindmarsh. 28.03.04

10] Sick Baby Blues 17m 19
Depressing. Starts 5m L of mine shaft, at the R side of the orange wall. Up rotten crack to ledge on R. Up line on left passing wedged block and high FH. No anchor. Nick McKinnon & Neil Monteith 7.12.2003

11] The Dirt Unit 18m 22
Fun moves but somewhat contrived. Start 5m L of mine-shaft. Up SBB for 3m then step L onto dirty ledge. Arrange wires then up the orange scar face and hanging corners above passing 3 FH’s. Keep off the ledge on L. Above third FH make a delicate step R around the arete. Clip the FH on SBB and finish up corner. Nick McKinnon, Neil Monteith & Jono Schimdt 12.7.2004

12] Line Boring 19m 16
Crack just left of TDU. Jon Bassindale 30.3.03

13] Shellshock 20m 17 *
Starts 10m left of mineshaft at the base of a wall between two extensive yellow rock scars, beneath an obvious hanging rib. Climb the cracked wall on the left , until a step right gains the top of the rib and a ledge. The short corner and rib above. Belay to a tree well back from the edge (10-15m). Andy Long & Gordon Talbett 10.5.1996

14] Mudslide 10m 16
Nice short crack ending on ledge. Needs lower-off. Jon Bassindale, Bryce 30.3.03

15] My Name Is Mud 15m 18
A long way left you’ll find another patch of trampled bush beneath two nice cracks.Climb these to a ledge with a big perched block. Climb crack right of this to a lurch left leads to wide finish and thus avoiding grassy ledge. Bryce, Mick Rogan, Anna Mezzaros 2003?

East Side – Upper Waterfall

This small wall rises from the eastern banks of the upper swimming hole with the impressive waterfall. On either side of these climbs are shorter and broken walls which could contain several easy trad routes in the future. A single U bolt serves as a lower off point. This wall gets afternoon sun.

16] Bryceless 10m 15
Broken crack. Jon Bassindale, Craig Seelenmeyer 18.11.02

17] Ledgebound 10m 20 *
A non-direct trad version of Pull the Pin. Jon Bassindale, Chris Goy 16.3.03

18] Pull the Pin 10m 20 *
A more direct and retrobolted version of Ledgebound. Consumer classic with lots of fun moves. FH and two ring bolts up subtle arete on left side of smooth wall. Rap off U above Stem Cell. Kent Paterson, Joe Morgan-Payler & Neil Monteith 7.12.2003

19] Stem Cell 10m 22 *
Starts 2m right of Pull the Pin. Technical bridging up a face with some baffling start moves. Two ring bolts and wires to finish. Lower off U. Toproped by Jon prior to first ascent. Neil Monteith, Joe Morgan-Payler & Kent Paterson 7.12.2003

20] Built in Obsolescence 10m 17
Jon Bassindale, Stewie Beekmeyer 23.3.03

21] Mudlust 10m 13
Jon Bassindale, Anna Mezzaros, Stewie Beekmeyer 23.3.03

Further Reading:
Northwest Victoria, A Rockclimbers Guide - A climbing guide book, edited by Chris Watson, Bill Andrews and Michael Hampton and available from local climbing shops, or the VCC.