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South Coogee Sea Cliffs
Despite many of the climbs being manufactured routes (ie. chipped), the South Coogee crag is well worth a visit, particularly since the rock is some of the solidest bits of sea cliff I've seen. Like most sea cliffs, it faces almost due east, so expect plenty of morning sun, and shade in the afternoon.
To get to the crag, catch a 372, 373, or 374 bus to Coogee Beach, then walk south along the boardwalk to Alexandria Parade. From Trenerry Reserve (where the boardwalk starts) you can get a good look at the crag, and see whether it is seeping or not.
The crag seeps badly after rain, and for a long time as well. Despite this, there are a number of climbs that can still be attempted even if the rest of the crag is running with water.
Although there are about a dozen climbs here, most of them are unleadable because of the extremely poor quality of the bolts on the face. Luckily, most of the bolts at the tops of the climbs are ok, so most climbs can be top-roped with little or no stress.
The guide for the area is the newly published Sun, Surf and Sandstone online guide book. This crag is described here.
Climbs are described left to right.
Get a Rat Up Ya 15m 23
Starts below the small roof on a largish boulder at the southern end of the huge block. Easily up choss to roof, then hard moves to reach first (enormous) chipped hold. Continue up chipped holds, underclinging, heelhooking and generally doing typical gym moves. 5 decent BRs on the face makes this one of the only (safely!) leadable climbs here, with the big bolt and a BR on top for the belay.
Head-hi Takl 12m 23
A hard, dead vertical climb with some extremely insecure moments. Starts about 8m left (facing out) of the dodgy bolt, behind the huge block, with three nice new shiny bolts for the belay. Rap in or lower off, tending left (facing the cliff) past two marginal bolts. Start below the left hand end of the small roof/ledge, below a small white flake just above the ledge. Mantle/heelhook onto the ledge, then up easily to a miniscule left hand crimper (crux 1). Once past this, there's a huge deadpoint to a small, slopey crimper about 6 inches below the small roof (crux 2). Match hands on this, then up to the juggy break below the small roof. Balancy mantle/grovel over the roof to the top.
??? (Unlisted in guidebook) 12m 21
The line of 3 rusty bolts about 6m right of HHT. Start at the left hand end of the ledge, just left of the chipped initials "CJB". Pleasantly up face on smallish chipped holds, with some really nice balancy moves and some big reaches. Two good BRs on top for the belay.
??? (Unlisted in guidebook) 7m 17
The line of 2 rusty bolts a couple of metres right of the previous climb. Start on ledge. Easily up chipped and natural holds, with one or two nice moves. Two good BRs for the belay, partially hidden under a small bush.
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