Warragul Rocks

The Details: A large sweep of granite up to 80m high and 300m long, most of which unfortunately just doesn't seem to "work". The L end is broken by blocky corners and grassy leaf strewn ledges, while the R end is shortened by the Upper Tier ledge, and also has large areas of low angled moss-covered slabs. However the Upper Tier offers dozens of good 15m routes, mainly in the 21-27 range. The lower slabs also throw up some climbable sections in the centre, and despite the mossy, leaf strewn surroundings these routes are of surprisingly high quality, and are up to 60m long.

Access: First, call Ron on 0413 402 744. He's only too happy to have you visit (as of Mar04) however failure to call him could change this situation. He's not trying to make it hard, he just wants to know what goes on on his property (fair enough right!?). In fact he might even open the cables for you (which brings the walk-in down from 200m to 10m!), and for us he even offered to bring down some steaks for our lunch! So just call, ok!
Once that's sorted, it's almost a 2hr drive from Melbourne, then a 2min walk-in. You'll need a guide! The roads through the forest are quite confusing and I'm not even going to try to describe it.

Descent(s): Rap down Clown Town for the lower tier - a single strand 60m rope will reach all the way from the double rings at the top. For the upper tier there is a tricky little scramble down about 15m L of Trail Bike Yobbo, this is fine in climbing shoes but I wouldn't recommend it in normal shoes and with a pack on - instead walk 200m down the far (NW) end where there's an easy walk down to the upper tier.

Described L to R.

Upper Tier

Trail Bike Yobbo - Richard down low. The "Barney Rubble"-shaped arete in the background is directly above the rap descent for the Lower Slabs.

Trail Bike Yobbo modelled by our favourite covergirl - note the great views down into the Goulburn River Valley.

* Champagne & Novocaine 15m 21 (OS)
Another of the must-do routes at Warragul Rocks. Very nice. It's a little bold to the first bolt with 19ish face moves off the deck. Then trend fairly easily up L past the bolt to the small roof which takes good big cams (a small wire just above the bolt and a microcam in a sidepull below the roof add some peace of mind when putting gear in the roof). Easy enough to get jugs in the break above the roof, then (crux) a hard pull using the off-fingers crack to establish feet over the lip of the roof (keep an eye out for non-obvious feet on the left) to gain some good fingerlocks above, and then a jug at the top of the crack (small cam in crack). Tricky mantle onto shelf, then short easy offwidth to DRB.

Champagne & Novocaine - me licking my lips mid-crux on this tasty route.

Agony & Ecstacy - a heinous 27/28 with Steve shown here trying to confirm the grade.

Lower Slabs

** Wussle Slowe 30m 20 (OS)
A fantastic slab! If it was clean it would get 3 stars without a doubt! Even with the slight lichen/moss regrowth which it now has and the odd piece of leaf litter which gets washed down the route, this was a beauty! Very highly recommended. The climbing is goey straight off the deck, we started R of the first bolt at an obvious pocket, then trended up L to the bolt. However it also looks possible to start in from the left. Equal crux moves past 1st bolt, at first with no feet, then with no hands! Slightly better little edges lead up and R, until some more great hard moves from the 3rd bolt lead diagonally up R to the base of the obvious flake. Clip the 4th (last) bolt either long or short - normal length draws will have the carabiner pushing against the flake. Move up the flake to the second crux, exciting smearing moves off nothing feet using the flake for both hands. There are holds out L of the flake in the leaf litter which might make this easier (but less fun!). Rap 30m off DRB.

Wussle Slowe - Eddy at the first crux, with lots of great slabbing above.

Wussle Slowe - Eddy about to do the hard moves up R from the 3rd bolt, with the excellent flake moves still to come. Note the carabiner situation with the 4th bolt - use a longer or shorter one.

* Clown Town 62m 19 (OS) Being the abseil descent route this is the cleanest route at the crag! However it is also dangerous to climb when others are rapping down because of the loose rubble near the rap rings which inevitably gets kicked down - at least wear a helmet. 1) (* 18m 19) 3 bolts lead up a clean section of an otherwise mossy slab with the hardest moves past the 3rd onto a small ledge. Step slightly R and rock onto the slab above past 2 bolts to a bigger ledge and DRB. 2) (19m 18) didn't do! 3) (25m 16) A thin flake (#1Fr) leads over a bulge on polished white rock to easier slabbing up and a touch R. A final hard move (quite hard for 16!) to overcome a short vertical wall then wander up to the DRB. * Clown Town Direct 8m 19 (OS) This will teach me to read the guidebook next time! Although doing it this way allowed me to do the whole route as a single 58m pitch. On pitch 2, instead of traversing 7m L from the first bolt, head up the clean sustained slab directly above the bolt for 8m (ledge fall potential) to the 2nd belay ledge. Really very nice climbing, but quite bold for a leader at the grade - feel free to add a bolt. FRA Will Monks, Eddy Rawlins 21/3/04. . . . . . .

Clown Town - me just above the nice flake at the start of the 3rd pitch. My direct variant deposits you about 2m R of the bottom of the flake. The big tree in the background is directly above Wussle Slowe, for those who would want to set up a toprope.

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