Rock Climbing at Gondwannaland, Grampians, Victoria, Australia

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Gondwannaland, Grampians
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						Quick Stats
Climbs	*******	**	*	Hardest	Longest	Rock	Access
13	0	2	3	25	60m	Sandstone	30 mins

[ This guide contributed by Neil Monteith. Disclaimer: Rock climbing is a dangerous sport. None of the information contained in this document has been verified. Treat all fixed gear with suspicion, route grades may be incorrect and the rock may be poor. The editors of this document take no responsibility for any injury arising from the use of this information. If there are mistakes in this guide then let the editor know by emailing nmoneith@yahoo.com. ]

The Emus Foot Track, not sign-posted, runs south-east at the foot of the Victoria Range and finishes at barriers at the Camp Of the Emu’s Foot. The road turns off Red Rock Road and is the same road that Eureka Walls is accessed from (see Tempest/Mentz guide). At the end of the road at the old car park head uphill to caged Aboriginal art site. Walk right along base of cliff for a few 100m until it is possible to head upwards. Follow vague track up and rightish to arrive at east facing large orange/grey wall. Walking time 30 minutes.

Right: Gondwannaland topo shot. Photos by Neil Monteith.

1) Up The Road 35m 18 *
Ninety degree sharp arête with clean wall on right side about 40m right of Terra Incognita. A short corner crack is climbed to a little ledge on the left, then launch up the pocketed arête with some fiddly pro. The final ten metres is jug city. Small to medium gear and slings. FFA Neil Monteith & Michael Boniwell 26.1.2003

* Grit Life 20m 16
Excellent grey wall five metres right of the arête of Up The Road. Start in juggy corner on right side of wall and climb this until you can hand traverse left along break at 3m. Climb the face above trending leftwards to finish up beautiful cracked headwall. Protection is sparse in middle section. FFA Neil Monteith & Jono Schimdt 6.7.2003

Right: Grit Life Wall Topo

3) Terra Incognita 50m 23 **
Dramatic climbing up prow. Up right then left onto wall. Up past BR to short vertical base of the ‘Thunder Crack’ like line. Up this a few moves then left and up the crazy paving right of the arête to the top. FFA Steve Monks & Keith Lockwood 17.11.1990

3) Voss 50m 22 *
Starts as for Gibber. (1) 30m Up ramp then obvious flake crack. Continue up wall to stance. (2) 20m Up main groove to finish directly up headwall. FFA Ed Neve, Keith Lockwood (alts), Norm Booth 28.1.1991

4) Gibber 45m 19
Start at the right leading ramp left of the prow. Up ramp easily then left. Up vertical wall on pockets, then easier climbing to crack system up headwall, finishing up overhanging crack. FFA Keith Lockwood & Norm Booth 8.9.1990

5) Face the Dissection 35m 23 *
Start at the base of ramp a little left of Gibber. Stem shallow corner to BR and pockets. Up past 2nd BR and more pockets to horizontal line. Right leading flake passed 3 FH's gains face just left of arête. Up superb face with small wires and cams before arête can be gained. Finish up arête. FFA Nick McKinnon & Neil Montieth 13.1.2002

6) Rock Climb 60m 8
Easy angled black hand crack corner 50m left of Gibber. Second pitch climbs juggy face above. Not recommended. FFA Gay Welders Union Jan 2002

7) Wild Iris 16m 18 **
Pocket pulling sport route on immaculate rock. Starts 50m left of Gibber. White pockets through bulge leads to spaced heucos on face. At third BR head right to BR then up juggy corner to rap chain. FFA Neil Monteith & Nick McKinnon 12.1.2002

Right: Dave Cebar reaches for the crux of Wild Iris (18).

8) Wild Iris RHV 17m 20
At second BR traverse directly right on small pockets and little else. When your feet refuse to stay on, clip a BR then crank like crazy to gain monster pockets. Finish as for original line past last BR. FFA Neil Monteith 12.1.2002

9) Green Room 25m 19
Leftwards leading easy pocketed corner just left Wild Iris. At top of corner place wires in thin crack then swing out right desperatly onto arête and easily up this to natural; belay stance. Another pitch above on super jugs leads to top and walk off. Needs a lower-off. FFA Steve Holloway, Nina Cullen & Amanda Cole 26.1.2003

Above Left: Neil on an FA attempt of Faceless (25). Check out the video footage. Gondwannaland Project (2.7 Meg, 44 seconds) - Falling! Neil takes a sizable whipper on an FA attempt of his grade 25 face project. Part Two (3.2 Meg, 52 seconds) - He continues, working the moves to the top. Photo & video by Michael Boniwell. Above Right: Topo for routes 10, 11 & 12.

10) * Faceless 20m 25
Sustained thin wall climbing up a slightly overhung face. Same start as Picking Plums but head right along juggy break past RB then follow further five RB¹s up crimpy wall to DRB anchor. Fourth RB is hard to clip. FFA Neil Monteith 7.6.2003

11) Picking Plums 20m 19 **
Starts 30m left of Wild Iris. In the middle of the wall is several cracklines; this climbs the furthest right one, approx in the middle of the wall. Absorbing rounded holds and the steep angle keep you guessing right until the end. The gear is great however and a chain on top makes descent easy. FFA Neil Monteith & Nick McKinnon 12.1.2002

12) Pineapple 18m 18
Line 2m left of Picking Plums. Similar sustained climbing up rounded cracks, but the rock is a little less perfect. Bring plenty of big cams. Traverse off right to chain or belay from natural bollards at top. FFA Neil Monteith & Nick McKinnon 13.1.2002

13) The Drifting 25m 15
Start 3-4m right of arete about 20m uphill from Pineapple. UP for 4m, right a little, then pretty much straight up. Wall is deceptively steep with good holds and gear. Scramble up right (looking out) to rap from sling around good bollard. FFA NIna Cullen & Steve Holloway 26.01.2003

Further Reading:
Grampians Selected Climbs - Guide book authored by Simon Mentz and Glenn Tempest and available from local climbing shops or the VCC.