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places to visit => abroad => Topic started by: andyh on March 15, 2007, 09:50:05 am

Title: sydney
Post by: andyh on March 15, 2007, 09:50:05 am
i've got a 2 day stopover in sydney next week and will have no transport or mat. is it worth me searching out any bouldering (within walking distance of the centre) or should i learn to surf instead?

totally out of shape - hardest i managed in hampi recently was 7a so not looking for any hardcore-only venues.

cheers
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: SA Chris on March 15, 2007, 10:23:35 am
I always thought andyh = andy higginson. Clearly not.

You can catch a train to linfield. Mostly vertical climbing and flat landings, can get by without a mat. Depending on your definition of "centre" as it is a pretty sprawling city, but there are bits and bobs to climb on, nothing amazing though.

Learnign to surf means you need waves, not always a given, although pretty reliable. Bondi is an easy place to start, though not necessarily the best. Manly and Northern beaches better.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Bonjoy on March 15, 2007, 10:30:13 am
Queens Park is very easy to get to. Ten minutes walk from Bondi Junction if I remember right. Has a fair few classy roof probs and some easier stuff, all on nice rock, but the tarmac landing is a bit harsh without a pad.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: andyh on March 15, 2007, 01:38:19 pm
I always thought andyh = andy higginson. Clearly not.

fraid not, h = healey.

notable for absolutely not much. if fact i just lost to a ladyboy at pool.

cheers for the info guys, will check out these places when i get over there, presuming i survive pattaya music fest
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: SA Chris on March 15, 2007, 01:50:58 pm
I realised it wasn't him, as i climbed and surfed with him in Sydney. Good luck with the rest of the trip.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Johnny Brown on March 15, 2007, 05:03:06 pm
Quote
fraid not, h = healey

As in 'jump-off Andy'? In which case you are notable for your cavalier attitude to height, including 'bouldering' out Tippler direct?
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Carnage on March 15, 2007, 10:02:06 pm
but there are bits and bobs to climb on, nothing amazing though.

Hmm, are you stirring me or what!  ;)  Fantastic bouldering/problems all over the place.

Any way, apart from this I agree with the comments so far - Lindfield and Queens Park would be your best bets.

Queens Park:

http://www.vi-bouldering.com/MainFrames/toolbox.html

Lindfield directions:

http://www.australianbouldering.com/guides/sydney/lindfield_guide.html

Both have many highballs that you certainly wouldn't want to wing it off without a pad, but for the most part its flat landings all the way. They have good traverses and many lower options and fit your criteria perfectly both being about 10mins walk from a station.

Have fun.

Title: Re: sydney
Post by: SA Chris on March 16, 2007, 07:44:53 am
RTFT Carnage. I mentioned Linfield. Queen's Park was what i was referring to as "bits and bobs", hardly Font, no idea what the guy was expecting. In the Sydney area there are tons of superb places, but none are really
Quote
within walking distance of the centre
(and I said it depends on your definition of the centre.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Bonjoy on March 16, 2007, 09:08:49 am
For proper city centre climbing you could go and do my prob at Mrs Maquarie's Point, just past the botanical gardens, opposite the opera house ;D. The crag is pretty much all cheese rock apart from the hanging scoop behind the big tree, up which Urban Gorilla goes, V6 stand start, V8 starting low on the right, V? project start from back of roof.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: andyh on March 16, 2007, 11:22:59 am
Quote
fraid not, h = healey

As in 'jump-off Andy'? In which case you are notable for your cavalier attitude to height, including 'bouldering' out Tippler direct?

i think after the other weeks antics you've taken the "jump off" mantel. i'm now "takes girlfriends to crags for picnics" andy.

linfield an queens park sound like they fit the bill perfectly, and i'll certainly try and find urban guerilla if i'm in the vicinity, cheers all.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: KH on May 13, 2007, 06:18:48 pm
How easy is it to get to Sissy crag from the centre of Sydney?  Also, how far is it? Cheers.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Carnage on May 13, 2007, 11:27:51 pm
If you're driving, its easy. Just shoot over the bridge and head to Forrestville on the Waringah Road (the 29?) I'd guess maybe 10-15k max.

If you're on public transport its not so easy as Forrestville doesn't have a train station. I understand that you can get the train to Chatswood and pick up a bus to Forrestville from there. Just check with the driver that it goes up the Waringah Road.

Map is here: http://www.australianbouldering.com/guides/sydney/sissy/sissy_guide.html (http://www.australianbouldering.com/guides/sydney/sissy/sissy_guide.html)

The easiest places to get to on public transport are:

Queens Park
The Villas
Lindfield
Fear Factory.

All directions for these are on the Aus Bouldering site.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: chappers on May 14, 2007, 10:34:15 am
i went to the villas (i think) with mr carnage. it was quality, and i dont remember any problems with transport, short walk off the train. i did however suffer with a terrible illness for about2 weeks afterwards starting that day, nothing i am sure to do with the villas, more to do with time spent in india/asia beforehand.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: KH on May 24, 2007, 01:50:03 am
Where's the best lpace to buy a bouldering guide in Sydney?  I'm based near Darling Harbour, so closer to here the better.  Cheers!
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Carnage on May 24, 2007, 02:09:21 am
Try Mountain Equipment on Kent St. Otherwise, I know the Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym has them and you could always try St Leonards gym. If you're really desperate and you don't have any luck, I think I've got an old trashed copy you can have for nowt (I'm at Darling Harbour too.)
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: tommytwotone on March 04, 2013, 04:47:08 pm
Apologies for dredging up an old topic, but work have hit me with a bolt from the blue and I'm off to Sydney on Friday for a few weeks.

I'm not sure how busy I'll be, or indeed whether I'll stay in Sydney (apparently I may need to go on to Darwin for a bit), but given that two days after I get back I'm off to Font what better last minute training than some Aussie bouldering?!

I guess this is partly aimed at Carnage - given that it's going to be a squeeze to get by shoes and chalk bag in the suitcase, where would be my best bet for running into some locals who might want to share beta / psyche / their pads?

I'll be limited to places accessible from the harbour bridge area by public transport, so assuming I'll end up in one of the places listed higher up the thread.


Title: Re: sydney
Post by: tomtom on March 04, 2013, 04:49:27 pm
Yo 3T - nothing for Sydney, but if you head to Darwin let me know - I go every 18-24 months so have loads of local beta on stuff to do/not to do etc..
Sounds ace! Hope they've got you in for business class ;)
TT

edit - I think Slackers and Stubbs both have Sydney beta..
double edit - and Plattsy maybe too..
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: slackline on March 04, 2013, 04:59:17 pm
Nah, I spent a year in the arse end of nowhere (Perth).
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Plattsy on March 04, 2013, 09:26:51 pm
Training and hook ups: Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym (http://www.indoorclimbing.com.au/st_peters/index.html)
Bankstown line to St Peters then a short walk heading right out of the station past a park.Sydney train map (http://www.cityrail.info/stations/network_map)

Map of St Peters (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Sydney+Indoor+Climbing+Gym,+St+Peters,+New+South+Wales&sll=-33.910386,151.174364&sspn=0.010881,0.022638&ie=UTF8&hq=Sydney+Indoor+Climbing+Gym,&hnear=St+Peters+New+South+Wales&ll=-33.909763,151.174364&spn=0.010436,0.022638&z=16&iwloc=A)

Alternatively for a bouldering, weights gym combo then there's the wall at St Leonards (http://www.climbfit.com.au/).

Lindfield was fairly easy to find and there is a train station at Lindfield with regular trains.

Sissy was a bus ride getting off on the main road and walking through a small housing estate into the bush. Fairly easy to find. Some online beta here (http://www.australianbouldering.com/guides/sydney/sissy/sissy_guide.html)
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Plattsy on March 04, 2013, 09:32:30 pm
The online website is very old so problems may have changed etc. Posted if for the map, directions...
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Carnage on March 05, 2013, 01:19:46 am
Hey 3T,

The best place that fits your criteria is probably Lindfield. It's on the North Shore and a short ride from the City on the train to Lindfield Station and then a 10 min walk.

Directions are here.
http://routes.sydneyrockies.org.au/confluence/display/nswrock/Lindfield (http://routes.sydneyrockies.org.au/confluence/display/nswrock/Lindfield)

A couple of pics (courtesy of our man Control Freak and starring a couple of UKB'rs):

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6145/5924745582_1ae73fe0f0.jpg)
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5007/5206525694_8df79b690e.jpg)
(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6065/6068610923_9bcfe31e02.jpg)

Its mostly vertical apart a small cave and and a couple of steeps bits plus the rock is bomber and the landings mostly flat. It is highball (5-6m in places) but but alot of the problems are fun and low grade V1-4 with easy finishes. Hands on the top = all over. I wouldn't worry about a guide as the lines are pretty obvious. Just try what you fancy. Its pretty popular so you may well find someone to share a pad with but if not, there are  also some great traverses to do.

Comically enough, I still haven't learnt to drive yet otherwise I'd offer to take you elsewhere. I'm happy to head over to the above with a pad for the tour tho if I'm around.

Have fun!
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: tommytwotone on March 06, 2013, 02:31:59 pm
Fantastic Carnage - thanks a lot.

May well PM you when I'm on the ground down under and I know how likely it'll be that I'll be able to get out.


Title: Re: sydney
Post by: SA Chris on March 11, 2013, 12:58:26 pm
+1 on Lindfield. One of the most surreal experiences ever was stepping on plane at heathrow in sleet and rain, and arriving in Sydney early morning, then meeting up with Andyh (I think) jumping on train and out to the 'burbs in glorious sunshine with flocks of cockatoos in the trees.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Bonjoy on March 11, 2013, 02:03:47 pm
Have to say I thought The Balkans (aka Fear Factory) was ten times better than Lindfield. A bit more hassle to get to be but worth the effort IMO.
Pretty sure we used to get the bus to Sissy too. A bit old school and eliminate but the rock is superb, this is no Minus Ten.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: SA Chris on March 11, 2013, 02:55:09 pm
Agree, but for a quick hit on the train Lindfield is the one.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Bonjoy on March 11, 2013, 03:20:36 pm
Very true, but if you’ve travelled half the world already...
TTT- Sissy is also a good bet in that it’s lowball with a flat landing so not a bad bet even if nobody is there with a pad. When I was there it even had scraggy old mattresses under it you could use as pads, though you’d hope things have got a bit more civilised since then.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: Carnage on March 11, 2013, 09:36:11 pm
Have to say I thought The Balkans (aka Fear Factory) was ten times better than Lindfield. A bit more hassle to get to be but worth the effort IMO.
Pretty sure we used to get the bus to Sissy too. A bit old school and eliminate but the rock is superb, this is no Minus Ten.

The Balkans and the Fear Factory are two different places. The Balkans is broken into two areas - the Frontline and the Trenches. A lot of people refer to the whole place generally as the Frontline which is probably what you're thinking of.
Without a car the place its a massive hassle. Public transport in NW Sydney is a bit of a myth   ;D
No manky mattress at Sissy any more- We've even had a clean up day when the whole thing got washed with a gurney. 2 days later it was covered in chalk again like nothing had ever happened..........
It can be done on the bus and this would be a lot easier without a pad. However, with the humidity at the moment and general difficulty of the problems to a first timer, its not recommended.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: tommytwotone on March 12, 2013, 03:32:19 am
You're not wrong about the humidity - arrived on Saturday night, and even a walk round the Opera House / Harbour Area etc on Sunday afternoon left me sweaty and sunburned!

Still not sure what plans are for the coming weeks - think we may end up out in Darwin over a weekend but if I'm staying in Sydney this weekend coming I'm definitely going to pray for some cooler weather and head up to Lindfield for a look around.

Title: sydney
Post by: tomtom on March 12, 2013, 07:47:40 am
Darwin will be in the middle of the wet season.. There is a climbing wall there, but it's inside an old oil storage container from ww2, and it gets (funnily enough) hot and humid.. It may be ok at times, but was a h&s nightmare last time I was there..

The deck chair cinema is cool and avoid going to a nightclub called Throb.. (Think Blue Oyster...) ;)
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: tommytwotone on March 12, 2013, 07:54:01 am
Having spoken to the guys here my main concern about a visit to Darwin is coming back alive...sounds like the odds of me being attacked by a deadly spider / killed by a crocodile on the way to the office have suddenly been radically chopped!

Title: Re: sydney
Post by: SA Chris on March 12, 2013, 09:57:21 am
If betty swollocks is in residence beg borrow or steal a board and hit Bondi (actually Bondi isn't great for waves, but you have to be there). Manly or northern beaches are better.
Title: Re: sydney
Post by: JackAus on March 12, 2013, 10:30:45 am
Give me a shout if you get down Nowra way...
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