Home > The Guide > Sutherland > The Wastelands
The Wastelands

A big thank you to David Barnes for providing the following information.

A large collection of pleasant enough west facing crags, but the absolute gem is the Rainbow Wall - it offers some of the best rock in Sydney.

To get to the Vertex, the Grandstand and Stray Cat's Crag (three buttresses on the same section of cliff), park at the end of Peppermint Grove, Engadine. Walk past the locked gate and down to the fire trail. Head uphill for 50m or so then take the fire trail down to the left (locked gate at the bottom). The Vertex is just on the right.

To get to Aunty Dot's and Rainbow Wall, park in the carpark at the end of Bullecourt Ave, then bash down the hill. Aunty Dot's is about 50m down into the bush, and the Rainbow Wall is below and right (facing out) of the right hand end of Aunty Dots.

The fire trail below the Vertex runs underneath all of the crags, so walking between the crags is easy.

During September 2003, the bush in this areas was extensively backburned by the fire brigade. This has damaged some of the crags described here - in particular the wall at Aunty Dots was scorched so extensively that many of the previously good holds have been reduced to crumbly pieces of peeling choss. Take great care if you intend to climb here - not only will the rock have been damaged, but it is highly probable that any fixed protection at the crag has been damaged too.

Climbs described south to north (right to left, facing the cliff).


The Vertex
A 15m south facing bulgy slab.

Kon Bon Wa 8m 20
Start: 2m right of AFA.
Cams and 1 BR. Tree belay.
David Barnes 07/1991

RecommendedAsking for Action SportWarning 8m 16 (18?)
Start: Arete right of KKB.
Very poorly placed first BR (halfway through crux), then quite sustained to top.
David Barnes 11/1992

King Kong's Bum 10m 14
Start: At the big dirty bum crack.
Thrutch up the crack.
M. Fox 07/1991

RecommendedBreathless 15m 20
Start: Left of KKB.
Straight up past a wire and 3 BRs. Double BBs.
David Barnes 03/1993

Cringing Dinosaurs 15m 21
Start: Below right tending ramp.
BRs and cams; thin at the top.
David Barnes 03/1991

RecommendedStormy Rocks Sport 15m 20
Start: At poor rock.
4 BRs.
David Barnes 10/1992

Slabathon 15m 24
Start: Left of SR.
3 BRs and friends with a technical crux.
Graham Fairburn 01/1991

RecommendedJeopardy 14m 24
Start: The left arete.
A steep route with a FH, cams and BRs.
David Barnes 06/1993

The Grandstand
The prominent bulgy buttress with the rusty iron implements half buried at the base.

Pandora's Pillar Sport 6m 12
Start: Right of the right hand arete.
2 FHs. Chain belay on top of buttress.
C. Jeffs 12/1992

I'd Rather Be Climbin' 8m 17
Start: The right arete.
Cam and BR. Chain belay on top of buttress.
C. Jeffs 12/1992

No Wasted Space 15m 17
Start: Left of IRbC.
BR, mid size cam and FH on overhang.
Alan Smith 04/1993

Alley Boys 15m 20
Start: Below corner.
Up corner (cams and 1 BR). Chain belay on top of buttress.
David Barnes 08/1991

RecommendedOcean of Wind Sport 15m 16
Start: Right hand route on front face of buttress.
Cruisy slabbing past 4 FHs. Chain belay on top of buttress.
David Barnes 12/1992

RecommendedDodging the Elements Sport 15m 17
Start: Left hand route on front face of buttress.
Up the blocky, steep arete past 4 FHs. Chain belay on top of buttress.
David Barnes 01/1993

RecommendedWeirding Way 15m 17
Start: 2m left of DtE, below corner.
Up corner (cams) then up fun headwall past BR and FH. Awful rounded topout to chain belay on top of buttress.
M. Walters 05/1992

Stray Cat's Crag
Next buttress left of The Grandstand. Virtually all of the bolts are in bad shape.

Love Letters From Tasmania 8m 15
Start: Below crack.
Natural pro.
M. Fox 03/1992

Swimming in a Sea of Sand 8m 15
Start: Left of LLfT.
Mid size cam.
M. Fox 06/1992

RecommendedPlummet Earth Eats Worms 9m 20
Start: Left of SiaSoS.
Groovy slab with 2 BRs and large cams. Double BB.
David Barnes 04/1991

RecommendedAvian Avarice 8m 19
Start: The left arete.
Head up the right side of the arete past a cam and BR.
M. Fox 06/1991

Aunty Dot's
A short but pleasant wall that's great on sunny winter's days. Be careful of vandalised bolts.
 
It's located up the hill above the fire trail, about 100m past Stray Cat's Crag.

A 5m 20
Start: On short wall facing descent gully.
Up (BR).

To Catch a Thief Warning 6m 19
Start: At far right hand end of wall.
Vandalised BR and mid size cam. Double BB belay.
David Barnes 01/1992

RecommendedEat More Onions SportWarning 6m 20
Start: Left of TCaT.
2 BRs (second is vandalised) to double BB (shared with TCaT).
David Barnes 11/1991

El Crapo 6m 17
Start: Just left of steep gully.
Dodgy BR.
C. Jeffs 1992

Sabrina 7m 16
Start: Below the crack.
Up the crack with jugs at the top.
M. Fonda 11/1991

RecommendedVengeance Warning 7m 18
Start: Below the orange streak in the centre of the wall.
Hard start past vandalised first BR.
M. Fonda 10/1991

RecommendedHighway Neanderthal 7m 14
Start: Left of V.
Up past 2 BRs with friend just below top.
David Barnes 01/1992

Faith Warning 9m 13
Start: Below right tending ramp.
Follow the ramp up and right to V. No pro.
A. Le Gras (solo) 12/1991

Psychedelic Nightmare 7m 14
Start: Left of F.
Straight up past BR and cam.
G. McGregor 01/1992

Ordinary People 7m 18
Start: Left of PN.
Straight up past BR and cam.
M. Fonda 01/1992

Temporary Insanity 7m 14
Start: 2m right of corner.
Straight up past 2 BRs and cam.
C. Jeffs 01/1992

NFI Crack Warning 6m 6
Start: The wide crack 2m left of the arete.
Up the crack on take away holds.
Peter Monks 02/1998

Rainbow Wall Right Side
This dank, overgrown little wall is located almost directly below the far left hand end of Aunty Dot's, and can be quite easily reached by wandering downhill then rapping off one of the large trees at the top of the cliff.
 
Alternatively, you can reach it by following the line of cliffs right from Rainbow Wall Main Area and crossing the small creek (it can't be seen from the fire trail).
 
Probably not a bad spot on a hot summer's day.

RecommendedSlave to the Crank Sport 7m 25
Start: At far right hand end of crag.
3 FHs to tree belay. Thin.

RecommendedCranky Jaws 7m 19
Start: Left of SttC below flake.
FH, BR and mid size cam.
David Barnes 09/1991

Galactic Crack 6m 12
Start: Below crack.
Up.
R. Roxby 09/1991

Dildo Comes Again 5m 12
Start: Below corner.
Up to tree belay.
M. Fonda 12/1991

I'm On Fire Sport 7m 16
Start: Left of DCA (just right of scrub).
2 BRs then finish off left.
M. Darda 12/1992

There's some scrub at the base of the cliff just here.

Pyro Monkey 7m 15
Start: Left of scrub.
Natural pro.
S. Johnson 09/1991

RecommendedDancing With Dolphins 9m 18
Start: Left of PM.
BR then friends. Variety of finishes at top to unpleasant scrub. Rap off tree.
David Barnes 09/1991

Wicked Ticket 9m 20
Start: Below flakes.
Up past BR and 2 FHs.
David Barnes 11/1991

Rainbow Wall Main Area
A fantastic looking wall with some of the best rock to be found in Sydney; just a shame it's so short. All of the routes on the wall were rebolted with U bolts and RBs during 2006.
 
Located just right of and behind Bumbly Buttress Right Side. At the far right hand end the rock degenerates as you near the creek.

Pot of Gold Warning 9m 15
Start: Right of blunt arete.
Up thin wall to break (mid size cam) then easily up and left up ramp (take care with pro). Traverse left along break (PR on SRW) to rap chains on F.
Peter Monks 1997

RecommendedConan and the Gonad Cruncher Sport 9m 15
Start: Below blunt arete at right hand end of main wall.
Up right hand side of arete passing 2 RBs. Joins SRW.
David Barnes 07/1991

Sweet Red Wine 8m 22
Start: 2m left of CatGC.
Up past cam, RB and PR to chain over top.
David Barnes 01/1991

RecommendedFatboy 10m 20
Start: 2m left of SRW, below crack.
Up crack then blast straight up past RBs and cam to chain lower off.
David Barnes 06/1991

Get It On Sport 8m 17
Start: Below brushed streak.
Straight up past 2 RBs to double BB.
M. Fonda 04/1993

RecommendedDave's Toaster 8m 17
Start: Marked.
Natural pro.
Hardy Brothers 1980s

Contrived Pate 8m 20
Start: Below flakes.
Cam and RB.
Chris Wallace 12/1993

RecommendedBolting Blues 8m 24
Start: 2m left of CP.
Great rock. 2 RBs and small cam.
Graham Fairburn 06/1990

RecommendedRecommendedRoom With a View 8m 22
Start: 2m left of BB.
Small cam and 2 RBs.
David Barnes 10/1991

RecommendedCheck Out the Chicken Sport 8m 21/22
Start: 2m left of RWaV below flake.
Three RBs to chain lower off on left. Used to be 20 until the fern grew out of the hole at the top. The new crimpy face moves out left make the route even better!
David Barnes 07/1990

RecommendedBilly's England 8m 23
Start: 2m left of COtC.
2 RBs and small cam to top.
David Barnes 07/1990

RecommendedRecommendedHip and Hunky Rhythm Sport 8m 24
Start: 2m left of BE.
3 RBs to chain lower off.
Ben Pearce 1994

RecommendedRecommendedSick Cows on Acid Sport 8m 25
Start: Behind block.
Superb rock. 4 RBs and positive ape factor.
Ben Pearce 1994

Courting Notoriety 8m 18
Start: 2m left of SCoA.
Up the offwidth.
A. Ridgley 10/1995

Love Mission 7m 20
Start: Just right of big gum tree.
2 RBs and mid size cam.
David Barnes 11/1991

RecommendedPoetic Licence 7m 23
Start: Behind tree.
Excellent rock with 2 RBs and small cam.
David Barnes 12/1991

Year Seven Girl Warning 6m 20
Start: Marked, below flakes.
Up flakes with no pro (top rope recommended).
Gary Hardy, Mark Hardy 1980s

B Sport 10m ??
Start: Between Bumbly Buttress Right Side and Rainbow Wall Main Area.
Up past chips and BRs to chain.

Bumbly Buttress Right Side
Obvious from the fire trail, although a bit overgrown with triffids.

Mulch Mattress 10m 17
Start: 3m right of FotF.
Up to break, traverse left under overhangs to FotF then up.
M. Walters 05/1992

RecommendedFlight of the Fanciful 10m 21
Start: 2m right of crack.
Stay left of poor rock. 3 BRs and medium size cam.
David Barnes 12/1991

RecommendedYosemite Sam 10m 17+
Start: The offwidth crack.
Up crack. 2 BRs and mid size cam. Has become harder since the tree appeared.
M. Walters 05/1992

RecommendedFinger Lickin' Good Sport 10m 20
Start: Left of YS.
Up sharp wall passing 3 FHs. Probably impossible because of the tree.
David Barnes 11/1992

Bumbly Buttress Left Side
Clearly visible from the fire trail. Also a bit overgrown.

Snowbound 9m 15
Start: Below cave.
Straight up to cave then traverse left and continue to top. Take cams.
M. Fonda 11/1990

RecommendedDirect Door 9m 21
Start: Below seam (ELA).
Up to horizontal, traverse right 2m then up.
M. Fox 09/1991

RecommendedEmma Loves Artichokes Warning 8m 22
Start: Below the seam.
Up to seam and up (take care with pro).
M. Fox 05/1991

Mortal Sin 8m 20
Start: Below flakes (behind bush).
Natural pro to tree belay.
Graham Fairburn 11/1991

Spasticosis 7m 7
Start: Below ramp.
Up the ramp (cams).
M. Fonda 07/1990

Cave Rock
Located just left of and behind Bumby Buttress. Take care since some of the bolts have been vandalised.

Nancyboy Sport 7m 18
Start: On right side of cave.
2 FHs (first is shared with C).
M. Fonda 11/1992

RecommendedCream Sport 8m 19
Start: Below cave.
3 FHs up and out roof of cave. Double BB.
David Barnes 11/1992

RecommendedWho's the Joker Sport 8m 18
Start: Below left side of cave.
2 FHs to double BB.
David Barnes 10/1991

Cowboy Caviar SportWarning 6m 15
Start: Left of cave.
Vandalised FH then BR.
M. Le Gras 09/1991


This page was last updated Saturday, March 10, 2007.
Copyright © 2000-2007 Peter Monks