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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

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

Author
Moonbi

langles
10-Jun-2009
4:57:12 PM
Anyone climbed at Moombi recently or know the situation re access?

pmonks
11-Jun-2009
2:59:12 AM
I think you mean "Moonbi" - how dare you misspell the name of the mighty chook capital of Australia! ;-)

Last I heard (2001 or so) it was for all intents and purposes off limits, with the local land owners being a "tad" aggressive about shoo(t)ing trespassers off their property. But perhaps if you contacted the land owners and asked them for permission they'd be a bit more open to it?

I walked up to the top of the northern dome in Moonbi Gap in the mid 80s and recall the ridge top being liberally strewn with huge boulders, which would probably be more interesting than the domes themselves (which apparently are quite low angled and top out at about grade 16). The Armidale climbing gang did some ascents there in the 70s (including putting up the first grade 19 in New England), so they'd be the ones to get in touch with - Al Stevens would probably be the best guy to get in touch with.

There's also some public land a bit further south that has some good looking boulders in it that I've always wanted to check out - the traveling stock reserve near the intersection of Porcupine Lane and Tintinhull Rd, the boulder strewn knoll near the Kootingal tip, etc. etc.

I've done some bouldering on the hill that Porcupine Lane goes over (to the left, as you head up the hill) - it's also private property but I had permission to check it out. That hill has loads of rock (including some faces up to about 30m in height), but most of the potential is for bouldering (and perhaps the odd highball or toprope) rather than climbing. Some of the boulders up there are massive - the size of two storey mansions!

There is so much granite in that general area (Kootingal / Moonbi / Moore Ck) - just looking at it on Google Earth makes me want to head back there again!!
hero
11-Jun-2009
1:42:21 PM
Al could probably help. The Colyvan Bros did a bunch of stuff there in the 80s. And Mark did a mega route on the big slab off in the distance. He intended it as a sort of bolting museum and put all different sorts of bolts in it. I think it was pretty easy and intended as an access for steeper routes on either side.


climbingfool
11-Jun-2009
2:11:16 PM
Climbing at Moonbi is still open around the snakeskin slab (at the Chook Farm). Lookout Crag is closed and access is not negotiable.

You have to call the owner and ask permission and fill out a waiver that they provide to access the Chook Farm. this has to be done every time you visit as well. they are very nice and have no problems with people climbing on their property, as long as the above is done in advance. don't just show up.

langles: sent you a PM in regards to access etc

langles
16-Jun-2009
11:30:20 AM
Thanks for the responses guys,

I have fond memories of climbing at Moonbi approx 1990. Last weekend on route back from Frog (without your responses, unfortunately) we dropped in to hopefully do a climb or two at what I remembered to be anteater buttress. Got the cold shoulder from the particularly cranky landholder ostensibly located under the dome, with signs declaring open season on tresspassers all over his electric fence and gate. His westerly neighbour, by contrast is a friendly bloke who used to paraglide, and happily let us through (technically the slabs are on his land). Bashed up to and around the base of what I thought to be the crag, but couldn't seem to find anything that looked familiar, so left. Neither local seemed to have encountered climbers (although they had the air of being relative new owners), so must admit I'm not even sure we were at the right place, but it was the big obvious dome visible to the west of the big chook (as opposed to the area to the north described by climbingfool - which might have been the location I intended; Cheers for that!). Anyway, will make an effort to contact Al Stephens or the New England club next time.

dave h.
16-Jan-2014
11:39:56 PM
*bump*

Does anyone know if the access situation to Moonbi has changed?

I'm specifically interested in Anteater Buttress. From what I read above, it sounds like this was (is?) pretty much a no-go area.

If someone could see their way to PMing me contact details for a knowledgeable/helpful local, or is willing to pass on my contact details to a local, that would terrific.



HM33
17-Jan-2014
2:29:59 PM
Ï think its likely to be still the same but best to contact some of the armidale guys (UNEOAC on facebook?)
this sign was here 18months ago:

dave h.
17-Jan-2014
4:39:13 PM
Thanks Hawko.

Quite a shame if it's all closed, it was looking like the ideal crag for a sneaky detour from Tamworth!

dave h.
21-Jan-2014
12:01:44 AM
One more bump for good measure - can anyone advance me some more intel on Steve's comments?

I am having a chat to the UNEOAC guys on Facebook, but so far no leads...

There are 9 messages in this topic.

 

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