What a great day, what a great view. This is a cliff that I only visit once a year or so, but always enjoy it each trip - despite coming oh-so close to having a head-on car accident on the narrow steep approach road this year!!

Right pic: Richard Eustace on "Trail Bike Yobbo Ride Down Here" (18). Photo by Will Monks.

Left pic: Will Monks on "Champagne and Novacaine" (22).

First of we jumped on "Trail Bike Yobbo Ride Down Here", a 3-bolt 18. This was the second time I had climbed it, and it's slowly getting easier, but I still find it a great challenge. There where about 10 of us on this trip ... Will and Eddy climbed a run-out looking 19 ("Clown Town"), then three parties set of up the classic "Stolen Car Descent Route" (15). If you have never been to Warragul rocks, well, this is one cliff the locals like rolling cars off. If any one needs some Honda Civic parts, I think I spotted one amongst the tangled wrecks at the bottom..

Anyway, the climb is a tad dirty and run-out at the bottom, then eases a grade or so as you reach an arete. It's also a bit run-out on the second pitch - a few dodgy placements are the only pro before clipping the bolt half way up some nice face climbing. Thankfully, having done a harder route earlier, this didn't feel to dangerous!!

An awesome day, not a cloud in the sky, some great slabbing, and Robin had even organised a BBQ at the top of the cliff. What more could you want?

Richard Eustace

Melbourne Cup weekend saw a VCC group congregate at Point Perpendicular, one of the finest seacliffs in the country. Although a mere 30min drive SE from the sport climbing haven of Nowra, the climbing could hardly be more different. Rather than short secluded riverside and suburban clip-ups, the near-100m cliffs out at the Point are exposed to the wild and woolly weather driving in from the open ocean, and bolts are the exception rather than the rule. Also unique to the Point is the entrance via a navy bombing range with the risk of encountering unexploded shells (which hopefully remain that way!), while the rap-descents before each route are doubly exciting thanks to the intensity of the wind at the very top of the cliff!

Right Pic: Ben Wright, "Aeolus" (15). Photo by Iain Sedgeman.

We arrived in dribs and drabs but by Saturday afternoon the climbing was in full swing on the upper tier of the Bayside cliffs. Banksia Corner (* 40m 13), which improves with height, was knocked off by Rob and Rod, and by Ben and Iain. Ben and Heather climbed Piper Corner (30m 12) with Iain, and Aeolus (* 35m 15), which finishes up a great layback flake Iain led Ben and Rob up the aptly named Avoiding Flora (25m 15), a crack line with face moves past "botanical" sections, and a large overhanging flake up high. Nicola and Will's late arrival didn't stop them from climbing the stunningly exposed hanging prow of Over the Yardarm (*** 30m 14) and the wonderful endless slabby wall of Urban Spaceman (*** 30m 14), with the roof and wall climb Cast Adrift (** 30m 22) thrown in for good measure.

On Sunday Iain, Rob and Rod had a ball on the aptly named Room With a View (** 10m 12), a beautiful square cut corner crack perilously perched above an 80m clear drop into the water. Ben, Heather, Nicola & Will spent the morning on the Lighthouse Enclosure Cliffs, evoking much interest from the tourists inside the fence! The vertical square corner crack of Spiders and Space Cadets (* 25m 15) had an astounding thread up high, but a little much grit for complete enjoyment. Little Red Riding Hood (** 30m 17) was just another incredibly exposed arete taking in the exposure of a 70m clear drop to crashing waves below, and with some excellent pocket and arete moves thrown in for good measure. About this time a passing pod of energetic whales held up proceedings for a while - climbing doesn't seem quite so important during a spectacular show of tail-slamming, spout-blowing, belly-flopping action! When the Levee Breaks (*** 25m 19) was a fantastic face route with which to conclude the morning, the upper half of pocket pulling had every move in the book!

Left Pic: Will Monks, "Over the Yard Arm" (14). Photo by Iain Sedgeman.


After some lunch we migrated to Windjammer Wall, perhaps the finest chunk of rock at the Point. Ben and Heather started on the ever-popular classic Grey Mist (*** 27m 17), following sinuous cracks up a steep wall, while Will attacked the incredible arete of Turning of the Tide (*** 30m 22). This route is at the very end of the wall, where the ledge is at its narrowest and the exposure from the 60m lower cliff at its highest! Even better, the climbing itself is amazing, with a steep burly start, and the final-moves crux preceded by almost 20m of wonderful sustained arete climbing without rest - awesomely pumpy! Some brain strain must have come with the pump, leading to a hidden foothold being forgotten on the crux and a whistling clean fall back down past a few bolts - raising the question: is a winger "silent" if its too windy for your belayer to hear?! Meanwhile Rob led Nicola up the impressive clean square corner of Man Overboard (** 25m 16), after which Will had a successful second attempt at Turning of the Tide, which Ben enjoyed on second (all the while hoping that the antics of the seals below weren't detracting from Will's belaying!).

Monday was the last climbing day for most of us, and the morning saw some concentrated efforts before we hit the road. Ben and Heather climbed the instant classic Hello Dolly (** 30m 18), with the impossible looking blank section yielding to fabulous moves between hidden pockets. Rob and Rod climbed Urban Spaceman (*** 30m 14). Meanwhile Will and Nicola went to sample a unique aspect of Pt Perp - the lower tier seaside cliffs! Raptures Wall was the destination, with careful rope management required to abseil to the desired belay without dropping any rope in the deep water surging a few metres below! Raptures of the Deep (*** 25m 15) was a wonderful introduction to this wall, with plenty of jugs leading up a vertical arete with 270 degree water views (this route would also be very tempting to Mexican cliff divers!). For the final route of the weekend Will and Ben did Time and Tide (*** 25m 20), also on Raptures Wall. Seconding this route is probably more committing than leading, with the belay ledge so low it's barely out of reach of the enormous heaving swells! Oh, and the route itself is just another classic, on bullet-hard compact orange sandstone, with an overhung finale taking you dangling out above the water below!

Right Pic: Bew Wright seconding Will Monks on the stunning arete of "Turning Of The Tide" (22). Photo by Heather Murray.

So what's the verdict on the Point? The sandstone is of excellent quality (at least where routes have been put up!), and is very cleanly jointed to form gorgeous square corners, splitter cracks, soaring right-angled aretes, and expansive clean sheer faces, usually a few degrees either side of vertical. Exposure is a big ingredient on the Pt Perp menu, and even away from the cracks and corners, opportunities for natural protection are surprisingly good. A great feature is the wonderful "Point Perp pockets" (formed from erosion of brachiopod fossils), which accept cams of all sizes, and often provide for amazingly varied and moderate moves up otherwise impassable swathes of blank rock. The steep angle of many routes and constant exposure usually leaves you both mentally and physically frazzled by the end of the day, but ultimately that's just as rewarding as the abundant aquatic wildlife and the amazing climbing. Simply, it's one of the finest crags I have had the pleasure of climbing.

Will Monks

TORCHED! was one of the many words that sprang to mind as we approached Curiosity Crag on the Saturday morning of the VCC weekend. The landscape was like the inside of yesturday's BBQ, put out with left over beer or something smelling like it. It was hard to believe this wasteland was the thickly vegetated bush of a few weeks ago. Some recent "controlled burning" had taken place or so it was rumoured.

Pic: Rob Booth, climbing at Curisoity Crag.

Still, despite the weather forecast for 'flood', an optimistic group of 20 climbers turned up at the crag. Neil Monteith had gathered together his troops at the crack of dawn easing the congestion on the popular warm ups. Joe, Hanh and the tall guy with short arms (Francis?) were working "the Generator"(22), voted most popular route of the day; Mike Wust, Kevin Lindorff and Jeremy Boreham turning up fashionably late, just had time to jump on before the rain really set in. "Bug Powder Dust"(18) saw several assents and "Careful With That Axe.. Liam"(23) (three stars) was also conquered by Neil and Tim.

Will Monks made short work of "Sticky Beak" an ordinary 17 with a loose block that Nic Cotton enjoyed seconding. Ben Wright and Heather braved the second assent of "Bird Nest Soup" now regraded 16, not 14. Steve Chapman and Robin Holmes completed a new route further up the chasm "A Bridge Too Far" (aptly named by Ross Timms) ".. give those calves a good stretch or even grow an inch or two" being the sage advise. As the rain continued "Tarzan's Swing" proved a popular distraction with Neil, Robin and Michael O'Reilly providing the entertainment. Because of it's acute angle it was dry with only their left hand in water, which didn't seem to deter them.

The crowds began to thin after lunch with just the desperados hanging around on the lower end of the dry overhanging climbs... Around 5pm the rain began to ease in time to get back to camp, dry out and get wet on the inside instead. Steve and Robin were left behind while checking out new routes, access being much improved without any vegetation left in the way. We eventually noticed they were missing and returned to collect them (almost literally) when the great lumbering bulk of the Toyota got away from Ross in the mud, some ambidextrous driving avoided them.

Robin, now an official member of the CFA took care of the bonfire, everyone basking in its glow along with the inner warmth provided by red wine and that of a good day despite Noah's Arc docking at the crag in the afternoon. Sunday saw a division into two factions, those going on to Red Rocks and those returning to Curiosity Crag to settle some unfinished business, optimistically thinking they could do the two-crags-in-a-day thing.

Ramon Francis and his energetic team of enthusiastic youths arrived just before us. They did a couple of warm up routes, Big Nose (18) and Sticky Beak (will they never learn) and went on to tick their two new sports climbs to the right of Tarzan's Swing, "Densei" 15m (24) by Ramon, Philip Bogenschütz and Brendon Abernethy and "The Organiser" 12m (25) by Brendon, buckets of fun.

Another highlight of the afternoon was Steve continuing his dominance of the red wall by ticking "Screaming Trees" now 26, (originally conceived and bolted by Steven Wilson). It really was a day of 'New Route Fever'; Will putting up a variant finish to "Bug Powder"(seconded by Cameron and Michael) "I'm Black and I'm Proud" 20, as well as ticking "Liam". Robin finally finished his project, (giving that lonely bolt a raison d'etre) an out-of-"Controlled Burn" 22. Rounding off the day rather nicely, Rob Booth and Ross put in some 'real climbing' with a variant to "Screaming Trees" at grade 21. By 4.30 pm everyone was pretty exhausted from all the feverish activity. Apologies to Neil and the gang for not coming to play at Red Rocks, heard that you still managed to have a had a good day without us, doing the first assent of "Static Ticking" (22).

Many thanks goes to Steve Chapman for organising the weekend orgy of new routing and everyone for coming along and having a great time.

Jill Gara 28/10/03

I recently joined the VCC to climb with and learn from experienced climbers as I have only been climbing a short period of time. My first VCC trip to Wabbit Wocks at Mount Alexander was quite enjoyable, and I immediately learnt that the climbers in the VCC are more than happy to share their knowledge.

Richard Eustace (trip leader of WW) mentioned the up-coming Mt Buffalo trip and hooked me up with Michelle as she too was to attend the trip. The week before the VCC trip to Mt Buffalo, Michelle and I finally met at the Gym and immediately started to make arrangements. Prior to our first meeting, we had been chatting on the emails.

Pic: Anita, right, and (partner in crime) Michelle. Photo by Jack Lewis

On Thursday night, I packed for the Mt Buffalo trip. After speaking with Michelle and Richard during the week, we organised what to bring, what to borrow, whom to borrow it off etc. I was sooooo excited; I haven't been camping since grade 6!!

On Friday I was with clients all day, all I would do was talk about the up coming trip. I was meant to organise with the manager to leave early on Friday during that week. We were so occupied with work that I never had the chance to, so I rang him on his moby on Friday morning and asked if I could leave at 3, since we worked through lunch during the week, and did overtime. He said that was fine, and he too was happy for me for attending the trip. Naturally I left at about 2:15pm, rushed to the chemist, bought some finger tape and headed home. Had a shower, packed the car and headed to Michelle's place. I arrived there late (we were meant to leave at 4:30pm) ... I hate traffic. On the way to Michelle's my cool friend Richard Pike rang me and said that he wasn't able to make the trip because of work commitments. That was crap; he really would have liked Mt Buffalo.... besides I had to borrow a sleeping bag off of him!

Michelle and I then headed to Eddie Rawlins' place, as we were to grab a ride in his land cruiser. Eddie had a spare down bag for me to use (phew…). As we headed to Mt Buffalo, we stopped by the bottle shop and bought some wine, I'm told an essential item climbers never should forget while camping …how right they were!!

The drive took 4 hours before we arrived at the campsite on Mt Buffalo. Couldn't really see a great deal on the roads as it was dark, but we did spot a wombat that we nearly hit!! We arrived there at about 10pm. We set up tents; I introduced myself to a few other VCC members, chatted for a bit and went to bed.

The next morning me and a few others helped Eddie set up the Tarp, had brekkie and decided where to go for the day. We decided to head to Catani Crags, about half hours walk to the granite boulders ... I like granite (I know … I'm weird)!!

During the drive to Mt Buffalo, Eddie told me about the destruction that was left behind by the fires early in the year. It was evident on the way to Catani in that it was still very bare, almost 'zombie' like and the re growth had just started.

We set down our gear, and then Michelle led a multipitch (MY FIRST MULTIPITCH!!!!.....only 2 though!!), called 'Stand on My Hands' 40m 17, I cleaned. The start was quite fun, following up a flake, some layback to a very thin for gear crux of the first pitch, Michelle then helped me attach myself to her anchor to be safe for me to belay her for the second pitch.

We then decided to do the second pitch of a climb that was 1m to the left of Stand on My Hands called 'Keep Yourself Nice' 10m 14. An awesome crack, perfect for feet jamming!!! I lost some skin on my fists while fist jamming, it actually reminded me of a butt-crack cause it was 2 sheer granite walls with a huge crack in the middle!! We then walked down around the boulders to the bottom.

Michelle and Alison then did another multipitch, while I walked around with Jack, and looked for a climb that had a weird but interesting description in the guidebook. We walked and scrambled amongst boulders for about half an hour and couldn't find it, so we headed back to the others. The VCC president, Tony, pointed us in the right direction.

We finally found the climb and Jack led it beautifully, it was called 'Moose Direct' 20m 12. Bridging start, layback up the crux and juggy finish, quite nice!! I tied in second and cleaned; Michelle tied in the other end of the rope and had a go.

Pic: Anita on Moose Direct 20m, 12. Photo by Michelle Newman

The next climb we eyed was called 'Fractured Fairytales' 20m 15. It had a huge gap between a ledge and the start of the climb, so it was quite a stretch/reach to the base of the climb. Michelle did an awesome job leading this; the crux was quite thin and with 2 bolt runners.

She made it to the top and set up belay. It was my turn next, I was quite hesitant, looking at the length of stretch needed to the start of this climb, and so I attempted it, and backed off ... Was not confident to pull myself up on thin bits to the start of the climb.

Jack then seconded, re-clipped and cleaned some gear. I was standing in the shade then came closer to see how Jack got through the first bit ... I think then my determination started to kick in, so I had another attempt.

This time we improvised and I stood on some bloke's shoulders and bridged across to the start of the climb!! It was soooo thin around the start, I hung onto the first quick draw, eventually made it to the top using the really positive side pulls towards the end of the climb, and was happy that I went through with it; otherwise I would have been disappointed in myself....

About 3:15pm, we headed back to camp for lunch. Michelle, Jack and I were still very keen to have another climb. While we were chatting with Aaron who has been climbing at Mt Buffalo before, he told us about an interesting climb that was kinda down the gorge, so we headed there.

It was a 10 min drive to the Chalet on the plateau of the mountain, we then walked past the lookout, past the hang-gliders ramp overlooking the gorge to a solid looking tree. Aaron told us before hand that we rap down to the climb, but I must have missed the bit where he said 'We have to rap off a tree for 20m' !!!!!

Aaron then set up the rap station and one by one we abseiled down some slimy shrubbery growing on the granite to a really small ledge, some parts were unstable with dirt and rock falling off into the gorge. Michelle ripped her pants on the rap down by some stupid branch that decided to go up her ass!!!! Each of us tied either on to a tree on the ledge or in some gear at the bottom of the climb to remain safe.

The climb was awesome, probably the highlight of the whole trip for me!! It's called 'Fat Wall Ordinaire Banana Blase' 25m 16.

The start was tricky, jamb a foot into a crack to start some extreme layback moves using a positive flake for the first 9m or so.....extremely pumpy with no rest points!! Then traverse left to hold onto a massive jug via an under cling, then up a bit, traverse right - climbing diagonally up to another under cling, a bit more right, up a crack using foot jambs to a knobby finish relying on the feet mostly as the climb curved over. It was soooooo fantastic!! Michelle took some sequence photos of me on this climb.

Pic: View from top of Gorge. Jack (front), Aaron (behind). Photo by Anita Sharma

Aaron lead this like a pro, Michelle seconded and re-clipped, the rope was then lowered down, I was third so I cleaned some gear (cams and nuts in cracks) and left some for Jack cause I re-clipped at the crux. We all were soooo thrilled we came to climb this awesome crack with an awesome view of the gorge!!!! I absolutely loved it!!

It was about 7'ish but still daylight, we headed back to camp for dinner, beers and wine, socialising and a nice warm camp fire. Was a really nice night, I met some more VCC members, pretty friendly bunch.

The next morning, we started to pack because we had to be out of the campsite before lunch. We then headed to a crag called 'Dreamworld', towards the top of the mountain. By this time we were about 1650m above sea level!! The drive was about half an hour further up the mountain to the Horn lookout, past the Cathedral Crag of which some of the boys went to the day before.

The walk in was quite yuck, stepping over huge boulders with huge drops either side of them....made me really nervous, I reckon I almost poo'd my pants!! Michelle, Tony and Geoff set up anchors as the first climb was in between 2 slabs (ie a wide gap between the 2) up a vertical slab with a drop on the other side. This was set up in case someone fell from the top, then they wouldn't fall too far as there would be tension from the belayer and the anchor.

This particular climb was in between 2 boulders of which bridging was needed in like up a chimney which was the crux. It was called 'Beware the Strathbogie' 15m 12. Very scary wide bridging to excellent positive mushroom type features sticking out of the rock. It actually looked like some sort of formation, but it's just the granite boulder ... Geoff led this one really well and set up belay from the top.

Michelle seconded and cleaned some gear while leaving some just past the crux. I was third, but needed heaps of encouragement to bridge up given my experience on Fractured Fairy Tale. But it was pretty good. Michelle again took some sequence shots of me doing this. If you can picture it.... it was like in between 2 walls with blue sky overhead and the sun just peering over.... impressive!! Jack and Heather then had a go. Michelle went and did a 16 around the other side of the slab called 'Buffalo Soldier' 18m, 16.

Pic: Michelle on Buffalo Soldier 15m, 16. Photo by Anita Sharma

It was about early arvo and we were talking about heading back to Melbourne. While eating a bit of lunch, Michelle and I decided that she would belay me up the same 16 that she did earlier, as it was now set up on top rope by Will. 'Buffalo Soldier' 18m, 16 was quite technical I thought and quite crimpy in some parts with really good jugs in others. We had to leap onto the climb from a ledge and used a layback method to reach the first jug, then to the side pulls, crimpers and knobby bits for feet etc. Took me a while on this one, as I think I might have gotten a little off route ... and was quite pooped at this stage.

We then packed up and headed home ... we stopped at a few places to look at other parts of the mountain, which was nice. While driving back along the highway, the land cruiser started to suddenly slow down, none of us took notice of the petrol gauge…we had run out!! It took us a while before we worked it out too!! Eddie then put the land cruiser in diesel mode and we were off again!! We took at least 30 photos on the trip, I probably took about 15 or so, I soooo need a digital camera as day 2 of our trip is still in the camera!!!

What a fantastic trip!!! I was soooo excited to go, and so glad that I did.

Anita Sharma

---

home / about / argus / trips & meetings / why join VCC? / how to join / courses
guidebooks / documents / access / gallery / trip reports
links / supporters / contact / new routes

All material on this site © Victorian Climbing Club Incorporated unless otherwise indicated.