Help

The Junkyard Cave

  • Grade context: AU
  • Photos: 19
  • Ascents: 1,725
  • Aka: Devil's Dropoff

Seasonality

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Summary

This steep cave offers shady, powerful sport climbing on the best quality sandstone in Sydney.

Description

Known to locals as Devil's Dropoff and to climbers as The Junkyard Cave, this recently developed sport climbing cave offers amazingly hard solid sandstone (reminiscent of the Grampians) varying from 10 - 35m high with potential for some really hard routes in close proximity to Sydney. Watch you rope length on lower off of some of these routes as you lower off into space. Crag stay dry in light rain, but can seep after extended period of rain, ie 3 - 4 days

Access issues

Make sure not to leave anything of value in your car as the parking is a bit suss. No break ins have been recorded yet despite many visits but best to be cautious. Don't leave quickdraws or gear stashed at the crag - the locals will steal it or throw it randomly into the bush!!!.

Approach

For The Junkyard cave jump the initial gate take the first R after 100m, then an immediate L at the fork. In a 100m go left on a vague track and follow the rutted track down the hill to a lookout at the top of the crack with a couple of car wrecks. Go R facing out down the gully/track and then back L to the base of the caves.

Ethic

Bolt, bolt and more ring bolts.

History

History timeline chart

Discovered by Matt Brooks in winter 2012 in a random search for some bouldering and after a tip off from the old Sydney Surf and Sandstone guide.

Tags

Routes

Add route(s) Add topo Reorder Bulk edit Convert grades
Grade Route

Fun steep jugs, with a interesting crux. First route you come to after walking down the descent. Start on the R of the scoop follow the bolts up L onto easy ground. Head straight up the jugs to finish.

FA: Marek Brock-Tasler & equipped by Matt Brooks, 2012

A direct start to LGG. Some bouldery moves into the top of LGG 2m L of Lady Ger Ger Up the easy first section then work hard to get to the slopey break. Finish up LGGs jugs!

This used to be 23 but a couple of holds broke soon after the first ascent, still goes but it is considered to be hard 24.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Punchy start, punchy finish. Use the hook at the 3rd bolt when cleaning to avoid swinging into the tree..

FA: Jason Lammers, 2012

Bouldery steep climbing. At L end of first sandy cave reached on the walk down. Follow the line of rings out the L end of the cave, to a sting in the tail finish

FA: Neil Monteith, 2012

Rad steep pocket pulling start up to a great mix of jugs and slopes. Now finishes directly off the rest via another small boulder.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Locate the "Spoon Bolt". Up and jug blissfully along the the flake to harder finish out left. Also has a direct finish at the same grade.

FA: Jason Lammers, 2013

Short and punchy, left of SS. Link into CS for the full deal

Set: Jason Lammers

FFA: Ben Jenga, 25 Jul 2015

Short R to L steep mini roof boulder route. Start at the RB in the roof 2m R of SC Boulder up and L to big jug in SC. Cross this and keep going L to join Campbelltown Cookup and finish at its loweroff.

FA: Marek Brock-Tasler, 2013

Mini juggy roof, nowra South Central style! 2m R of CC. The R hand mini route through the lower cave/roof.

FA: Marek Brock-Tasler & equipped by Matt Brooks, 2012

Line of bolts above Sin City that links into TFDC. There are holds but it looks like a very slim chance without some rapid erosion, and I don't climb 35ish ha ha.

Set: Matt Brooks, 2012

Climb Bogan Direct to the rest jug then climb a harder boulder secquence left to gain great jug line. Wicked rock and a funky sting in the tail. Could be 28??

FA: Ben JengA & Matt Brooks, 2012

Rad little bouldering route. Starts off the ledge accessed 6m to the right. Wicked steep fridge hugging moves to a jug then more punchy boulder moves.

FFA: Ben Jenga & Andy Richardson, 2012

A large dynamic move see you started on this bouldery rig, once your a couple of bolts up craft a rest and jug to the top.

FA: Matt Brooks, 2012

One of the hardest routes in sydney!!

Super steep bouldering on bullet hard stone with some amazing scoops and holds. Right trending line of orange pockets in the centre of the crag.

FFA: Matt Brooks & Ben JengA, 2012

Wow - Mega line. The King line of the crag. Start as for Cougars. Follow it to the seam, traverse R and up to join 50SOMD at the nose and finish at its anchors for now.... Sustained junkyard awesomeness

The Coneheads of the south west.

Set: Matt Brooks, 2012

FFA: Ben Jenga, 25 Jul 2015

The full shebang!! Matt’s originally mega line, set free and sent by that strong young Cossey lad. Starts up Cougars, across Battle Cat, bit of a rest on the 50 Shades ledge then bang out the top boulder of Kids with Knives then hold that pump to finish topped out above the Junkyard Dog.

FA: Ben Cossey, 24 Aug 2023

Slopey, hard and steep! See the Grafiti for where the name came from!!!! Start as for JYD From the 5RB of JYD traverse L on the slopes staying low to the prow. Go L around this and direct up into the top of FSOMD. Classic slopes testpiece.

FA: Matt Brooks, 2013

A hard V6/7 boulder that links fifty shades or battle cat into the top of the junkyard extension.. Hard to grade, will need a repeat. Bring your long arms.

Set: Matt Brooks

FFA: Ben Jenga, 15 Jul 2017

Climb the start of Junkyard dog and then break left under the roof, around the arete, left some more and up. Best to second to clean or back jump.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Absolute classic steep climbing on Grampians quality rock. Slabby scoop then up seam crack to stance. Swing right on incredible jugs then back left on more jugs to anchor. This is a shared start with 3 other routes so get it dial.

FA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Power up the overhung prow above the first anchors. One of the best steep lines in Sydney, if not NSW. A couple of long draws in the roof and the start help the rope drag.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Bouldery and steep as like most stuff here. Follow JYD to the 5th RB. Skip this and boulder diagonally R up the steep wall to the lower off and L end of the slopey ledge.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

A link of 16 and Pregnant into Smack Crack, finishing at the anchors for BBBL.

FA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Bolted roof crack on right side of main wall. Mantle up a series of shelves for three bolts then solve the tricky roof crack section (reach helps) and finish up massive jugs out left to anchors upside down in roof. No jamming required.

FA: Neil Monteith & Ben Jenga, 2012

Two easy mantels to start then big moves between big holds. Punchy climbing. Perhaps a bit harder if your short or can't dyno. RIP Jay

FFA: Ben JengA, 2012

Big roof route! Starts on the far right side of the main cave, just before the scramble up to the right side ledge. Boulder over three tricky shelves to lie down rest underneath massive roof. Crux moves across this 4m ceiling on enriched pockets to pumpy finish. Back-jump to clean.

Set: Neil Monteith, 2012

FA: Neil Monteith & Matt Brooks, 2013

Powerful bouldering into BBBL, with a cool iron cross move. 1m L of LGs on the same ledge at a RB above the scramble up from the lower level. Head up diagonally L to jugs crossing Neils project. Continue L and leave the jugs via the iron cross L to the flake. Move up L from this to join BBBL at the crux. Follow this to the anchors.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Roof boulder problem on pockets just right of Bastard Child. Roofy, facey then deathy.

Start as for PGPO. Hit the lip and keep going left all the way to the anchors of BBBL. Pumpy with big holds but bring campus arms or be good at heel and toe hooks.

Set: Matt Brooks, 2013

FA: Matt Brooks, 2013

Climbs liverpool girls then traverses left along the lip of the roof past two bolts to finish at neil project anchors. Back jump or second to clean.

FFA: Ben Jenga & Edwin Emmerick, 2012

Funky arête to slab just outside the cave left of negative funk.

FFA: Glen Norrel, 2012

The ultra dirty arse crack left of H. Lower offs in the roof and boltless holes drilled. Looks like a classic

Set: Random Dude

The vertical slab left of NF to nice big roof and then over the top to anchors.

FA: Gino Lagazio, Elliot Kals & Jason Lammers, 25 Aug 2018

Link Up. Start up Negative Funk and finish on the roof of The Removalists. Great climb avoiding the crimps of TR but enjoying the interesting start and the pumpy roof. You can have a rest and even lay before the roof.

FA: Rohan Shah, 1 Jan 2020

Steep climbing on excellent rock. Corner to start then right along high break under roof to final cruxy mantle.

FFA: Ben JengA, 2012

Link Up. Start up NF and finish on the crimps of EB. Probably better than both of them, its avoids the awkward moves on both climbs..

FA: Link Up

Starts just right of corner. Up bulging wall to low break, swing right across this and up to stance. Finish up wall on edges to shared anchor with left route.

FA: Neil Monteith, Ben Jenga & Paul Thomson, 2012

Climb Scrambletown to the 2nd RB then swing left out onto the steep prow. Move left around the arete and up onto the nice top face.

FA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Slopey start to nice crack. Awesome orange rock !

FA: Jason Lammers, 2012

Starts up S, traveses right past funky pockets and finishes at SB anchours.

FFA: Matt Brooks, 2012

Mantel the start and walk along the ledge to the base of the climb. Get your belayer to unclip the first draw when your established on the next two draws. Finish at the double U bolts above the big heuco. Left random bolt still a project.

Strange Behaviour by Feed Me and Tasha Baxter.

FFA: Ben JengA & Edwin Emmerick, 2012

Roof jugging to a mantle! Down and R of SB. Access this either by scrambling across the slopey slab or through the hole belowTracksuit Timewarp. Climb the slab then R through the roof. Mantle the lip and crank away up the nice head wall!

FFA: 2013

FA: Matt Brooks, 2013

The following routes are on the short wall below the belay ledge of the main cave routes. Belay in a pile of rubbish. You can either rap down to them, or walk around the side.

Left hand line lower slab.

FFA: Jessica Shaham, 2012

Boulder the bolted slab. 3m R of WR Some thin bouldery moves directly up the middle of the slab

FFA: Jessica Shaham, 2012

Fun little layback. At the obvious flake at the R end of the lower slab. Straight up and into the obvious layback and up to the lower off on the main ledge

FFA: Glen Norrell, 2012

Hard Slab past an overlap if you can be bother cleaning it.

Hello!

First time here?

theCrag.com is a free guide for rock climbing areas all over the world, collaboratively edited by keen rock climbers, boulderers and other nice folks.

You can log all your routes, connect and chat with other climbers and much more...

» go exploring, » learn more or » ask us a question

Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Mike Forward and Peter Balint

Date: 2023

With 2065 bouldering problems ranging from V0-V15 across 57 areas nestled around Sydney, the all new Sydney Bouldering Guide will keep you occupied for years to come. Just because we live in Sydney we'll try not to be biased but honestly this city has some amazing bouldering and usually not more than a few minutes off the road or some even near parks and train stations. There's no need to camp out and trek for hours to get to world class problems, they're right on your door step.

Authors Mike Forward and Peter Balint spent over 7 years putting this guide together and is the first new bouldering guide for Sydney in over 20 years. It's over 350 colour pages including 600+ colour photo tops, crag tops, amazing images and more.

Author(s): Neil Monteith & Simon Carter

Date: 2021

ISBN: 9780645299908

Featuring 1142 climbing routes located at 24 of the best crags in the Sydney area, this A5 size guide book is super user friendly with easy to use colour cliff topos and access maps. Covers sport and trad climbing at a variety of grades, something for everyone.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

Share this

Photos Browse all photos

Upload a photo of area

Wed 31 May
Check out what is happening in The Junkyard Cave.

Get a detailed insight with a timeline showing

  • Ticks by climbers like you
  • Discussions of the community
  • Updates to the index by our users
  • and many more things.

Login to see the timeline!

Deutsch English Español Français Italiano 한국어 Português 中文