Victoria’s major climbing destinations are Mt Arapiles and the Grampians in the west of the state and Mt Buffalo, an alpine region in the north-east. However, a plethora of smaller crags exist, many around the Macedon Ranges and these are all within a close distance of both Melbourne and our own location at Daylesford.
Click on a destination below to see detailed information about selected climbs worth a look, tips and tricks of the area, beta on featured routes, and more.
Black Hill, Kyneton
Not far out of Kyneton, Black Hill is about 40 minutes drive from Bendigo, or a bit over an hour from Melbourne. The best stuff is in the “Northern Group”, situated, as the name suggested, towards the north end of the mound.
Kyneton Quarry
Welcome to the choss pile! It’s unclear exactly why anyone would bother with this little area when the quality granite of Black Hill is so close by.
Bullengarook Quarry, Gisborne
Bullengarook slate quarry is going to be a disappointment to anyone expecting a sport climber’s paradise. The brittle rock, dodgy bolts, and short, limited, and generally uninspiring routes are not going to appeal to all.
Camel’s Hump, Mt Macedon
Rising like a beacon from the pleasant vale of Woodend, Melbourne and central Victorian climbers alike, flock to Mt Macedon’s Camel’s Hump. It’s steep and solid rock, with a variety of short, pumpy sport routes.
Loddon River Falls, Glenlyon
The Loddon River Falls is not a thundering torrent of white water, even in mid winter. The “falls” consist of a short, polite drop into a tranquil little pool suitable for swimming, surrounded by 25m high basalt cliffs, that are probed by the tentacle strands of brambles.
Mt Alexander, Harcourt
Mt Alexander rises above the otherwise flat landscape near Harcourt, just 20 mins drive south of Bendigo or a bit over an hours drive north west of Melbourne. Set amongst the apple growing orchards, the diminutive mountain offers nice granite boulders some up to about 30m in size.
Mt Beckworth, Clunes
Mt Beckworth is about 25 minutes drive from Ballarat, or approximately an hour and 20 minutes from Bendigo, or Melbourne. you’ll be rewarded with a picturesque little mountain, suitable for a family picnic or bush walking destination, as much as it is home to Ballarat’s climbing population.
Werribee Gorge, Bacchus Marsh
There are numerous cliffs surrounding Werribee Gorge, but climbing is banned at all but one or two of them. The most popular by far is “Falcon’s Lookout”, also known as “The Amphitheatre”. From Bacchus Marsh you can access this area via a short walk (approx 30 mins) through some attractive forest. (See VCC guide for more details).
