Will's Rock Climbing Page > Crags > AU > Vic > The Grampians > The Unnamed Cliff

Last updated: Jul '04

The Unnamed Cliff

The Word: Sorting wheat from chaff.
The Crag Classic(s): Energise Your Soul
The Hidden Gem: The orange wall
Best Season(s):
Sun/shade: The orange wall gets sun from 10am, the main cliff gets afternoon sun.
Wet weather options: During rain yes, the orange wall mostly stay dry. But after rain the whole place seeps heavily for at least a day or two after decent rains.
Style & Length of Climbs: Old easy rambles on variable rock, plus some new harder 1 pitch things. Trad.
Rock type: Sandstone, mostly pretty substandard for the Grampians, but the orange wall is great.
Guidebook(s): Northern Grampians 1990, Northern Grampians Update 1994, both by Andrews (Page ??)
Available Grades:11-24

The Details: A large cliff that gets more disappointing the closer you look. However the orange wall down the left end has been deserving of the recent attention, it's actually very good!

Access: 15min walk. From the junction of Plantation Rd and Winfield Rd (just near Stapylton Campground) head South along Winfield Rd for about 1.5km, with an olive plantation being on your L (E) the whole way. At the end of the olive plantation (where Cameron's Rd goes to the West), turn L (E) and drive along a rough track immediately beside the fence for about 400m (2WD will just clear the water bars) up the hill to the end of the fence. Park here. A walking trail leads SE (diagonally away from the plantation), and then S along what used to be a cleared road but now has lots of felled trees across it. After about 300m you'll approach a creekbed, before getting to it some tape on trees marks the track which veers diagonally L for 100m, crosses the creek, then blasts pretty much straight uphill for 10mins to meet the cliff.
Descent(s): Rap stations atop the orange wall routes, everything else you'll have to walk down which apparently is a bit dicky.
Described L to R.

A topo (© Joe Goding) of the Unnamed Cliff showing the newly developed areas. The original routes are further R. Marked routes are: "Route 1" = bold Dave Cebar 24; "Dave Cyber Route 2" = bold 19; "Mark Rewi Route 1" = 22; "Phantom Cocky Killer" = 18; "Mark Rewi Route 2" = 22; blue line = Mark Rewi Route 3, 23; Yellow Line = Energise Your Soul, 22; "Gifted" = 23.
Unnamed Cliff
Mark Rewi Route 2 12m 22 (L)
The L arete of the beautiful orange wall, but not great. Nice moves up arete to bolt (though this is desperate in the wet!). There's a clipping jug hidden down and R of the bolt. Then undercling the fingerlock at the back of the slopy shelf, R hand crappy sidepull, L hand to sharp crimp/gaston on bulge, then swing up into grunty sidepulling to get over the bulge. Not that you needed another reason not to be on it in the rain (!), but the victory jugs have a habit of snapping off when wet - this sent me flying on a huge 6m silent winger which, being uncontrolled, ended up with my hip slamming into the bulge below the bolt - OUCH!!! Thank goodness I put in "one more bit of gear before the top"....

Me leading up Mark Rewi Route 2 - not recommended on a wet day!
Slippery slimy spooge! Joe topropes up to my high point on Mark Rewi Route 2 after my massive winger when the victory jug ripped off.
Getting my gear back - thanks mate!!
** Gifted 27m 23 (RP)

A long time project of Joe Goding, fortunately I came along just as he opened it up. Takes a nice subtle line of holds up the R side of the lovely orange wall. Carefully up the unprotected short wall to major break, then step R and up short steep wide black crack to break. Nice moves to next break and step R to great undercling rest. Goey moves lead up past horizontal to big undercling move, then tenuous sidepulling up slot/crack (crux), to some slopey breaks then finally some jugs on the arete. Easily up the slabby side of the arete to chains. FA Will Monks, Joe Goding, James Pfrunder 26/6/04

Me leading up Gifted for its FFA.
Gifted

Joe looks down Gifted after topping out.
Gifted

James seconds up Gifted
Gifted

More Internet Sites on The Unnamed Cliff

Yeah, as if!

Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) go here to check for new routes, and/or upcoming trips to this area.

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

Australian Maps Enter "Camerons Rd" as the street and "Laharum" as the suburb (and Victoria as the state).

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 Unnamed Cliff ticks here, and see what everyone else is climbing.