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Bouldering/soloing nearish Melbourne

barney800

16/11/2011
11:15:21 AM

Hello,

I've recently moved to Melbourne from the UK and am getting a bit stir crazy while I wait for my climbing gear to arrive. I can't just hook up with someone and head out to the crag either, as my climbing partner moved with me and wouldn't be impressed if I abandoned her to go out climbing all day!

We picked up a bouldering mat and had a play in the Grampians already, but it would be nice if there was something that was doable as a day trip. I keep on seeing vague comments on here about granite blobs near Black Hill and Mt Alexander. Does any more detailed information exist yet? I'm a bit of a punter when it comes to bouldering so don't rate my chances just wandering around and finding problems unaided.

Alternatively, I quite enjoy soloing short (10-15m) routes. Probably up to around 14ish (VS 4b in the UK, I haven't quite figured out the grades here yet). These would have to be somewhere with pleasant walking though, as my partner doesn't have enough faith in her own immortality for soloing.

Anybody got any good advice?

Cheers.

nmonteith

Online Now
16/11/2011
11:26:53 AM

Black Hill would fit the bill nicely. You can find quite a bit of info by looking at the Chockstoneguides to the <----

It's mainly sub 10m high granite slabs and boulders. Nice place to just wander around and explore. Rock quality is generally pretty good - and if you fall off a slab soloing you probably won't die.

Chockstone guide link
http://www.chockstone.org/BlackHill/BlackHill.htm

Proper guide here
http://www.thecrag.com/area/11763991

shortman

Online Now
16/11/2011
12:03:56 PM

Cathedral ranges is a good place for a day trip. Good bouldering and some high easy terrain.

kieranl

16/11/2011
12:19:02 PM

Do people still go to the You Yangs or has the boneseed buried the rock?

NMcKinnon

16/11/2011
12:44:10 PM

Just do Grampians day trips. Learn to love the Western Highway.

mattjr

16/11/2011
3:06:37 PM

Burnley is useful to scratch the itch and flex your muscles(plastic but at least it is free and outdoors)

barney800

16/11/2011
7:16:04 PM

Thanks for the recommendations. Black Hill and the Cathedral Ranges sound ideal. Now all I need is the illusive combination of good weather and free time.

shortman

Online Now
16/11/2011
9:59:52 PM

On 16/11/2011 barney800 wrote:
>Thanks for the recommendations. Black Hill and the Cathedral Ranges sound
>ideal. Now all I need is the illusive combination of good weather and
>free time.

It'll come, sooner than you think..... ;)

ademmert

17/11/2011
2:10:20 PM

On 16/11/2011 NMcKinnon wrote:
>Just do Grampians day trips. Learn to love the Western Highway.

Its true its not as painfull a drive as you would think, i have done it many times!

barney800

17/11/2011
3:26:17 PM

>Its true its not as painfull a drive as you would think, i have done it
>many times!

The only time we've done it so far it was hammering down with rain, so wasn't all that painless to be honest! I can see that it's not usually too bad, though. It's certainly easier than the drive up to Scotland we'd usually be contemplating at this time of year.

dan_b

17/11/2011
9:49:27 PM

Leaving at the end of just one day is pretty painful too.

Paz

17/11/2011
10:31:32 PM

Mt Alex - Dog and Wabbit. Easy access, better quality than Youies and Black Hill...a handful of cracks between 11-14 worth doing laps on....

Miguel75

19/11/2011
11:20:07 AM

Let's not forget the wilderness experience that is Werribee Gorge;)

A nice amble in and fun climbing too... Though truth be told you'd be better off at Mt Alex if you don't have a rope. WG isn't conducive to great bouldering.

barney800

19/11/2011
11:36:48 PM

On 17/11/2011 Paz wrote:
>Mt Alex - Dog and Wabbit. Easy access, better quality than Youies and Black
>Hill...a handful of cracks between 11-14 worth doing laps on....

This looks really nice too. I bet a lot of the slabs would go as solos in the UK anyway (where bolting still seems to be a capital offence).

There are 14 messages in this topic.