A Guide to Rock Climbing in WA’s South West was published in January 2016, and has for some years been out of print. As with most things these days, records of what has been going on are now more often than not loaded online. The main repository used being an online forum called The Crag. Certainly the more popular places round here are well represented on this publicly available website. Not surprisingly the Main Area and Northern Blocks, including The Terrace, of Wilyabrup are well documented. These locations provide a vast array of trad, mixed, and a few sport lines of all grades up to 26. The ultra-popular Bob’s Hollow also has information easily accessible online, being regarded by some as one of the premiere limestone sports crags in Australia. This seems quite an achievement considering it only has thirty five accessible routes.
There are of course many other places of note in our local area. A few were mentioned in an article I wrote for the magazine Vertical Life a couple of years back, called Quiet getaway areas of the Western Australia’s South West. Some of these lesser frequented places get a bit more attention than others, but they all tend to live in the shadows of the key popular areas I mentioned above. This has resulted in the detail being logged on The Crag at times being scant, incomplete, and at times incorrect. I have explored these lesser visited places over the last twenty years. Allowing me, along with others, to experience the joy of establishing new routes. Many of which have not made it onto The Crag.
It therefore, seems fitting that on the eve of the tenth anniversary of the release of the, now out of print, guide for the South West of Western Australia, that these magical spots are recaptured in a series of mini guides. You may ask why I don’t just log into and update The Crag. Partly because I don’t want to get sucked into a forum where I would end up spending many, many days updating not just details for here but also Central Australia. Also producing mini guides allowed me to browse my 13,000 strong image library, to pick out and use photos that will bring a smile to many a person that I have climbed with.
There are ten locations and I have provided a mini guide for each. Below to give you a taster before you download, I have provided a brief introduction to highlight the charms and unique aspects of each.
Wellington Dam Quarry: A place to be humbled by. Some will say it is no good but I would retort with saying they simply do not have the technique this place demands you use, nor the metal for bolt placements that keep you safe but do not allow you to dog a route.
Castle Rock: A small place with a huge range in grades and also a great variation in style of climbing. The prefect place to climb and then dive into the crystal clear waters, which I like to think forms a moat on the ocean side, to snorkel with fish all around you.
Smiths Beach: A serious trad place, the flared cracks and slopers feeling even less secure due to the steepness of the walls. At times the holds look a long way apart and your body will tell you there are very few rests on the routes. This place will prove how committed you really are to trad.
Moses Rocks: The friendly crag, mostly slabby routes on a rock that feels good to hold and has great friction that seems to hold even in wet conditions. There is nothing to serious here but the Zawn, in which you can have the water lapping round your feet if you time it badly, is epic.
Cosy Corner: A place of contrast, a steep powerful inland crag but for me it is the moderate routes on the coastal face that appeals. Safety comes first here, as you abseil in and have to climb out. The lines are awesome, nicely consistent and in a brilliant position.
The next five areas are part of the Wilyabrup area, being the outlier crags. Each has its own and differing appeal that I have tried to draw out in the brief introductions.
Organ Pipes: This small crag is within a stones throw of the main area but rarely visited. A fine selection of low to moderate grade lines. But be warned some routes have longer than you may like runouts as you near the top. It is certainly a place you can test how your head is feeling.
Driftwood Bay: Nice 20m routes, which is long for the South West of Western Australia, on a broken crag that offers a rare mountaineering style of climbing. Rambling lines, variable rock quality, at times spaced gear. While it has low grades it is not the place to learn trad but true old school trad aficionados will love it.
Beginners Wall: This is the place to learn trad. Lots of placements on comfortable routes that are the sort of length that your belayer can observe and still provide advice. But check the ocean conditions first, as the water laps the bottom of some routes even on calm days.
The Bookshelf: As the name suggest it is like walking through a library, route after route neatly stacked. They are short but hidden on the shelf are some real gems. Another place to check the ocean conditions, but it also offers a beginners paradise where you can pack in the routes and hone your belay setups.
The Playground and Lost Buttress: The Playground is where to go for a boulder with a wonderful soft sandy landing. If you have someone to give you a catch, Lost Buttress is a short walk away and offers quality moderate climbs with just a hint of adventure, some of which have a disproportionate amount of exposure for their length.
Sandbagged 