[GazM]

I've searched but not come up with a specific thread to help me out, so here goes:

Two of us are going down to Australia for a 4 week trip.  Flying out to Melbourne at the start of October, coming back at the start of November, with Arapiles and the Grampians as our main playgrounds.

I'm just looking for general advice for 1st-timers down there. 

I assume a hire car would be recommended? Any specific companies/websites to hire from?
Especially good routes or crags (up to E3ish on trad, 7b/+ish on sport)?
General admin and local knowledge: good bars and eateries, campsites etc.

Cheers in advance...
 

[Stabbsy]

I was there for most of October and a bit of November about 8/9 years ago, with a similar plan to focus on Arapiles and Grampians.

I decided against a car for the majority of the trip due to cost, but if you can afford it then it makes things easier. I ended up hiring a car for the last 10 days, so I could do a bit more in the Gramps and then drive the Great Ocean Road before returning to Melbourne. I ended up just hiring a car in Horsham, but can't remember where. When I was there, it was fairly easy to grab a lift into Horsham or get the bus in on a rest day (to do washing, get a shower, check emails, etc.).

I based myself in the Pines (Arapiles) to make it easier to find folks to climb with - I was meeting a friend for 2 of my 4 weeks, but found people to climb with fairly easily. It was fairly easy to get to Taipan Wall area for a day trip, although I'm not sure if this is open following bush fires.

In terms of routes at Arapiles, there's plenty to go at in the grades you're talking about. Personal favourites were Despatched (Bluffs), Birdman of Alcatraz (Death Row), Judgement Day (Pharos), Second Coming (Pharos), Auto da Fe (Watchtower), In Lemon Butter (Yesterday Gully) plus Kachoong for the obligatory photos. I did a few sport routes, but that wasn't what Arapiles did best in my opinion.

[jern]

For Arapiles a car is not essential  - i spent 2 months there without. At that time of year there will be plenty of people around to scrounge lifts to Natimuk / Horsham for food / beer / showers etc. The Grampians is more difficult without a car but not impossible - there's always people heading there from Araps for a few days; you just need to ask around.

There is a bus service from Horsham to Natimuk - if you ask nicely they will drop you at Arapiles.

Camping at Araps is at the crag, not sure of the cost now but it is cheap.  Natimuk has a pub, a cafe and milk bar and thats about it. You can buy food at the milk bar but you're better off getting to Horsham to buy most of your food. Invest in plastic boxes to store food to keep the possums at bay - one ate through the groundsheet of my tent to get a loaf of bread when i was in the tent (pissed)

Rest days. Go to Horsham for a shower  / food. Get pissed. Watch pissed Kiwis chuck empty gas cartridges on the fire

For trad up to E3 then Arapiles is Nirvana - you could easily spend 4 weeks months there alone. Specific routes: Tannin, Taratula, Fever Pitch, Cecilia, Scorpion Corner, Thunder Crack, Squeekeasy, In Lemon Butter, Auto da Fe are some I can reel off now. Sport: not much at Araps - Henry Bolte and Spasm in a Chasm spring to mind.

Haven't climbed that much in the Gramps and a lot is still closed after bushfires - chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp should help.

Anything else just ask...

[Fultonius]

Oh oh, can I piggy back this thread?

I'm going to be in Mebourne from the 17th to the 25th of November (visiting the lass's twin sister) but she'll be working during the week, so we were thinking heading to the Arapiles for a few days.

However, we're travelling for 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after so I don't really want to bring a trad rack - however, I really want to do some trad lines out there. Any thoughts? If we're not staying long I would have thought it might be harder to pick up partners?

Is there much sport climbing in the Fr5s (Aus 16 according to rockfax)

[r-man]

There's usually a good scene in the Pines (the campsite). If you are friendly (or bring beer!) it shouldn't be too hard to find partners.

[DaveC]

Oh oh, can I piggy back this thread?

I'm going to be in Mebourne from the 17th to the 25th of November (visiting the lass's twin sister) but she'll be working during the week, so we were thinking heading to the Arapiles for a few days.

Is there much sport climbing in the Fr5s (Aus 16 according to rockfax)

What R-Man said but sport-climbing at Arapiles is pretty much non-existent except for a few harder routes.
If you're stuck for an odd day in Melbourne I there is some easier bolted stuff at my local area (about 50km SW of Melbourne) and with a bit of notice I can probably get out and show you around (you can get to mine by train btw, so you wouldn't need a car.) PM me if you need any help/info.

[SA Chris]

If you can afford a hire car I would. Gives you flexibility if you want to get over to Grampians for the day or nip into Natimuk or Horsham for a shower / shopping etc. Just use any car hire company that's cheapest they are all much of a muchness, just make sure you have a CDW that covers hitting kangaroos. Oh and beware of hitting kangaroos, especially travelling at dusk and dawn. Travelling back via Great Ocean Road is a good way to see some of the country if you fancy a break from the climbing. I just hired one for the last few days of the trip from Horsham drove GOR (hoping for surf, but not finding much) and dropped it in Victoria.

Get Grampian Select, I don't think there's many bad routes in it.

Birdman of Alcatraz I remember being good, technical then pumpy, Death Row to the right is not hard, but a cool feature to climb. Auto da Fe is good slab climbing, Skink (I think, breaks out from Watchtower crack) Brolga, Hell for Leather and License to Run are easier but good fun on ridiculously big holds.

You might be struggling with the heat a bit, so figure out what is in sun and shade, and check out some of the routes hidden in the gullys like Lamplighter on hot days. 

[SA Chris]

In Mt Stapylton Area at Grampians, the Sluice combined with Navarre is a great route up, two amazing rock features on incredible quality rock.

Also get a complete set of proper RPs (you can get them in the local climbing shops cheaper than here) and learn to love using them in the tiny cracks, or on routes like Rats Alley on Grotto Wall (another good shady option) where apart from the bolt protecting the start they are the only gear.

[Fultonius]

Chris, just realised you were actually replying more to Gaz than me - was about to start saying "we've only got a week!!"

Probably just miss you when you're there Gav?

What R-Man said but sport-climbing at Arapiles is pretty much non-existent except for a few harder routes.
If you're stuck for an odd day in Melbourne I there is some easier bolted stuff at my local area (about 50km SW of Melbourne) and with a bit of notice I can probably get out and show you around (you can get to mine by train btw, so you wouldn't need a car.) PM me if you need any help/info.

Cheers Dave. I'm starting to think of just throwing in a minimal trad rack - maybe 6 cams, 1 set wires and micros - a good opportunity t get the lass into trad - "sorry, there's no bolts ;-)  Should see me up most stuff and probably easier to blag a few pieces of someone than a full rack?

[DaveC]

You can borrow some RPs off me if you like, I still have a set that has seen very little use.

[SA Chris]

Chris, just realised you were actually replying more to Gaz than me - was about to start saying "we've only got a week!!"

I don't respond to hijackers, it's the same as negotating with terrorists

Six cams, set wires and some RPs would be enough to get you up  lot of things, including a lot of classic routes at Arapiles. There's some easier bolted stuff in Grampians but not enough to keep you occupied for a week.

[GazM]

Also get a complete set of proper RPs

Very specifically proper RPs? I have full sets of BD micro-stoppers and DMM brass offsets.  Shirley they'll be OK?

[SA Chris]

The microstoppers might be OK, but RPs were specifically designed for the little triangular placements you get at Arapiles, and they fit into them so damned well. Beg or borrow a few if you can, or buy them there. I think I've got a few if you want to use them.

[GazM]

OK, that's good knowledge.  And thanks for all the other info too.  I'll talk to Rob who I'm going out there with and see what he's got.

[DaveC]

Offer on RPs is open to any UKBers passing through on the way to the Piles. They're just going to waste in my cupboard at these days.

[DaveC]

An update for those planning to camp at Arapiles: there have been some changes to the system for paying and as of July 1st you have to book online and, I presume, pay up front. There are details at the government site below:

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/visit/book-your-stay/changes-to-camping-and-accommodation-fees

and you can make your reservations here:

http://www.parkstay.vic.gov.au/camping

[SA Chris]

That all seems wrong somehow.

[GazM]

More admin: Fuel for stoves.  Are those reseal-able gas canisters easy to get hold of? As in the ones you'd use in a jetboil/MSR Pochet Rocket etc?

[jern]

 You can get them there but they're pretty expensive. I bought an adaptor in Horsham with meant I could use dirt cheap blowtorch gas cartridges.

Can't remember the name of the shop but it's on the corner of the Main Street where it meets the road from Natimuk. It sells a climbing gear as well as a range of polyester sportswear

[GazM]

OK, cheers.  I look forward to seeing the polyester sportswear.

[SA Chris]

Or as it's known as in Australia; smart casual.

[tomtom]

OK, cheers.  I look forward to seeing the polyester sportswear.

Careful how you mix your polyester sportswear and open gas ring camping cooking.....

[GazM]

Grampians knowledge:
Some of those crags look a-mazing, but I'm slightly worried about the sound of the bolt/trad routes.  It sounds like loads of the classics rely on some trad gear as well as bolts, so do they feel more like trad routes than sport routes? 

Basically I'm trying to work out if I'm gonna go there hoping to redpoint some sport routes at my limit but in reality they're trad routes and they'll be terrifying.  Ie. clipping bolts when I can only just do the moves is one thing, but fiddling in wires is another!

[jern]

The Gallery: you wont need to drag a rack up the hill for.

Taipan:  take a rack (i think it might be closed anyway)

Always worth taking a light rack to the sport crags anyway as sometimes the easier ground on a route won't be bolted.

[DaveC]

Taipan is definitely closed.