Bungonia Gorge Guide

Prominent overhanging flake feature, with a hard (bolt protected) boulder problem to gain the crack proper, and a bold finish up high.

Access via a short choss corner (2 bolts) and traverse right on a ledge to a single bolt belay below the main line.

Bring a double rack 0.3-4.

Named for both the nearby eyesore, and the god-tier hyperbole of some local crag police.

Start at the extreme left hand end of the North Wall below a water polished buttress with a small roof at 10m. This is about 200m downstream of the red track. Climb to the roof and get some threads. Pull over this and up to a tree belay.

Start up the water groove to the tree, then crimp up past the hanging roots to chain.

Not often repeated, but would probably be a fun (if somewhat botanical) adventure with a bit of a makeover.

1. 30m (17) Up the easy white corner to a tree and then traverse right to a ledge belay.

2. 45m (19) Cut back leftwards and continue up flakes, scoops and greenery to a good stance.

3. 45m (16) Climb the ledges and scoops and trees leftwards to a tree belay.

A pleasant climb of sensible length, which features perfect belay stances and a spectacular second pitch. Start 5m right of the whitish R-facing corner of Green Peace. Take a single set of wires, a set of cams to #3 camalot, and maybe extra finger-hand cams. The crux pitch is fond of yellow aliens. Millions of threads, so sling up like there's no tomorrow. Two ropes needed to rap off.

1. 30m (19) Boulder onto the bobbly lump and up past a bolt to leftwards diagonal seam. At the overlap/break at about 15m, ignore your instincts and step rightwards to find a hidden gear slot. Easier climbing past a second bolt (wander around for gear) leads to the belay hole with a single tree poking out. Excellent threads can be found deep in the back of the bunghole.

2. 25m (23) One of the best pitches at Bungonia. Glorious steep jugs and good gear interrupted by a bolted bouldery crux. There's a gear slot between the bolts which is handy for dogging (twist a #6 wallnut or something similar in there). Very comfortable belay hole.

3. 30m (19) Left out of the hole and ramble up the easy slab (beware of loose crap off to the sides). Follow the threads up steepening wall to bolted bouldering. After the last bolt, climb up and right to find hidden gear in a big pocket, then step right to the bolted belay in a bunghole (shared with The Bachelor).

4. 45m (15) Shared with The Bachelor. Step left off the belay, then wander up the pleasant easy slab passing about three bolts and bunch of gear slots.

Three abseils to the ground (45m, 25m, 50m).

A superb direct route to the top of the wall, with a mega second pitch. Similar in difficulty and commitment to Strangeness, but with comfortable belay stances the whole way. Take a single rack (maybe double up on red and yellow camalots), heaps of draws and slings, and double ropes.

1. 20m (20) Start at a honeycombed wall 2m left of a glassy left-facing corner. Up delicately to an excellent horizontal gear slot at 4.5m, then boulder leftwards onto jugs. Up to a pod at 10m (look for a bomber wire in a white slot to the left), clip the high bolt (short climbers should bring one of those reachy-clippy draws) and boulder to easier ground. Belay off threads or trees in an amazing big hole (don't use up too much rope!).

2. 58m (21) Spectacular! 9 or 10 bolts, but rather spicy nonetheless. All the bolts have good clipping holds, which should reduce the stress somewhat. Step rightwards out of the belay and boulder up to a good thread (back clean any gear below the thread to make things easier for your belayer). Wander up steepening ground past bolts and the occasional gear slot. When the bolts run out, trend left slightly to a stance with threads and wires at 50m (optional belay). Step left aiming for a high final bolt, taking care with hollow suspect mega-flakes. Pull over the bulge and up past a couple of cam pockets to a hilarious belay hole. (Using the optional belay allows one to watch the leader through the slightly sketchy stuff at the top of this pitch. The leader can then link into the last pitch.)

3. 45m (15) Shared with Right in the Bunghole. Step left off the belay then wander up easy slab past three bolts and a bunch of gear slots.

Rap down Right in The Bunghole (45m, 25m, 50m).

Large sized choss glazed with micro-choss, utterly petrifying.

1. 20m (19) "Up the thin wall to the big ledge." Nobody can work out where this pitch goes. Nothing in the area looks remotely sensible as a ground up boltless onsight. 80s climbers were tough!

2. 45m (20) Follows discontinuous crack features up dirty rock with a few death-blocks thrown in. The belay/rap is a bunch of archaic slings tied through a massive bombproof thread.

1. 20m (17) Same as Rum, Bum and Gramophones pitch 1. When at the big ledge walk left to belay at the prominent flake.

2. 40m (21) All natural. Climb the flake then traverse left to easier ground. Now straight up to tree belay.

3. 30m (14) Follow ledges and scoops and belay where convenient.

4. 25m (12) Continue rightwards to 5th belay of 'Strangeness and Charm'.

Classic jug pulling in places, wandering and scary in others.

Starts under the right side of a big ledge at 20m, in rather vegetated terrain.

1. 20m (17) Up to belay on right side of big ledge.

2. 45m (21) Ape up some wild jugs for 8m (bomber threads). Step right and move up leaving the steep ground and good holds for tenuous slabbing. Follow a series of snaking grooves (sparse protection) to belay in a recess (thread and sapling).

3. 40m (20) Continue straight up for 4m then left to the buttress. Follow the loose corner system on its left side. Look for a good stance at 40m.

4. 30m (12) Finish more easily to the 5th belay on Strangeness and Charm.

Take the right side of the steepening buttress and follow it to connect with the final crux on Strangeness and Charm. Belay at the bathtub on the top of pitch 4 of Strangeness.

Start from the top of pitch 2 of Rum, Bum and Gramophones.

Takes a line left of Strangeness and Charm all the way.

1. 45m (24) Climb easily to a bulge and then move through it with caution to a bolt, then onwards to another bolt on top of a flake. Step down and teeter leftwards for several metres (24) to reach flake on left. Move leftwards into a groove and continue up past another bolt with some interesting moves on flakes to gain the bolt belay on right.

2. 45m (21) Up more easily to the top of the flake and traverse horizontally right for 3m. Keep moving up trending right past a few flakes to the 3rd belay on Strangeness.

3. 45m (22) Traverse back leftwards and upwards to a prominent spike and climb its left side on the steepening rock above. Place a good wire at the bulge and make a hard couple of moves to reach the 4th belay on Strangeness.

The left hand line through the overlap. Excellent. More committing than Wailing Cockatoo. 6 FHs in total. Rebolted 2012.

Direct through the small roof below the 2nd belay on 'Strangeness and Charm'. Rather extreme. Straight up to the roof using side runners. Slot a 1 friend in the roof, clip a bolt and swing over the roof (crux). Continue past three more bolts.

Probably the best single pitch that starts from ground level in the Gorge. It's THE way to do 'Strangeness and Charm' direct, a humdingin' pitch completely in keeping with the rest of Strangeness. There is a grade 22 and 24 variant.

Start directly under the 2nd belay on Strangeness, where an overlap at 12m decreases in size towards the right. Up the crack to large scoop (wires). A few more moves give way to a bolt. Get the hollow sounding flake above and trend leftwards past a bolt and straight up towards two more bolts which are 3m apart. Either whimp out left to connect with " Strangeness and Charm Direct DS" (grade 22) or directly upwards past a 4th bolt (grade 24).

A variant out of the bathtub belay on Strangeness, which makes a good direct finish to Wailing Cockatoo (or if you just want to try something different on your 50th lap of Strangeness).

P1 30m (21) Step right out of the bathtub and follow bolts and gear to mantle left into an aesthetically pleasing giant bunghole belay.

P2 35m (16) Right out of the hole, duck right under the shrubbery, then straight up the fun cruisy slab. Rap station is off to the left where the angle eases way back.

Excellent.

1. 20m (22) Thin wall climbing (4 bolts) leads to a cute belay in a scoop.

2. 25m (24) Leftwards up the slab to a bolt. Straight up to cross the 'Strangeness and Charm' traverse to a steep headwall. Straight up this past 2 more bolts to a belay chain.

3. 40m (23) Some delicate slabbing left from the belay leads to a bolt. Clip this and continue up past 3 more bolts and eventually stepping left to the 3rd belay on Strangeness.

Climbed onsight ground up with no pre-inspection. Thus it is scary, sustained and badly bolted. Admirable none the less.

1. 45m (22) Start directly below a niche and move out left and up the steep rock on good positive holds to reach the left end of a small ledge. Place a #3 friend in a hole, traverse right and up a small corner to reach the 1st belay of 'Strangeness and Charm'.

2. 20m (24) Straight up to a good wire placement in the overlap, move left and upwards to gain the prominent small corner. Continue up past a hard move to gain the hanging belay at a short crack.

3. 45m (24) A long pitch on natural gear. Climb the left side of the flake before traversing right to gain a series of pockets which lead to a solitary bolt up high. Hard moves past this to a bolt belay above.

4. 40m (22) Continue straight up past a few fixed wires to join 'Galactic Wanderer'.

Just right of 'Comet Chaser', a single pitch direct to the 1st belay of 'Strangeness and Charm'. The crux is at the bulge.

Really good climbing, with atmosphere. All new bolts now.

Start: Start below a short wide crack at the left edge of a treed ledge. If you are having problems finding the start and are unfamiliar with the gorge, walk across to the other side of the creek and suss out the route from there, the footpads of the traverse on pitch 2 are fairly obvious.

1. 45m (18) Up the crack, step right (wires) and up to a ledge and tree. Move left 3m and climb up to a scoop (wires). From the scoop continue left and up to the small belay ledge (two FHs). This pitch is quite runout.

2. 20m (18) Traverse left with trepidation past two spaced FHs and a medium cam slot to an assortment of vintage chains (hanging belay).

3. 35m (22) Up, follow the groove past three FH (crux) before crossing to the left side out of the crack (feels desperate) then up to belay stance. A stout and sustained pitch requiring a good rack inc slings for thread.

4. 20m (22) Left up flakes and up to a FH, move rightwards over the bulge (crux) past carrot bolt and FH and then trend left up to the awesome bathtub cave belay (rap chain).

5. 30m (19) Up to a bolt before slabbing left and down to shallow dusty groove, up this to another bolt then trend left through the steep bulge on jugs. "No-one bothers with this pitch" - actually, quite a lot of people do it, it's not bad. Be aware that the abseil back to the 4th belay is a bit diagonal. There are now new chains a further 8m up and right at a stance giving a better rap line down.

Good. If only the corner were 10 times as long.

Start: Start as for 'Strangeness and Charm'.

1. 40m (19) Up Strangeness to ledge and tree, follow it leftwards a few metres to scoop with wires. 'Galactic Wanderer' departs Strangeness here, and trends up and right past a bolt to a double bolt belay.

2. 20m (25) (Or 21M1) Up with care to a bolt at 8m, then slightly left to the overlap and more bolts. Either aid up and left or pull impossible looking moves to the base of the dihedral (the last bolt is hidden behind a bush). Bridge up the corner (wires) to the belay.

3. 50m (21) With care up and right to a bolt, over a terrifyingly poised and dangerous flake. Up past another two bolts and trend leftwards to the belay.

4. 50m (20) Continue a leftward trend aiming for the protruding grass tree above.

A more direct start to 'Galactic Wanderer'. Looks runout.

Start: Start about 5m right of 'Strangeness and Charm'.

1st line of fixed hangers to the right of the start of strangeness

1. 36m (21) Really good climbing and worth doing as a single pitch. Follow up the Fixe hangers to chains (some long slings are helpful). Lowering off using al 70m rope will JUST make it down to the ground.

2. 35 m (27) Solid climbing that would give an impressive on-sight. Follow the steel to finish at a semi-hanging belay. Originally done without the last bolt.

3. -m (30) Sail out into the slab with solid sustained climbing on a long pitch.

An old Andrew Bull/Tony Barton project cleaned up and finished by Graham Fairbain. Climb details to be verified. At least 6 pitches - crux pitch of 26/27. Sport route on fixed hangers.

Please note that the description and grades are preliminary only.

You'll need two ropes to get down. It is possible to retreat from any of the belays. The rap line, however, does not not follow the route directly (i.e., you can't easily stop at pitches 2 or 3 on the way down because the pitches above them traverse and they are steepish. So best not to leave stuff you want to collect on the way down at these belays (e.g., don't leave your extra clothes etc. in the hole!).

Start: Line of hangers to the right of 'Big, Dark and Mysterious'.

1. 20m (18) Start in short open corner and head up following bolts. A small/medium nut reduces the runout up the slab. Belay on bolts just below the first overlap.

2. 20m (23) Cruxy. Out roof (crux) and up slabby wall. Continue past rap anchor and two more bolts to bolted belay up under the second overlap. It may be more comfortable to belay at the rap anchor - it gives a better view of the next pitch.

3. 25m (26) Traverse left from the belay to the stalagtite and out the overlap. Into the corner to the right, up a couple of metres and head left and up following bolts. Belay in the big hole. Great climbing!

4. 45m (23) A great, sustained pitch. Out of the belay hole to the left and follow bolts up. At about the half-way mark is an obvious thread that may make the run out a bit more comfortable, it requires a 120cm sling. Where the bolts trend right, use a couple of long slings to reduce drag. At about 35m, clip a bolt to the right (long sling) and head up and left easily to the belay.

   Be cautious rapping from here - if you thread all three bolts the rope may not pull. Rap to anchor on ledge 10m left of the third belay. Rap again to station halfway up Pitch 2, and again to the ground.

5. 20m (25) Up yellow powdery corner system. After corner bust right to chains (don’t pull the block off!)

6. 28m (21) Continue up corner via some cool moves and terrible rock to finish at chains. Rap route.

The overhanging line.

1. 20m (25) Up past the overhanging block (crux) to gain the tree belay above.

2. 25m (20) Up the wall past a bolt and a series of chicken heads to hanging double bolt belay.

Hard and amazing for its day. Still amazing.

1. 50m (22) A hard start with no gear gives way to a good short crack higher up. Now move left across the void and up into a shallow groove with a piton. Continue up to gain the top of a small pedestal. Natural belay.

2. 25m (22) Directly up to a bolt/stud before dropping down to traverse out right to gain a groove. Upwards, then bridging, to a double bolt belay.

1. 40m (22) As for Morgan Mortimer to the stance on top of a small block.

2. 40m (21) Gain the traverse weakness out right and continue until forced to drop down to the big ledge and tree to belay.

3. 40m (22) Start right of the tree. Up on small holds for a few metres before heading left a short way. Then up and right to the belay.

4. 40m (21) (21M1) Straight up on pockets before going to aid for 5 moves because of calcified rock. Continue up over chicken heads to thread belay.

5. 35m (21) Continue up groove and flake system then horizontally right to sapling. Follow the weakness upwards before being forced to move left around an awkward groove. Hanging stance on the left with rap anchor.

Connects 'Jewel Box' to 'Coal Sack'.

1. 42m (23) Up 'Jewel Box' to hanging belay in large scoop just below the cave.

2. 50m (22) Traverse leftwards until the holds runout and you are forced to do a tension traverse to gain more holds and join the 3rd pitch of 'Coal Sack'.

3. 40m (21) (21M1) Same as 'Coal Sack' pitch 4.

4. 35m (21) Same as 'Coal Sack' pitch 5.

Starts 5m left of Jewel Box

1. (25) 30m Sort of popular as a wet weather single pitch. Start on the grungy looking slab left of the corner to a 5m roof then pull the lip and pump on till the ledge. One of the best pitches from the gorge floor.

2. (24) 40m Continue up on bolts that snake around, take 2 long runners. Finish under the little orange roof.

3. (23) 15m A short pitch. Pull the roof then great sustained climbing till the semi hanging belay.

Hard and sustained, start a few metres right of the overhang on bolts. Goes up 6 pitches and nicely run out at times. A small rack can lessen run outs.

Sustained and strenuous, a classic. Protection is hard to place on the first pitch, and friends have been known to pull out of glassy placements. Fantini himself now says he would not lead pitch 1 again due to the extreme danger of the first 18m. Take it easy.

1. 50m (23) Start on the left edge of the cave. An unprotected start leads to a #3 friend at 9m. Move left around bulge to a steep wall with a fixed sling. Thin moves up this to a ledge (crux) and a no hands rest. Teeter left to surmount the block and then up to a small cave. More sustained but well protected climbing brings you to the belay cave.

2. 50m (23) Lean back and place a wire just above the cave. Step down and traverse leftwards for a few moves and then follow a line of holds to the roof. There is a 2/2.5 friend up high and to the left as well as a fixed pin. Head right through the roof to a rest. Easier climbing leads to a stance at 50m with two bolts.

3. 50m (21) Take the rising groove to the left and continue up leftwards in a rising arc to a block in the overlap. Pull the overlap and continue up a few metres before traversing left to the groove. Up the groove (wires) until it is possible to traverse out left to a bolt rap station.

Start: Start 6m right of 'Jewel Box'.

1. 35m (29) Excellent sustained climbing on bolts to the little cave above with a fixed anchor.

2. 25m (21) (21M1) Straight up the groove past many bolts to a belay underneath the roof.

3. 40m (22) (22M1) Aid through the roof to wall above, then move right to flake. Up through the overlap then left and up to a niche and bolt belay.

4. 25m (19) Move left and up to the buttress above on beautiful rock. The route finishes at the bottom of the impossible looking buttress. Bolts to rap off.

Fantastic rock and sustained. 12 bolts on the white wall.

"A fun day out"

1. 31 As for Teflon

2. 24

3. 28

4. 29

5. 27

Between Teflon and Olympus mons. Finish at Teflon anchor.

Has this had a second ascent? Covers mind boggling terrain.

Takes all the orange overhanging corners at the downstream end of the north wall. All belays are on bolts.

1. 40m (26) Start at the overhanging crack/roof and cruise through to the wall and cave above. Out over the cave lip and trend diagonally right to a bolt belay.

2. 40m (21M1) Surmount overlap and traverse left. Aid up bolts over another overlap, ho-hum, to finish up a crack and the next niche belay.

3. 30m (22) Crack and slab above and move right and up a steep little buttress to gain the belay.

4. 40m (23) Step right and over the bulge to gain the big corner. Continue up to the 3 bolts which traverse right across a little orange face to the lip of the overhang. Now up the crack to the belay.

5. 30m (21) Up the orange rock to a bolt. Traverse left at the line to gain a steep groove and bulge which leads to a belay ledge.

6. 40m (22) This pitch is on beautiful grey slabby rock. Start in the corner and take a leftwards sloping crack to gain the vertical groove which leads to easier ground and trees.

Probably good for sussing out the hard stuff below. Pitch 1 is not great.

1. 50m (19) Start at the very downstream end of the roofs. Up choss to a tree.

2. 35m (20) Scoops cracks and ledge left to tree belay.

3. 30m (17) Leftwards past a tree to a good stance.

4. 30m (16) Traverse left to 2nd belay on 'Jewel Box'.

5. 40m (21) Up 'Jewel Box' for 5m then diagonally left to the 4th belay on 'Coal Sack'.

6. 35m (21) Same as 'Coal Sack' pitch 5.

Great climbing on the wall just right of 'Olympus Mons'.

Start 60m right of 'Olympus Mons' at the toe of the wide prominent buttress. No bolts. Scary.

1. 45m (14) Wander up the buttress to belay at a ledge.

2. 50m (17) Continue up the buttress to a tree belay.

3. 40m (22) Scary and hard. Follow the line to the steep wall right of the prominent corner. Up the wall trending rightwards on the obvious, steep line of holds. Belay at a grasstree after the wall kicks back.

4. 35m (18) Up the slab to rejoin the very loose corner. Belay at a fixed hex up high. Rap the route to retreat.

Three pitches of epic hard climbing - bolted ground up. Starts as for Finger Lickn' Good but continues up and left.

1. 60m (27)

2. 55m (32) Is this the longest hard pitch in Oz?

3. 40m (?) The crux pitch?

The left line. Sustained blocky edges and sidepulls with a rooflet in the middle. A bit dirty but good climbing. Needs more traffic!

The right line. 11 bolts.

This route is the furthest downstream, about 2m left of the Pulsar corner.

1. 25m (24) A wide bridge across to a bolt (hanger and nut missing - 2014). Sustained climbing past 5 more FHs. Chain belay.

2. 25m (21) A fun pitch with good pro. Up the crack then left to a bolt, traverse left and up a slippery wall to a ledge. Rap off tree.

Nice low angle trad route with mostly good gear. Should be more popular - possibly the best easy trad route in the gorge?

1. 20m (18) Bridge across from the large boulder until the subtle corner crack can be gained. Up this until it ends, then traverse left to flake and up it to left end of small ledge and rap/belay bolts.

2. 25m (18) Continue up trad protected corner crack until it ends then step left and delicately up to a small tree and bizarre but bomber rap anchor.

The route is set up so it can be rapped in from the top with DRBB the whole way, bring 2 x 70m for this. It will provide access to a large section of this wall that has lots of rock. The 1st pitch and pitch12 (rap in).have been sent and are ok to climb, but rest is a closed project. Will be 12 pitches, equaling Red Supergiant one of the longest routes in the Gorge. Pitches 2-11 are currently being cleaned and bolted so stay off please.

1. 20m (22) Start as for Pulsar for first couple of metres then step right to smaller right facing flake and U-bolt. Up flake and wall above to small ledge and belay/rap anchors. This pitch is all bolts. 6 in total.

2. 40m () Bolted finger crack weakness just right of Pulsar corner then slab and back into trad protected finger crack to under bulge. Over bulge with difficulty (bolts) and up technical slab to right leading flake feature and juggier wall to belay ledge on the left and rap belay/rapp anchor. 11 bolts on this pitch.

3. 30m () Straight up slab above then trend left to arete. Up this onto wall with a hard move back left at the jugs and poor rock. A fixed sling helps a hard to clip bolt. Finish up juggy wall to large ledge and belay/rap anchors.

4. 15m () Easy slab up and left to base of monster tufa and headwall.

5. 40m () Stem up monster tufa right trending right then L to hanging belay, mega pitch. Will be hard!

6. 15m () From hanging belay head up and R to ledge

7. 20m () Easy crack then chossy easy corner going up and right to large dirty ledge. All bolts.

8. 40m () Up nice grey and orange rock to belay on small ledge below crack and corner.

9. 15m () Follow crack and corner to step up L at the top of corner to a sloping ledge and DRBB.

10. 20m (22-24?) Steep face on big holds and scooped pockets to ledge and DRBB.

11. 20m (23-25?) Some awkward chimneying and strenuous moves abound

12. 20m (23) Small holds to start on the arete leads to some stemming up the R leading corner to the top and the final moves of bliss to the top anchors MB, LD 21 June 2015.

13. 5m (1) Best to stay roped and sling around a tree to keep things safe.

The next line right with four spaced FHs. Apparently there is no rap anchor so after the last bolt and below the overlap traverse left a long way to rap anchors above Pulsar.

The grotty slab next right.

Up the slab past three bolts to ledge and tree.

Can be used as a variant start to Red Supergiant.

1. 40m (21) Up the thin crack and wall to overlap. Follow the line leftwards and up past a fixed peg to a ledge and tree. Now either take the crack above all the way or merge into the left crack. Finish easily up the arete to a good stance with bolts.

2. 25m (17) Move up the right side of the arete and continue trending right to the 2nd belay on Red Supergiant.

An alpine mega classic. Long loose and natural. Finishes at the highest point on the cliff, the Cooee Lookdown. Take plenty of long slings and big friends.

Start: A chipped square marks the start.

1. 45m (20) Delicate moves up the slab to a series of ledges. Move leftwards into the corner and up it. A steep pull onto the ledge leads to the anchors.

2. 45m (20) Up 2m, then follow holds leading right. Continue right to a corner in the overlap (wires). Over this (crux) to easier ground and tree. Trend leftwards, through overlap at 6m, then onto belay 8m above.

3. 50m (16) Left to a corner, up this and through the overlap. Up the ramp to a tree.

4. 50m (12) Scrub bash up the ramp to a tree.

5. 45m (13) Deciding when to move right is tricky. Up for 10m. Move right on ledges, over and across some loose big blocks, moving horizontally right. Belay at the top of a block at the foot of the orange rock with some corners above.

6. 30m (18) Much steeper, but well protected. Step right and up the corner. Over some choss, left a touch then up the next corner to belay.

7. 50m (20) This pitch wanders, is fairly run out, and has a hard pockety start. Beware rope drag. Up over the bulge and trend right. Weave rightwards to avoid the very steep stuff, then step up and trend horizontally left to the splitter crack. Follow this corner up, then step right onto the ramp and set up belay in the cave.

8. 50m (17 M1) (17A1) Scramble rightwards past a large stalactite to the end of the ramp. Drop down and right to a ledge at the base of the corner with the bolt in it. Aid past the bolt to a high #4 friend. This can be freed at grade 23. Pull onto easy ground and up this to a big overhang with large pockets. Move delicately up and rightwards onto the wall. Go up and over right to a #4 tube chock in a neat pocket. Now up the corner to the old lookout.

An awesome excursion taking the line of most resistance up the tallest section of the south wall. The route takes in some wild and physical territory as it journeys up the wall to its final crux just below the rim of the gorge. Starts on the clean section of slab a short distance right of the base of Red Supergiant and just before the base of the wall becomes a jungle. It is easily identified by the stainless steel fixed hangers meandering up the slab and into the steepness beyond.

1. 23

2. 24

3. 28

4. 27

5. 23

6. 23

7. 26

8. 29

9. 20

Takes a line through the big orange overhang left of its apex.

1. 25/26

2. 23

3. 20

4. 28? The pitch through the huge orange overhang.

From the ledge up through the rooflet and the wall above.

Starts left of Nitro Express. From the river bed skirt up and along a ledge to near its end. All bolts and for Bungonia very clean with little loose rock.

1. 30m 23 Follow line of bolts on the right to an overlap at half height with a heinous mantle (crux) then trend up and left to DBB next to bushes. Missing first bolt but one can stick clip the second bolt from the ledge.

2. 20m 21 Follow bolts up and left across slab then up and through the short steep wall to ledge and DBB.

   Move to anchors on the left of the ledge

3. 60m 22 up left of first bolt then follow bolts right then up a long slab and an orange tufa 10m below the overhang. At last bolt traverse right to the anchor at the DBB on ledge.

4. 30m 25 the Money pitch. Climb up the slab till the start of the steep rock, 3 bolts. Climb the juggy run out to the first bolt on the left. Follow very steep ground to mantle the tufa blob!. Jump off the tufa and follow the bolts up right then left to the ledge above. Long draws can help with rope drag (The tufas to the left is a different alt finish)

5. 20m 23 Climb the steep chimney and wall to a ledge. Head right and up the gap between the trees to a DBB. Could use a bolt to climb between ledges but is only grade 10.

   Head right along this ledge to a DRBB 10m.

6. 60m 22 follow the bolts to face crux moves and then wander to the top on easier terrain and DBB. Rope stretcher.

Variant to Air Malta overhang. Kia kaha is a Māori phrase used by the people of New Zealand meaning stay strong, used as an affirmation. The phrase has significant meaning for Māori: popularised through its usage by the 28th Māori Battalion during World War II, it is found in titles of books and songs, as well as a motto.

1. 30m (26) Amaze balls no rest till the end. Huge holds and huge moves.

2. 20m (27) Bouldery climbing to the crux tufa finish.

Awesome, can be combined with Screaming Tribesmen to make a sustained route to the top. Starts towards the left-hand end of a left-leaning ramp.

1. 25m (19) Up through the overlap past 2 bolts to the tree and belay.

2. 30m (22) Through the overhang on bolts and then on wires and bolts.

3. 15m (23) Up the corner, then move left to the tree belay.

4. 45m (23) Desperate moves through the bulge then up the slab. Either go right to the belay on 'Iron Curtain', or continue up through the stalactites to the belay at the base of the orange headwall.

As slippery as a butcher's dick.

Start 5m right of 'Nitro Express'.

Up the technical wall past 3 bolts to a good #2 Friend. Step left and pad your way left into the crack. Climb the crack and finish up past several more bolts. Belay on ledge to the left as for 'Nitro Express' P1.

A great route to start with in the gorge, but it only climbs halfway up the wall. Well protected and not too hard. If you are falling up it with your eyes closed try continuing up 'Screaming Tribesman' to top out.

1. 35m (21) The start is on the right hand end of a left-leaning ramp. Up a few moves, step right, clip a bolt, up to another bolt and a thin move to a pocket on the left. Now cruise through to a bolt belay behind the tree.

2. 30m (22) Move left for about 5m until reaching some bolts heading through an overlap. Straight up past the abseil chains and through another overlap to a corner. Some tricky moves to exit the corner on the left and up to a double bolt/friend belay.

3. 30m (22) Move left from the belay, slot in a wire then power on up the bulging wall and slab above. At about 25m clip a bolt and move right to a comfortable ledge belay. Can be combined with Pitch 4 with 50m ropes as a full 51m mega pitch.

4. 30m (18) A good pitch. Move back out left and up the slab to the stalactite and to some threads. Up these, then follow the bolts up and slightly left over some loose ground. Belay at the base of the headwall.

A rarely repeated long involved adventure with very tricky route finding, some choss rock and fiddly gear. Bring a full rack, doubles of everything and lots of tiny cams. Double ropes a must, even if you are just using them for retreat! It's much more consumer friendly, and a classic climb, if you do 'Iron Curtain' then pitches 6-9 of this route.

1. 35m (22) This first pitch was originally called 'Bob Yabbie' by visiting first ascentionists David Gilbert and Greg Coterill. Up the dirty badly protected slab to a bulge with a bolt. Difficult through the bulge, then more easily up the slabby cracks and pods (usually full of dirt) to a vegetated ledge with a bolt belay.

2. 25m (21) Directly up past the overlap to a hanging good double friend belay at 25m.

3. 20m (20) A good pitch. Short and interesting weaving up to a ledge and tree on the left.

4. 15m (17) Out right side of ledge and up flake for a few metres until you can traverse hard left to right edge of ledge. Belay off two fixed pins which need to be unearthed. Originally graded 12!

5. 40m (18) Was originally described as "interesting and varied" which translates into choss and danger. Climb directly up and leftwards on disintegrating slab to the tufa hole above. Sink the only good bit of gear on the pitch (3.5 friend) and continue up leftwards past dodgy chicken heads to traverse hard left over scary death flakes to DBB at the base of the orange headwall. Ignore bit of tat up high on traverse.

6. 22m (23) Kickarse. A brilliant pitch. Head up the right-hand weakness on good wires and cams, going for the 'thank god' squeeze chimney rest. Wriggle forth. DBB (fixed hangers) plus a U bolt on the left edge of the ledge.

7. 35m (25) (Or 22M1) This pitch traverses a long way right to the top of the pedestal on average rock, and then moves back left on the face above, finishing directly above the belay. Don't be fooled by the bolts leading directly up from the belay, these are for asteroids (25,26). From the top of the pedestal gymnastic moves past bolts and small cams lead to pockets out left and more bolts. Take care with the final moves (wires) to the DBB.

8. 40m (19) Wandering. Head up the wall on pockets. Move right several metres, bridge across a corner and keep moving up and right up the ramp to a thread and bolt belay.

9. 45m (15) Up following a corner system. Natural belay.

This route starts 5 pitches up the wall! Best accessed by climbing all of Iron Curtain, then pitch six of Screaming Tribesman. Asteroids starts at this belay.

1. 30m (26) Climb directly up off the belay following 6 Us and 5 old fixed hangers to a two U bolt belay on foot ledge. The route follows some of the steepest terrain and huge orange tufa. By far some of the best climbing in the gorge at any grade. The initial three bolts is the crux but the whole pitch is very pumpy and sustained too! Well protected and easy to aid at 22/A1.

2. 35m (16) Traverse straight left for about 20m (passing a set of double FIXE hangers at about 10m before heading into vegetation), then staying close to the wall down climb a 5m corner, passing two FIXE hangers. Keep traversing left for another 10m along ledge looking for the double U bolt belay. To protect the second for the downclimb it's possible for them to clip the fixed biner on the top hanger and re-thread once on the ledge.

3. 30m (20) Climb past two FIXE hangers to a ledge the continue on rings to the double U bolt belay on a pleasant grey wall.

4. 25m (24) Great pockets and orange wall climbing with many bolts to a ledge and double U bolt belay.

5. 15m (20) Straightforward bolted climbing - at the top of the hard stuff you need to traverse left for about 4m then over a bulge past last bolt to double U bolt belay below large orange wall.

6. 45m (23) Well bolted sport climbing - mostly cruisy jug hauling then a tricky bulgy finish. Once you top out you can either belay off two FIXE hangers or continue up easy ledges and vegetation for another 10m and belay off trees.

Above this to get back to the car park walk left for 30m to the old Cooee lookout and old fences, then follow the overgrown green track to the car up the hill.

I reckon this new route by itself is two stars and combining it with Iron Curtain makes an awesome three star day of cranking! I can't think of many other sustained long routes in mainland Australia at that length? It's gotta be 350+ metres? Way longer than Evolution or Siblings.

Bring a helmet and don't expect pristine Euro limestone...

A spectacular pitch tackling a very steep line through the Screaming Tribesmen orange cave. A variant on the best pitch of 'Screaming Tribesman' but even more awesome and harder.

Start: Start at a bomber gear belay just down and right of the DBB atop the 5th pitch of Iron Curtain/ Nitro Express/ 'Screaming Tribesman'.

Start: Starts just left of 'Evolution'.

1. 45m (20) Start up an obvious weakness via a rising rightwards sloping break. After 3m, traverse leftwards and up to a horizontal weakness to its left end. Continue up on small face holds past a bolt to a small niche and trend horizontally right for 4m and up to a big tree.

2. 45m (21) Continue up the steep wall to the left of the tree on a series of interesting face moves for 10m to gain a ramp heading up and right. Scramble up the ramp until where it steepens (wires) move right, then back left (1 friend) and up to double bolt belay at wobbly tree (shared with 'Evolution' pitch 3).

3. 25m (21) Move 4m right and slightly down until under steep corner. More strenuously up corner/groove to a small orange cave (bolt belay shared with 'Jump Master').

4. 50m (20) Head out leftwards from cave and to the top of a block (the DBB at the top of 'Evolution' pitch 4). Leave the bolts of 'Evolution' to your left, and head up to rightwards traverse on pocketed break with good friends (crossing the mixed line of 'Jump Master'). Head upwards again at thin crack which leads to a left facing flake-corner. Slab out a couple of meters at the top to mantle loose rock into the "big cave".

5. 12m (12) Exit carefully right from the big cave, traverse right along sloping ledge, then up 5m a small cave at the foot of the steep groove to natural belay.

6. 25m (21) Up the overhanging groove on fantastic holds to chimney. Continue up to small ledge on left side. Move left 2m and up to DBB as per TBTTF P6.

7. 40m (22) The 'Master Blaster' pitch. Enjoyable climbing with a dash of exposure. Reminiscent of the popular 22's at Upper Shipley. Climb the juggy groove/crack to its end, then cut loose leftwards on big holds. Continue up a couple of bodylengths to a sit-down rest in a small cave. Exit the cave diagonally up and right past a couple of big threads to easier ground. (take a double rack and lots of slings for this pitch)

(18M1). "See topo" they said......this route isn't shown on The Crag topo! Details unsure, however a likely situation is that it shares the start of Red Heat before traversing right, sharing the end of the first pitch of Evolution. Keep going past Evolution's belay to to bolted belay 10m right on the same ledge (shared with Jump Master and 'The Bridge to Total Freedom'). Up the next pitch and a half of Reason for Man (passing a couple of bolts), before traversing left back across 'The Bridge' and into Red Heat for a pitch or so to gain the large 'Evolution cave'. 'Old and Grey' then traverses left a pitch to join Scorpion to the top of the wall. Note that Old and Grey predates all the other routes on this wall. A great effort for the time, but unlikely to appeal to anyone sane these days.

As per 'Evolution' to double bolt belay end pitch 3.

Start: Start in the rainforest 30m left of the corner crack start to Siblings. The first pitch is grade 15 vegetated thrutch, it's not a taste of what's to come.

1. 15m (15) Same as 'Evolution' pitch 1.

2. 35m (22) Same as 'Evolution' pitch 2.

3. 40m (21) Same as 'Evolution' pitch 3.

4. 25m (18) Easily up slab past 'Evolution' and 'Scorpion' to small tree, past this to ring bolt then continue under overhang to double ring belay.

5. 40m (24) 'Steep' but easy through overhang to thread, step right then up wall with big holds, rings and friends (3.5 essential in bombproof slot). Rest at small stance as the wall becomes slightly off vertical, crux moves past last 3 or 4 rings. DRB belay at stance.

6. 30m (24) Good pitch, difficult to onsite. Awkward slab to stance below a short overhanging wall, pumpy and technical up the wall then hard moves to gain small ledge, bouldery moves to step left and get established on another short steep wall which leads to ledge. This is the big ledge where you belay for the last pitch of 'Old and Grey', 'Scorpion' & 'Storm Front'. DRB belay

7. 30m (25) Great pitch, mostly rings, friends in final crack. 'Steep' slab leads to short steep wall with hard moves, then a short easy slab. Traverse on to steep wall above the overhang and very delicate climbing for several metres to a pocket, (crux). Fine climbing up wall to base of crack, crack and flake for several metres to small ledge. DRB belay.

8. 20m (19) Easy but nice wall to top. Thread and ring bolt belay.

Gobsmackingly good. Take a light rack of cams (0.3 to 2), a set of wires and about 16 quickdraws (with plenty of long draws).

Start: Start in the rainforest 15m left of the corner crack start to Siblings. From the riverbed scramble up the broken blocks to the base of the wall proper. Belay from here. The climbing starts underneath the bush canopy, under a water-run/chimney/hole thing. The first pitch is grade 15 vegetated thrutch, it's not a taste of what's to come.

1. 15m (15) All trad. Move up a few moves under the hole thing, then step left onto a leftward sloping ramp, and trend up L for 5m. Pull over the bulge then traverse 5m back right to DBB on small grassy ledge.

2. 30m (22) FH, over bulge onto small ledge (trad) and move R. Trickily up past 2 FHs to a fixed thread at 12m (new as of 2012). Up the slab past #2 cam and 2FHs, then trend easily L to DFH on comfy grassy ledge.

3. 35m (21) Step R then up face and crack (2 FHs, trad, FH) to join a rightwards sloping ramp. Follow this 15m up and right until it steepens. Place a few bomber wires, traverse right to the diagonal overlap, then step back left to a hidden jug (0.5/0.75 cam) and tricky mantle, up to a small ledge with DFH.

4. 25m (23) The first of 3 amazing pitches. Up the corner to great cams, now diagonally right across the steep face past 11 bolts and a zillion diagonal pockets, then span right to a short blocky corner with a DBB on top.

5. 30m (22) Follow the bolts delicately up the groove and straight over a high bulge, to belay in the sublime luxury of the huge orange cave (lunch time!). 10 FHs, then a #2 cam, then a chain belay. A ripsnorter.

6. 25m (24) Follow the bolts trending left out of the left arete of the cave, then angle back right and up on big pumpy holes on fantastic orange rock (the line of rustier bolts heading up then R through steep ground is Pump Lust). Mainly bolts with mid size wires and a 2/3 cam near the top. TBB.

7. 55m (23 M1/25) Up and left past three bolts to a ledge, pulling on a couple to reach a jug. The bolts above and right are for various good but harder alternate finishes. Instead trend up and left, around the arête to join a bridging corner for 10m, then a dirt/scree scramble for about 15-20m. Keep going until you find a gumtree to belay off (55m), the casuarinas are unreliable.

An aesthetic and fitting finish to Evolution for those seeking a little more action at the end of the day. Originally climbed onsight due to poor route finding with insufficient gear. A subsequent repeat ascentionist of the pitch however found an additional placement making it quite reasonable. Be sure to take a thin spectra/dyneema sling. Climb as for Evolution pitch 7 for the first 3-4 bolts as they head through the initial boulder problem and then leftward. From the short section of grey tufas and cam placements, continue straight up in the direction of a lone bolt 5m above. From this bolt traverse right along a thin break with delicate moves to finish up the low angled terrain and corner (now shared with Pumpmaster).

Between 'Evolution Direct Finish' and 'The Other End of Evolution'. After freeing past the first three bolts on Evolution P7 take a long rest on the ledge, then head straight up past 9 more bolts.

A harder exit to Evolution, without the bushwhacking. Start with the bolt ladder on the last pitch of Evolution (aid 3 bolts or free at grade 24), then head diagonally right past a bolt into a scoopy recess. From the top of the recess exit left through the overhang, then straight up to pull over onto a slab. Continue straight up and then left to join 'Pumpmaster'. A couple of long draws on the bolts in the recess help reduce rope drag.

Good, free of charge, training to reach flawlessness. As for 'The Other End of Evolution' to the top of the recess. Exit this to the right into a a narrower vertical scoop. Funky moves straight up more scoops and a flake until you pull over onto the slab. To finish either head straight up past two more bolts to anchor or diagonally right to Jumpmaster belay.

Do a move or two as for 'Evolution' pitch 6, then trend R following the line of bolts up the left hand side of the big cave, eventually joining 'Jump Master' at the top of its first pitch.

Start: Start as for 'Evolution' pitch 6.

P1-4 are the most direct and consistent route to the big cave, well protected with bolts and plenty of gear. P6 is another excellent Bungers headwall pitch. Take 14 or so quickdraws, a few slings, a set of nuts and cams from green alien to #3 camalot, double cams from fingers to hands might be helpful on p4.

Start 3m right of Evolution, first bolt can be clipped by standing in tree.

1. 15m (19) Straight up on flakey jugs past two bolts and gear. Clip 3rd bolt then head diagonally right and up to DBB shared with 'The Bridge to Total Freedom'. 4 bolts plus gear

2. 40m (21) Straight up from the belay. At about 15m follow bolts left a couple of metres to a tricky mantle. Continue up the slab above past gear and bolts. Where the climbing eases off again traverse right across scoop. Up to a comfy belay ledge via the 2m arete with a bolt (stay well away from the dihedral, for obvious reasons!) DBB shared with The Bridge. 8 bolts plus gear.

3. 45m (22) From just left of the belay head straight up the steep wall and the delicate slab above. At 20m, ignore the comfy ledge to your right and blast straight up the rounded prow. At about 40m, follow bolts left 5m to DBB hidden on the side of a small orange cave (shared with Red Heat). Better to belay semi-hanging on the slab rather than grovel in the cave. 12 bolts plus gear.

4. 50m (22) Traverse right out of belay hole, then climb up trending vaguely right. At the cave, mantle carefully and head to DBB at back right (a rope-stretching 50 metres!). This pitch is long and eats cams, take your full rack. 10ish bolts.

5. 20m (23) Punchy. Start easily up the right wall of the cave then a short section of steepness (bolts and gear) to a niche. Traverse left and up past two more bolts, through a gap to finish at a semi-hanging DBB.

6. 30m (25) Cool, pumpy sections separated by excellent rests. Not too hard, but quite sequency. Mostly bolts with a few key bits of gear, take 3 or 4 60cm slings. After the steepness ends, climb easy 6m slab up rightwards past good gear to DBB on top of cliff. 10 bolts plus gear.

Storm Front basically runs to the right of Evolution. Nasty loose blocks on ledges, very dirty rock, and vegetation filled cracks are the selling points of this gem. The climb either starts up Evolution, or 5m right (up the horrible hole thing), no idea which start is correct. On pitch 1 there is a 10m wide, delicate, rock arch/flake that you actually climb through (about 40m up, can be seen from the creek bed). "The last two pitches are not recommended" (first ascentionists)....a more objective view might be that the last seven pitches are not recommended!

1. 45m (20) Up the flake?, step left and up to a ledge, traverse 3m left, up, then right through the obvious arch on the right. Now up to the belay.

2. 40m (20) Slightly left to a tree bowl and climb the steep wall at the rear (seriously scary stuff here. Loose blocks, dirty rock, and vegetated cracks). Go to where the crack splits, left is Red Heat, right is 'Storm Front'. Up the right crack and over a block to belay on nuts.

3. 40m (20) Follow up the crack.

4. 40m (17) Up the easy crack above to big cave (probably the same as Red Heat here).

5. 35m (20) Go left from the left side of the cave on a rising traverse left to a ledge.

6. 40m (21) From the right edge of the ledge, go straight up to a bolt and nuts, then up and right (crux) to a tree belay.

7. 30m (10) Continue easily to the top.

A Bungonia mega-route.

Start at the large R-facing flakes in the chasm. 10m right of Evolution, and a few metres left of Andrew's Arete / left and round the corner from Siblings.

Gear: single set of nuts; #0.3 Camalot (or green Alien or #1 Mastercam) to #3 Camalot, (optional: doubles to #1 Camalot); 120cm sling; several 60cm slings; 15 or so quickdraws.

1. 20m 22. Smashing warm-up. Overhanging layback flakes up to hard moves then easy slab to DBB. 5 bolts plus threads and gear. An easier but lower quality varient traverses in from the left on the huge flake.

2. 35m 23. Slabby pitch with hard crux. Shares first 5m of pitch with Jumpmaster. After second bolt, follow rightwards branch of bolts. At the top of pitch, head for the large tree atop the 2m vertical step (bit of loose rock here). DBB behind the large tree. 10 bolts plus gear.

3. 20m 19. Start 3m right of the belay. Boulder the overhang past two bolts. Traverse right above the bolt to a hollow crack with large flakes and threads (shared with 'Reason for Man'). Straight up to DBB on ledge. 2 bolts, gear including several threads.

4. 28m 22. Excellent pumpy climbing. Follow line of spaced bolts with good gear in between (take it all for this pitch). 8ish bolts

5. 35m 24. Cool, tricky climbing straight off the belay then step right to gain incipient crack and gear. Up to a section of easy choss (120cm thread in small cave). Traverse right on fantastic pockets (save #3 camalot) till the climbing eases. Up to DBB on the right edge of the huge cave (beware of loose scree in cave). 7 bolts and gear.

6. 25m 22. Good pitch on red rock. From the right edge of the cave traverse right a couple of metres then wander up cracks and face to semi-hanging DBB on the left. Lots of bolts and gear.

7. 30m 25. Steep, pumpy pitch with a couple of good rests. Step left from the belay then follow the bolts into the stratosphere. 11 bolts plus a couple of nuts and finger-sized cams.

An old time epic.

1. 35m (22) Same as Siblings of the Sun pitch 1.

2. -m (19) Start as for 2nd pitch of 'Reason For Man' but instead of trending slightly right go straight up. Then trend left for the rest of this pitch.

3. -m (17) Continue to trend left on natural gear to DBB at wobbly tree (shared with 'Evolution' and Red Heat).

4. 50m (21) Up easily for a few metres to connect into a weakness at the start of the orange rock. Follow this junction up and left to find a groove and flake. Up these which provide some interesting moments, to gain the big block visible from the bottom of the gorge.

5. 45m (21) Head right for 3m and weave your way through blankness. A friend break and then trend up and left to a break and belay.

6. 45m (19) Move horizontally right to a nose and eventually get some runners in after the hard stuff is over. Continue upwards over a steep bulge past an old carrot bolt on good rock to finish at a sit down belay.

7. 40m (10) Scramble to top.

How brave are you feeling? This old traddy thing shares the first pitch with Siblings, then most of the second to fourth pitches with Old and Grey, before heading a long way right at the base of the red wall to find a scary way through to the top.

1. 35m (22) Same as Siblings of the Sun pitch 1.

2. 45m (19) Move 10m left of the chain belay (possibly rebelay at bolt anchor shared with Jump Master, 'The Bridge', 'Old and Grey'), climb the wall via a partially bolted groove straight up to where it slabs off. Traverse right about 5m and climb 2m crack up to ledge with big tree. Bolt belay.

3. 30m (17) Leave the ledge via flake/corner on right (or do the bouldery direct start past 2 bolts as for The Bridge). Up to the big ledge via nice pockety cracky features to DBB on ledge (shared with 'The Bridge').

4. 30m (17) From the left edge of the ledge take the diagonal line of least resistance heading rightwards to a belay in a smallish cave. Crosses 'The Bridge' above its second bolt.

5. 45m (20) A serious pitch. Move right from the cave to a bolt. Now directly upwards to a ramp and some good wires. Continue up and rightwards in a groove and on some mediocre rock. Finish on a ledge (base of the over hanging red wall)

6. 45m (14) Step right and move around right above (below?) the overhang to another big ledge at 45m.

7. 50m (22) Walk right along the ramp to a sling around a stalactite before launching onto steep ground above. Up ribs and cracks to a hard crank at 35m. More easily to top.

Excellent continuous climbing that pushes a direct line up the centre of the South Wall.

The first 4 pitches of this route makes for a straight forward sports climb that is easy to get off in 2 raps if climbing with double ropes. Sport bolted over 6 long days.

1. (24) 25m Start as for ‘Andrews Arête’, hard start moves. (21 if you pull the first two bolts)

2. (21) 40m Continue up following the Siblings bolts until a small corner with a sapling and 'Lucky' bolt hangers. Follow bolts up and right to a bolt belay in pod.

3. (19) 30m Straight up the blunt arête to the green ledge, traverse right 5m to roomy belay with bolts.

4. (24) 25m Great face climbing to a hanging belay.

5. (26) 50m Up right on big holds to a thin punchy crux then continue up joining ‘Overture to the Sun’ briefly and a long runout on easy climbing to belay at the base of the orange wall to the right of the Siblings belay. Chain belay.

6. (30) 30m Orange headwall. Climb the blunt arête with great holds and follow bolts to a semi hanging belay.

7. (27) 30m Exposure at its best, continue up and pull through committing lip (crux) then up on good hold to finish at chain. Walk back to the car park up the hill.

First two pitches as for Siblings of the Sun. Then from the second belay go directly up to join a hand crack (rather than trending right and up from this belay, which is Siblings). From here continue up the soaring line of bolts with increasing difficulty, with the final 2 pitches tackling the orange headwall (5m L of Siblings' last 3 pitches).

1. 25m (21) Same as Siblings of the Sun pitch 1.

2. 40m (21) Same as Siblings of the Sun pitch 2.

3. -m (23)

4. -m (23)

5. -m (24)

6. 25m (25) The first 10m is a bit of a contrived squeeze onto Siblings, with rotten bolts and rock which was only ever spot cleaned.

7. 25m (27) Also great. The only headwall route which is on til the very top. Rebolted recently (2015), so until p6 is fixed its an excellent single pitch rap-in option. All bolts with 1 or 2 optional bits of trad.

An alternative way to get to the top of the spike and the first belay of Siblings of the Sun. Great climbing and eases off a lot after the first bolt. The route takes the sharp bolted arête 5m left of the corner crack of Siblings pitch 1, starting on its right side then switching to the left.

An all time classic, the beginning of the new wave at Bungonia. The corner crack start is back down and behind the massive jumble of collapsed boulders that peeled away from the bottom of the 'South Wall' when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. 14 quickdraws, including some extenders. Mostly bolts, but take a single set of cams (#0.4-3 camalot) - doubles of 0.75, 1 and 2 for extra comfort - and wires. A second blue camalot (or a big hex) makes the first pitch more comfortable, but you won't need it higher up.

1. 25m (22) The corner, 3 bolts and friends. Belay chain on top of the pedestal.

2. 35m (21) Clip a bolt and move directly up from the belay. Past a few more bolts before traversing a long way right to a DBB on a small ledge. Ignore the line of bolts that goes up about halfway through the traverse

3. 40m (23) Move 2m right, step up and clip a bolt, move up to another, and pull a tricky slab move. Follow the bolts plus some wires up to the belay seat.

4. 35m (22) Move a metre right and clip a bolt in the bulge. Up to a tree/ledge, then up and left to a groove (friends). Traverse 5m left at the top to a DBB and a mostly hanging belay; this is a terrible belay stance considering that there is a big cave/ledge/orifice 5m R which is actually on the line of the route. Hopefully these old belay bolts will be replaced soon and moved 5m R into the comfy cave at the same time.

5. 30m (21) Move 5m back right and bridge up the invaginated orifice (med cams). Step out (wires) and move up to a bolt. Keep heading up and a tad left. Take care on the unprotectable loosish orange rock for the easy last 10m up to the DBB at the base of the beautiful orange headwall.

6. 25m (24) The business. Step left, clip a bolt and cruise up the heart of the amazing orange headwall. A host of wires and friends supplemented by 5 bolts in all. Mega classic and pumpy. DBB on ledge.

7. 15m (26) 5 bolts to DBB. Madonna. Unfortunately this pitch has several chipped holds.

8. 20m (18) Leftwards sloping ramp past 4-5 bolts, thread & small-med cams, to chains just back from the lip. Walk out.

(24/25) From the 1st belay at the top of the spike. Instead of heading up and right across the slabs, head straight right following the bolts through the overhang. Continue right on natural gear to the belay.

An easier alternative to the 3rd pitch of Siblings of the Sun.

Start: From the start of the 3rd pitch of Siblings scramble right 20m to belay off the last tree.

1. 25m (19) Wall climbing and jug hauling past 6 bolts to a chain.

2. 20m (17) Up the corner past 5 bolts and some wires to the ledge.

Takes a line between 'Siblings Of The Sun' and 'Albino'. Start as for Siblings. All bolts, no gear or brackets required. Follow the Penumbra Variant from the top of Pitch 2 of Siblings. 'Medusa' starts from the tree belay between the two climbing pitches of the Penumbra Variant.

1. 15m (18) Trend up and right from the tree belay, delicately up the slab to the base of the short wall. Up the wall exiting slightly left to belay on the ledge (down and right from the Green Ledge).

2. 20m (24) Pull onto a ramp and follow it up and right. Follow bolts up the wall to a long move left to a good hold. Up again until the climbing eases at the base of a flake. Belay at the top of the flake.

3. 50m (25) Up the wall. Details to be advised.

4. 30m (24) From the belay head up gorgeous steep orange stone until a move right brings you onto a ramp. Care required, a lot of loose small stuff. Up the ramp for a few moves, then follow bolts right onto the wall and up shaley stuff until another big move right gives good holds. Belay on the edge of the abyss.

5. 10m (10) Scramble past a couple of bolts to the top.

Steep jamming up the exposed furrows above Albino pitch 6. Start at the DBB 5m left of the belay at the bottom of Albino pitch 7 and White Noise. Follow the line into the cave, latch onto the holds above the lip then join White Noise at the end of its traverse.

A classy alternative to the last pitch of Albino. Clip the bolt directly above the belay at the top of Albino pitch 6, ooze up the gash then follow the technical and airy line to the top. Hand to fist sized cams in the crack then all bolts to a DBB. Exit by traversing right to the DBB at the top of Albino pitch 7.

An exhilarating and technical adventure. Once the easiest way to the top (!) but tougher and more serious than some of its neighbours (e.g. Evolution). Cleaned and rebolted in 2020, each pitch ends at double rings. New hardware generously donated by climbinganchors.com.

Take a set of wires, a set of cams (#0.3 to 3), slings and at least 14 draws. A second #3 cam is nice to have but not essential for the first pitch of Siblings Of The Sun and for finishing up White Noise (highly recommended). DOUBLE ROPES are essential due to zig-zagging long pitches.

1. 35m (22) Same as Siblings pitch 1.

2. 40m (21) Same as Siblings pitch 2.

3. 45m (20) Another traverse. Head directly right from the DBB. Crash through the trees and charge hard right along the vegetated ledge to its very end, ignoring the old bolted lines going up. Clip the bolt that's tucked away on the right-hand side of a small prow then follow the delightful line of pockets and jugs past 2 more bolts and gear.

4. 20m (22) Upward progress at last. Pull a hard move off the belay (think tall thoughts) then follow the line through the bulge on immaculate grey rock. Bolts and gear.

5. 30m (23) An engaging and high-quality pitch that crosses a band of slightly poorer rock. Take care. Bolts plus a couple of optional finger-sized cams in the first 10m.

6. 50m (24) The mega pitch with a bit of everything! Weave your way up the slab to the giant semi-detached flake. DO NOT place gear behind it. Follow the flake to the left-facing corner. Easily up this until you can traverse back left to the line of 4 bolts (the DBB directly above these bolts is for White Noise Direct). Up past these then right along the sloping ledge (careful of loose rock) to the commanding belay. Bolts and gear.

7. 45m (22) A respectable pitch. Trend right up the steep wall with 3 bolts then head back left up the vegetated line past another bolt to the top. Bolts and gear.

In there somewhere.

This obscure but apparently good route lies upstream of 'Albino' and is accessed by abseil from the top of the gorge. There is no pitch from the ground.

Start: The route starts from a cave/recess above the big overhangings at the bottom of the gorge. The top of the rappel is 2 bolts near a tree. 3 long rappels reaches the cave. The raps trend rightwards.

1. 45m (22) From the cave head up over little weaknesses (sustained). This good pitch leads you to the third rap anchor.

2. 10m (15) A short pitch on crappy rock.

3. 50m (21) Head up through good steep rock above, finishing at the second rap anchor.

4. 45m (18) A good pitch. Move diagonally right to gain a scoop that heads to the top on fine grey rock.

1. 30m (24) Up past three bolts to a hard move rightwards and up into the crack. Up to a double bolt belay.

2. 50m (21) Up and left past bolts to a ledge. 'Superfluid' goes up and right from here, 'Nosferatu' up and left. Climb up the slabs on natural gear, with several long runouts. Belay left of the apex of the steep black wall.

3. 40m (25) (25M1) Up past a sprinkling of bolts. Hard and runout. Natural belay. To abseil move 15m right to chains on 'Superfluid'.

1. 30m (24) Same as 'Nosferatu' pitch 1.

2. 50m (22) Up and left past the bolts to a ledge. Up a flake crack for a few moves before trending slightly right up a slab. Follow the bolts over some bulges (crux) with friends also handy in the pockets. Belay at the chains in the orange cave at the base of the steep wall.

3. 40m (24) Follow the bolts past some great holes, kneebars and no hands rests. A really good pitch. Belay at the chains.

Start about 30m upstream of Polenta Pumper. Scramble up easy flowstone to small ledge covered in vines. Sketchy flowstone choss for 6m to reach crack, then up major corner to belay ledge. Not recommended until bolts added to start.

Amazing rock architecture. Also a way to get onto Big Greenie.

Starts in the corner about 20m upstream of Polenta Pumper.

1. 20m (25) Up the corner past 3 bolts then left and up onto the slab. More slopes past another bolt lead into a groove (friends and wires) then up onto a sloping ledge. A ridiculous move out left past a final bolt then up to a chain belay.

2. 35m (19) A great pitch on fantastic orange rock with heaps of threads. Up to a bolt on the slab above, then up and left to the base of the orange corner. Up this past 2 bolts. Belay on threads amongst the carcasses.

3. 10m (22) (18/22) Steep. Climb onto the right wall of the cave and up the bulges above, past many good threads. A cave offers sanctuary on the lip. From here step out right and up to belay chains. 2 raps to the ground.

Just left of the corner. Water washed rock for a few bolts then left and up to anchors. Has been rebolted - new shiny FHs. Some are already loose and required finger tightening (2016, still true in 2019).

Starts half a metre left of Sarah Fieg's Route. Bouldery and direct up little prow. Shares anchor with previous route. There's also a LH finish along the lip of the roof to finish into Polenta Pumper.

Very good, very pumpy. The original route on this wall. Start beneath the obvious roof at 15m and follow a line of stainless steel fixed hangers up square cut slopers. If climbing on Phantom Menace Wall you need to continue on easy ground for 10m (two bolts) to Big Greenie ledge and bolt belay. It's 30m from this high anchor to the ground.

Just left of PP. Bolted by George Fieg in the 90s, now an open project. Attempted by Lee Cossey - so probably quite hard!

Just left of the open project. The shortest route in the gorge but mega burly.

The very appealing steep left-trending blunt arete just left of Fluidity. Looks great so we'll open the bidding at 2 stars. Higher or lower bids accepted! 30 the way Phil did it, but some better beta was later found.

Link Nails into Ben's RHV Project.

The RHV of Ben's project.

Start at ground level a few metres right of Lee's project.

Start at ground level, under the subtle left-facing "flake"-type feature.

This is an unfinished line with 1 or 2 bolts. Start at ground level at the far left end of the steep wall, about 8-10m L of Lee's project. Some more projects were recently added in this vicinity.

Short access pitch to reach Jabba the Slut & Death Starred starting at rap anchors above Polenta Pumper on Big Greenie ledge. Old FH, sling around tufa and new FH through steep bit. An orange fixed line hangs over the lower part and then heads left via the start of The Force.

A fully bolted rising traverse with a fixed rope starting as for Wicket for one bolt then heading left along a series of ledges and slabby chimneys. This route is used to access the various belay stances for routes in the centre of Phantom Menace Wall. The rope in the upper half (beyond Attack of the Clones) is old - treat with massive caution!

Right line of bolts off the ledge above Wicket. Flowstone corner and face to luscious ceiling and punchy pocketed finish. There is a single rap ring under the roof to aid cleaning the route.

Jabba the Slut, stopping at the ringbolt under the roof. A good warm up if you get dragged up here on a 5 degree day.

Amazing limestone features. Left line off the ledge climbing the flowstone corner (take care with the stalactite) then climb left onto the prow on mega buckets and then up the steep headwall with spicey finish. Neil managed to drop a large rock on himself whilst bolting this - lucky it hit his body not his head.

Belay from double bolt anchor 8m along the Access Traverse route, below the orange left facing chimney. Up chimney for a move (clip first bolt inside chimney with a long sling) then FHs out right and up crozzley grey slab then amazing overhung tufa groove and flowstone wall to final tricky bulge.

Great tufa pulling. Very awkward belay on double bolts on orange slab at right end of fixed rope traverse. Traverse up and right across horizontal break and take the right of the two ring bolted lines. Big tufa feature for most of the way, then tricky orange face to finish. 60m rope WILL NOT reach the belay on lower-off. Its much less uncomfortable to belay 5m lower, as for The Force, if you have a long rope and/or rethread.

Fantastic sustained climbing on tufa blobs and flowstone - reminiscent of Kalymnos. Shares the crappy awkward belay and first couple of bolts with DS, then take the left of the two ringbolted routes. This is a full 30m pitch, with a 60m rope you will only JUST make it to the belay. Its much less uncomfortable to belay 5m lower, as for The Force, if you have a long rope and/or rethread.

*Dodgy clip and go has been removed. There's a string of seized Mallions and an ok looking alloy biner on the anchor. If anyone is heading up to fix it, take WD40,long shifter and screwdriver, stainless mallions and either a short bit of chain or a couple of clip and go's.

More incredible limestone. Start as for the previous two routes for one bolt, then traverse left on FHs to groove - then up wall above. 60m rope will NOT reach belay - lower to fixed biners near cave then lower again.

Really good.

Fantastic steep gymnastic climbing out of the initial cave then navigates some more tenuous climbing up several shallow tufas to the crux. Starts in the cave at the left end of the fixed rope and finishes as for the final 2 bolts of Sith Lord.

The left most line of bolts is a project, probably about 29.

Start: Start from the left end of Big Greenie. Takes the corner and arête.

1. 20m (21) From a stance on a slab cruise up the ramp to a bolt. Some slippery moves past this then up to another bolt. Up to the block and ledge with chains at the base of a corner.

2. 20m (24 M1) (24M1) Up the corner past a couple of bolts to some thin bridging (crux) and wires. Continue up the steepening corner past bolts to an overhang. Pull around this on finger pockets to a double bolt belay.

3. 25m (23 M1) (23M1) Up the sharp arête past bolts to a rest. Clip a bolt and then move up (crux) and right to easier climbing. Chain belay. Rap down.

A good face climb on bolts.

The first route on the left just off the red track. Was looking like a nice easy line ground up bolting untill the rock turns to choss.

A nice tufa route in the middle of the wall. It has some hidden good holds.

3 metres left of Gilding lily. A variety of interesting hold types makes this an enjoyable moderate for the gorge.

A good warm up on bolts with some tufa up high. Start 50m upstream from the intersection of the Red Track and the bottom of the gorge. Depending on the level of water in the lagoon, and the state of the deposited silt and rocks, you might get your feet wet. The expansion bolts and dodgy anchor on this route could do with replacement - treat them with caution.

To the right of Gilding The Lily. Finishes just under the roof at half height.

Closed project, partially rebolted.

One for the chossophiles. A new route up a hitherto unclimbed wall. Worthwhile except for the terrible second; "Demon Baby" pitch, which will have you questioning every hold, and your love of climbing. Is the rest of it worth it?

To start walk right of Little Thailand wall 50m to find a 10m ramp cutting left across the lower cliff band. All bolts except first pitch.

1. 40m, (5) Easily up ramp (no bolts, can sling trees) then up the talus to a black corner on right. Take a moment to appreciate the immense wall of choss on the left.

2. 35m (23) Up left leaning ramp, the middle 10m is on particularly bad rock, but the cruxes are at the start and end and there are lots of bolts. Semi Hanging Belay.

3. 30m (21) Up, then diagonally left under steep wall to hanging belay

4. 30m (23) Up steep tufas then right and up to belay.

5. 45m (18) Up corner for 30m then ramble to the top to belay off trees.

To walk back to the red track (20 minutes), sidle left, down talus chute 50m then continue sidling left below cliffs, down and across a swampy creek, and onto the track.

Ken Luck's route - three pitches, all natural, finishing at the lookout fence. Need details.

Rap into the 'Continuum' cave, and then a further rap down the orange wall to the right-hand belay. Up pumpy orange wall then through bulge to cave.

1. 15m (26) 9 bolts to ledge.

2. 25m (22) Same as 'Continuum' pitch 2.

Rap in from 3-bolt anchor 15m right (facing out from the cliff) of the lookout.

1. 15m (25) 9 bolts straight up, finishing in small cave / overhang.

2. 25m (22) 10 bolts. Traverses a long way right. Ends at the lookout.

Up following the bolts.

Start: Look for the double ring bolt belay down from a dead eucalypt 30m right (facing out from the cliff) of the lookout. Rap down to a ledge and double ring bolt belay.

The top is down and right (facing out) of the top of 'In the Realm of the Senses'. Rap in from 'In the Realm of the Senses' anchor, but using a directional bolt on the nearby arete to get to double rings at the base.

Up a dirty loose crack on natural gear and then some nice face climbing (ring bolts).

Up the face then continue right to the base of the arête. Up the arête to double rings. About 6 bolts.

Start: Starts from the top of the gully. Double rings at base.

Start as for 'Siren', but up the left-hand line. Ring bolts & FHs to the same DRB as 'Siren'.

At the time of writing the ring bolts were NOT GLUED IN on this route.

Start: The route which starts lower down on the wall about 15m left of 'Siren'.

Rap down to the double bolt belay. Good climbing on pockets and jugs. The furthest right line of bolts (facing the cliff).

Up left past two bolts to a cave and big thread (120cm sling). Up to a rest in the next cave and then up past two more bolts to a double bolt belay.

Start: From the same belay as 'This is Hip'.

The line with 9 bolts and a hard start. It is possible to avoid the start by traversing in from the right, in which case the route goes at about 23.

The next route down and left. This line of bolts finishes through a blank overhanging grey arête which looks virtually impossible and hasn't been climbed. The bottom 20m is good in its own right.

2 bolts up the slab and to the base of crack and then up the obvious crack, back right to lower offs.

A steep arete next to the approach track.

5m right of the arete project is another punchy little sport route.

Start at a sinuous crack immediately left of a vegetated corner, 5 or 10 meters right of Blue Rock Party. Once onto the slab, continue straight up. Final moves are diagonally up to the right, following the left hand side of an arete below the lower offs. Often done as an alternative to walking back up to the cave. Can be done as top rope using the lower offs located on the ledge looking down from the cave, but make sure that the rope runs on the left side of the substantial bushes near to the top.

Starts 10 meters right of Sloth On Up. Dance your way up the slab to lower offs. Often done as an alternative to walking back up to the cave. Can be done as top rope using the lower offs located on the ledge looking down from the cave.

Left line on the slabby arete down and left of the cave, sharing the first two bolts with Unknown 1. Stick clip the 1st hanger and a bit run-out on the slab. Single carabiner lower off (second anchor bolt needs a hanger).

Righthand line up the pumpy arete, sharing the first two bolts with Finger Pockets. The grade is a bit of a guess. Single lower off and requires a careful down climb to clean due to dramatic swing possibility.

Juggy, left-trending line of holds, starting just right of the through-the-cliff cave on its eastern side (climber's left). Difficult start for the grade, even if the tree is 'on-route'... Great variety through the pitch and rewarding views. Good rings at the top. Can be top roped.

Ascends the western side (climbers right) of the walk-through cave, starting on its right.

Start on the face and right side of the arete, behind a large tree. Very high first bolt - stick clip recommended. Upper third is a bit odd... Nice climbing to be had direct up the bulge, but the third bolt is actually hidden down and right behind a small bush and the route finishes with a traverse across to the rings on Angry Ants.

Starts at twin cracks. Crux is high above the third bolt as you move up to the rings.

Mount a small ledge and move up and left to the first bolt. Follows the crack on the righthand side of the arete for the central third, then nice moves out to the right across the face and up to lower offs.

Start with big moves straight up arete. Starting up crack is only grade 15.

Juggy start, crux last move.

Description from ROCK Mag #18. Route has not been found yet and may just be lost in time. 2018 About 50m L of Cardinal View Lookout Up slab to small tree, then follow line of six BRs up steep wall.

Up arete, into the crack then back out and over bulge. Double ring loweroffs.

Revamped as a sporty on brackets

Start just below the S shaped gum tree. Be prepared for committing moves all the way to the top.

The contrived line of bolts furthest left, just left of the arete.

Such a great little climb. Slabby start with plenty of smearing and super sharp finger pockets. Next its up the tufa arete and across to gain holds on the hanging flake (rock solid). Once you are standing on top of the flake you can take a well-earned break, before the final push to the top. Back onto the arete and deep inside a hole for a hand jamb, then straight up the face to DDB.

Step off the flake/ledge into a diagonal line leading to the left (nuts and wires). At the top of this power up through steep stuff past a bolt to the top.

Marked start (pition) at the nice slab at the far left hand end of the buttress. Watch for loose blocks at the small alcove.

Marked start behind two black boys. Up the corner to the top of a block, then the vertical water chute (crux), being careful with gear (#4 camalot is handy). At the top of the chute step delicately right and continue up the slab (runout and ledge fall potential), diagonally right to the chossy corner and a ledge (can setup hanging belay here if rope drag is getting too much) . Short wall above this to top.

Start at the nice looking arete about 8m right of BB (4m left of CR). Head up the easy arete to the crappy yellow rock. From here traverse 10m left under the smooth bulge, over the grass tree, and across to join BB at the corner. As for BB to the top.

This route is exceptionally wandery and not recommended without double ropes and lots of extension of gear. The original intention was to tackle the bulge above the yellow rock directly, but the first ascentionist got scared and bailed left, making for an even scarier ascent notable for stupendous self-inflicted rope drag.