Rock Climbing Destinations
Destinations in Victoria
- Mount Alexander
- Camels Hump
- Black Hill
- Ben Cairn
- Cathedral Ranges
- Cape Woolamai
- You Yangs
- Werribee Gorge
- Mount Beckworth
- Mount Arapiles
- Grampians National Park
- Mount Buffalo National Park
- Wilsons Promontory National Park
Destinations throughout Australia
Last Updated: December 16, 2022
Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander offers easily accessible climbing on large granite boulder in a nice forest setting. It consist of two main areas Dog Rocks and Wabbit Wocks.
Type of climbing: Slab and Cracks, with mostly trad protection and the occasional bolt. Some Sport routes.
Grades: easy (1-12) 17; intermediate(13-18) 39; advanced (19-24) 36; expert (25-33) 14
Beginner friendly: yes
Top Rope friendly: yes
Day Trip friendly: yes
Walk in: Dog Rocks 5im easy; Wabbit Wocks 25min steep
Camping and Facilities: no
Distance from Melbourne: 130km; 1h30min
Camels Hump
Camels Hump
Camels Hump is the perfect summer location. It’s temperature is usually about 10C lower than in Melbourne. It is perfect in summer and absolutely freezing and miserable in winter. It offers easy to moderate trad routes, harder sport routes and a newish easy sport crag within a 5 min walk to the main area.
Type of climbing: A bit of everything.
Grades: easy (1-12) 46; intermediate (13-19) 62; advanced (20-24) 54; expert (24-31) 14.
Beginner friendly: yes
Top Rope friendly: yes
Day Trip friendly: yes
Camping and Facilities: none; Mount Macedon Village (4km) has a cafe/convenience store/post office and a pub.
Distance from Melbourne: 63km; 1h
Black Hill
Black Hill
Climbing on big boulders dotted in a forest area.
Type of climbing: Granite slabs (mostly sport) and cracks (mostly trad)
Grades: easy (1-12) 4; intermediate (13-19) 43: advanced (20-24) 38; expert (25-33) 11.
Beginner friendly: no
Top Rope friendly: partially, some of the climbs require someone to lead up first.
Day Trip friendly: yes
Camping and Facilities: no, Kyneton (8km) offers all main services.
Distance from Melbourne: 91km, 1h10min
Ben Cairn
Ben Cairn
Granite outcrop in forest close to Healesville.
Type of climbing: Face, Slab and Crack
Grades: easy (1-12) 8: intermediate (13-19) 12; advanced (20-24) 24; expert (25-33) 3.
Beginner friendly: yes
Top Rope friendly: yes
Day Trip friendly: yes
Walk in. 5min easy with some scrambling to the base of the climbs.
Camping and Facilities: no, Healesville (18km) offers all main services.
Distance from Melbourne: 80km, 1h30min.
Guidebooks: Rockclimbs around Melbourne, Glenn Tempest 2011
Cathedral Ranges
Cathedral Ranges
Type of climbing: single and multi-pitch slabs with mostly natural protection
Grades: easy (1-12) 60; intermediate (13-19) 117; advanced (20-24) 41; expert (25-33) 2.
Beginner friendly: no
Top Rope friendly: no
Day Trip friendly: Sugarloaf Peak maybe, North and South Jawbones no.
Walk in: Sugarloaf Peak 15min steep, Jawbones 1h steep with bush bashing
Camping and Facilities: National Park with Campgrounds as well as bush camping. Buxton (18km) has a pub and a small convenience store.
Distance from Melbourne: 125km, 2h10min
Guidbooks: Rockclimbs around Melbourne, Glenn Tempest 2011
Cape Woolamai
Cape Woolamai
Pink granite sea cliffs located on Phillip Island, just over the bridge from the mainland. Not for the inexperienced. Tides, weather, and choss may dictate your approach and retreat so be prepared. Fixed protection is not trustworthy; bring slings for rap anchors
Type of climbing: varied on partially very chossy rock
Grades: easy (1-12) 28; intermediate (13-19) 31; advanced (20-24) 4; expert (25-33) 2.
Beginner friendly: no
Top Rope friendly: no
Day Trip friendly: yes
Walk in: 10min easy
Camping and Facilities: Phillip Island offers everything.
Distance from Melbourne: 130km, 1h40min
Guidbooks: Cape Woolamai Rockclimbing, Stuart Hollaway and Chelsea Brunckhorst 2013
You Yangs
You Yangs
Urinal and Royalty wall offer some excellent slab climbing which is easily accessible. You Yangs Regional Park also offers bushwalking and mountain biking.
Type of climbing: Slab and Cracks, some bolt protection
Grades: easy (1-12) 11; intermediate (13-19) 29; advanced (20-24) 3; expert (25-33) 0.
Beginner friendly: no
Top Rope friendly: Urinal and Royalty walls suitable with easy access to top and bottom of cliff,
Day Trip friendly: yes
Walk in: 5min easy
Camping and Facilities: no camping, Little River (9km) offers basic facilities.
Distance from Melbourne: 63km,50min
Guidbooks: Rockclimbs around Melbourne, Glenn Tempest 2011
Werribee Gorge
Werribee Gorge
Very popular north facing cliff close to Melbourne. Offers a variety of trad routes and some harder sport climbs. Perfect in winter but can be excruciating on a hot summer day.
Type of climbing: Face and crack
Grades: easy (1-12) 6; intermediate (13-19) 29; advanced (20-24) 25; expert (25-33) 5.
Beginner friendly: yes
Top Rope friendly: yes, easy access to top and bottom of cliff, easy anchor set ups, some loose rock at top of cliff
Day Trip friendly: yes
Walk in: 30 min moderate
Camping and Facilities: no facilities in park, Bacchus Marsh (11km) has everything.
Distance from Melbourne: 70km, 1h
Guidbooks: Rockclimbs around Melbourne, Glenn Tempest 2011