Bundaleer

The Word: Pretty nice ... but over rated.
The Crag Classic(s): Blimp (20), Stone Ocean (23), Manic (25), Touchstone Pictures (28).
The Hidden Gem: Gerontian was good, though it will scare leaders at the grade
Best Season(s): Spring and Autumn, and it's one of the better summer options, though it could certainly get too hot on many days.
Sun/shade: Shade from about 11am.
Wet weather options: Bouldering and hard routes (26+) down in the camping cave. Many routes seep.
Style & Length of Climbs: Mainly vertical, with good faces, aretes and corners. A couple of steeper thuggy things. Easier things tend to be 40-60m multipitch, while the harder things are mostly 15-30m single pitch.
Rock type: Ok Grampians sandstone, but not that hard. It's noticeably softer and sandier than (eg) Stapylton rock.
Guidebook(s): (Page ??)
Available Grades; Best Grades:

The Details: My opinion of this crag is probably irrelevant, but for what its worth I think Bundaleer is reasonably over rated. If you can’t lead 23 plus, this crag is only worth a few visits.

Access: From Halls Gap, head up the Mt Victory Rd, turn L and along to Mt Rosea campground. Turn R here along Rosea Track and follow it for about 2kms, until a dirt road heads L. Follow this for about 1.5km S, and park about 100m before a gate (which is locked throughout winter - until 31 Oct). Walk up the obvious track to the 'rock step', which is hard to recognise unless you know that it's a little 4m high escarpment which forces the track to veer R almost into the creek for the first time. Once above this 'rock step', veer diagonally up L on a track which soon becomes obvious.

Descent(s): Most 1 pitch routes have rap anchors, many others top out requiring a walk down a small gully R of Scarab to a rap station (don't use the tree), 25m to the ground.

Bundaleer as viewed from the top of Mt Rosea. Blimp is initialled on the left, and Gerontian in the middle. the top and bottom of the descent route is also marked.
I know which crag I'd prefer - Rosea!!

Described R to L.

Live Action 20m 20 (YP)
Steep and poorly protected start is a bit of a downer, then up the nicely steep wall above with a goodly pump developing. Walk 20m L to the rap station.

James onsights the ok face route Live Action.
Too bad about the dodgy pro at the start

** Gerontian 60m 17 (OS all)
I really enjoyed this route a lot, it has stacks of good climbing and is really consistent in difficulty level. Unfortunately the crux is a little sandbagged, often coated in winter filth, and not that well protected. Still, if that's manageable for you it's a brilliant line. 1) (* 20m 15) Not much to write home about, steeper and more delicate than it looks from memory. 2) (** 20m 17) The brilliant square cut corner which unfortunately can be dirty and which has an old pin which ain't good for much these days. I think a big cam would help here. 3) (** 20m 17) Fantastic exposed technical steepness underclinging around the underside of a flake. Walk 80m R along the top to the descent gully.

** Pathos 25m 21 (PP)
It's reputation is of being fiercely difficult for 21 and a total megaclassic. IMO it's neither. If anything it's a little soft for 21 (even though I fell off it), because the crux is so damn short and the rest is about 16 - which is also why I don't reckon it's a 3 star route. Anyway it's definitely fantastic and if you don't mind fingerlocks you'll walk up it (so long as you don't decide to reverse the crux instead of grabbing the victory jug!!) (total brain fade on my behalf....). Rap off.

Len seconds up Pathos.
Cool line Len continues up Pathos.

* Blanketty Blank 25m 20 (OS)
Ok, but you need to be pretty confident with your gear and bring extenders etc. I also remember the face crux at half height being pretty solid for the grade. Good route though.

James seconds up Blanketty Blank, with the crack finish of Pathos being obvious on the left.
Delicate face

Steve crank up the holdless Bliss (** 25) - originally given 23!
23 my arse!!

*** Blimp 25m 20 (YP)
Stellar moves, tempered somewhat by the dubious quality of the face holds on the left wall. Tricky low crux past piton, then very sustained climbing at the grade all the way to jugs just below the roof. Seconded this one twice now, suppose I'll get back to lead it one day! 30m rap (50m rope is NOT enough)

Dave shaking out after Blimp's crux past a dodgy pin. Gotta love that rock quality . . . . . .
Blimp (Bundaleer) That left wall is vertical (well, 6 inches overhung), so it's a pretty imposing feature. Dave carries on up Blimp. BTW, Touchstone Pictures (28) heads up that R wall.

Gettin' pumped yet Dave? Sure looks like it if you're pullin' moves like that!! Good job to onsight it!
Blimp (Bundaleer)

* Manic Depressive 15m 25 (L)
Yet another Bundaleer route with a reputation it can't live up to. Precariously scale the enormous stupid cairn, then start with a hideous crimp campus. From there up it's quite ok but unfortunately this stupid start completely loses my interest.

Kevin has a 'gentle' warm up, by walking through the crux on Manic Depressive.
Despite being 4m off the ground he's only just stepped off the massive cairn!! Kevin continues up Manic Depressive.
Hmm, the rest was easy, where's the crux...?

* Dagon's Temple 25m 22 (OS)
A superb technical thin crack ruined by a hideous overhung trench. Not much more to say.

James cruises up the very stylish initial thin crack of Dagon's Temple.
Too bad about what's above

James still cruising up Dagon's Temple.

Enter Sandman 15m 21 (YP)
The first move is the crux, with jugs all the way home. No way is this 22, although the moves are quite fun and it would deserve a star if not for the soft rock. Nice new ringbolts.

A view of the steep far left end of Bundaleer, with Len starting up Angular Perspective (*** 28).
steepness

More Internet Sites on Bundaleer Climbing

Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) go here to check for upcoming trips to this area.

VCC South Eastern Grampians Update - downloadable pdf of new routes through to March 2001

VCC Grampians Update - downloadable pdf of new routes from March 2001 through to Oct 2003

VCC New Routes page - a listing of new routes through to the present day

Bureau of Meteorology Navigate to "Wimmera" - Horsham's weather is the closest.

Australian Maps Enter "Rosea" into the street name (and Victoria as the state), then choose "Rosea Track, Bellfield (Grampians)". The map will be centred on the junction with Stoney Creek Rd, about 1km North of where you need to park.

Chockstone The best site on Victorian climbing has a range of pictures of the crag

Parks Victoria Park information, downloadable maps, etc.

Parks Victoria Education Resource Kit A fascinating explanation of Grampians climate, geology, wildlife, vegetation, soils, history, park management, and visitor impacts.

TheCrag.com As always. Record your Bundaleer ticks here, and see what everyone else is climbing.