You are viewing an old version of this page. View the current version.

Compare with Current View Page History

« Previous Version 102 Next »

Waterworks Quarry

30 seconds
Afternoon sun
Slabby, chossy, quarried dolerite
Acknowledgement
by John Domeney, originally published in Craglets. Updated by Tony McKenny, Dec 2007
Introduction
THE CLIFF IS CURRENTLY CLOSED TO CLIMBING DUE TO ROCK SCALING WORK ABOVE THE CLIFF - THE CLIFF WILL BE RE-OPENED SHORTLY PENDING AN ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING BOLTS.

WARNING. A massive rock fall occurred in 2010 at the left hand end of the cliff above and over Justin's Crack and Spiderman's Arsehole. The cliff above these two routes is still unstable and more rock fall over these climbs is not unlikely. The Council have erected a barrier fence preventing access to the area.

A rock is a rock they say, but if you think bolted routes take the adventure out of climbing then it’s time you paid a visit to the birthplace of the world’s next fad: choss climbing! Take one tottering pile of exfoliating rubble, add wide-eyed climbers with psychotic hammer drills and shares in Ramset. The result: a multitude of good routes carefully engineered so that every ascent is a first ascent i.e. all the holds break all the time. The procedure for doing new routes is as follows. Put on a blindfold, rap down, drilling at random. Carry a sack of rocks to place on holds so that every ascensionist gets a “unique” experience and every belayer gets a discount lobotomy. Remember, leading is the way to go here as the only other access to the chains is by jumping off the top and grabbing them on the way past.

If you haven't got the message, the rock here is loose. Small and large blocks regularly part company with the cliff - be warned. Oh, and take the stars with a grain of salt (or perhaps a residue of dolerite grit instead).
Access
Cleverly positioned so you can fit in at least two or three nightmare epics after work. The Quarry is on Waterworks Rd (surprise) between Lynton Ave and Romilly St in Dynnyrne. Travel south along Davey St (B64) using the right hand lane, as you would to drive to Fern Tree and kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Continue straight ahead through the lights at the Southern Outlet intersection to stay on Davey St until taking a left turn at the first roundabout down Lynton Ave. Turn right at the bottom of the steep hill onto Waterworks Rd and follow for almost a kilometre to locate the crag on the left hand side.

After some debate as to whether they would close the cliff to climbing due to safety issues, the Hobart City Council in their wisdom decided instead to clear the old quarry floor for a "pump" bike track, erect a fence along the cliff line, and even install a child-proof gate - plus of course the usual warning notices etc. We are eternally in their debt!

Crag Steward

Rock climbers please contact the Cliff Steward (hobartcraglets@climbersclubtas.org.au) if you have any queries or concerns regarding social or environmental impacts of rock climbing at this crag. Do not email regarding general travel, seasonal advice, or lost property - this is not the Steward’s role. If you have important safety information to communicate (e.g. risks due to recent and large rock falls) please also consider updates on thesarvo forum, facebook group and/or online guidebooks as appropriate. Please copy in cct@climbersclubtas.org.au if you feel you have a high level concern which may imminently impact the crag or climbing community.

Non-climbers, other users, land managers: please also contact cct@climbersclubtas.org.au if you have important climbing related queries at this location.
GPS
CodeDescriptionUTM ZoneUTM EastingUTM NorthingHeightLatLong
Waterworks Quarry
55G
525373
5249873
-42.90333
147.31081
Show in Google Earth
The Council has erected a barrier fence preventing access to the two climbs left of Don't Buy a Cheap Ryobi (descriptions included here for the historical record).
★ 1.Justin’s Crack7m17 
Warning - extremely loose rock above. Trad climbing at the Waterworks, what next! The thin line to the S-shaped crack 20m left of Twilight Groping. Take some small cams for the crack. Walk off at far left of cliff.
Justin Kennedy.
2.Spiderman’s Arsehole7m21 
Warning - extremely loose rock above. Start just right of Justin’s Crack. Follow thin face on tweaky holds, clipping the carrot bolt near Justin’s Crack. The crux starts at the second bolt (again, no bracket).
Jon Tiller, Nov 1991.
3.Don't Buy a Cheap Ryobi10m17 
Start just left of Twilight Groping behind the tree, just right of the fence. Climb the face past 4 U's to a chain. Stays left of Twilight Groping the whole way, and avoids the easier (and chossier) left arête.
A. Lewis and T. Helleman, June, 2009.
4.Twilight Groping10m17 
Four U bolts up the slab to 3m left of the Eye-Bolt Route with the crux just below the fourth bolt. Reaching left and clipping the final bolt on DBACR can minimise the final runout up to the lower-off shared with DBACR.
Richard Marshall, May 1989.
★ 5.Retro Trad10m12 
So you’ve never considered trad climbing at the Waterworks? Go on… you know you can’t resist it. Start 1.5m left of Eye Bolt Route at the obvious finger crack. Follow the independent line of natural placements straight up, before veering right to finish at the lower off for Eye Bolt. Micro-cams and small wires make this a well protected proposition.
Rediscovered retro-trad, A. Adams, T McKenny and D. Brannigan, August 2024.
★ 6.Eye Bolt Route10m12 
Classic face climbing and possible sandbag that could be the best beginner's lead in Hobart. Climb the right hand side of five glue-ins to a lower-off.
★ 7.Weetbix11m15 
Fun at the grade. start 2m right of the Eye Bolt Route. Up the dark slabby rock past 4 U-bolts. Finishes straight up.
E. Jones, T. Gilbert and G. Abell, 14 Nov 2009.
8.Cheerios11m17 
Cheeky alternative start to Weetbix from the far right corner. Crimpy slab problem instead of the easy ladder of Weetbix.
Gabriel Kinzler, Jun 2020
9.Five Four8m12 
Start 10m L of Bastard Cancer. Up slab into corner past 3 bolts to lower-off. Good for beginners!
Jon Tiller, Aug 1993.
10.Death Unto Racists15m18 
Start 2m L of Bastard Cancer. Up left side of face. 4 bolts plus lower off.
Jon Tiller, Aug 1993.
★ 11.Bastard Cancer15m19 
The arête left of the big slab. Starts on face, stay out of corner on R as very loose. 5 bolts led up right side of face to shared lower off.
Richard Marshall, Feb 1987.
★ 12.Phantom Stone Thrower20m18 
Start 3m R of Bastard Cancer. Tricky slab climbing, moving L into the groove at the very top. 5 BRs plus lower off.
Jon Tiller, Sep 1993.
★ 13.Ruddiocracy15m20 
Start immediately R of PST, climbing just to the L of the bolts. Exciting climbing with some thin moves. The crux clip is now a little cruxier, having lost a handy jug, adding a grade or two (from 19). May still shed a little rock so belayer beware!
Guy Abell & Emlyn Jones, Mar 2010
★★ 14.Les Grands Ensembles20m24 
Starts 5m to the R of Phantom Stone Thrower (under L end of roof) and follows a line of bolts up to the chain at the top of TdF (the last bolt is not visible from the ground). Thin slabbing.
Richard Cockerill, May 2000.
★ 15.Tour de France20m25 
The line of bolts up the big slab 2m R of LGE. A well known test piece, originally bolted by Justin Kennedy and Richard Marshall circa 1987, and eventually climbed free at grade 26 in 1994. The climb is substantially easier these days since the formation of new 'large' holds in both crux sections due to exfoliation. Good thin slabbing although it's a bit contrived in spots. Difficult last clip, and some of the upper bolts are looking a bit rusty.
Hamish Jackson, Sep 1994.
★★ 16.Driller Direct20m22 
Starting at Tour de France. Nice technical/bouldery moves trending right of the block face. Follow u-bolts to join Serial Driller. Extra bolt has been added for 'high' traverse to chains, no need to clip second last U. And if confident, climbs well to clip the second bolt as your 1st.
Tim Meech, Dec 2017.
★★★ 17.Serial Driller20m21 
Magic climbing. Follow the steel to the R of Tour. Start at the layback crack (blue spray paint arrow) and trend L at the top to the chain in the middle of the face. WARNING: a very large chunk of rock has come off (May 2017) at the start of the moves left to the chains, taking several holds with it (and the climber on it - luckily, no injury sustained), bringing the grade up to 21. Note, extra bolt added for high traverse to chains (Dec 2017), can still be climbed 'low or high' to chains.
John Domeney, Dec 1993.
★★ 18.Open Festering Wounds20m20 
Start as for Serial Driller. Move R at the third bolt and up past six more to a chain.
John Domeney, Jan 1994.
19.Totally Awesome21m21 
Name says it all... Start a metre to the right of OFW. Climb past the bolts until you're at the anchors (you clip a couple of OFW bolts). All the obvious loose stuff has been removed, but I guess it will 'shed' for a little while.
Dave Humphries Feb 2012
★ 20.Sequels of the Light10m23 
At the R end of the crag is a short buttress. Start at the corner at the L end of this. Up the corner then continue with some tricky moves past the overlap. Lower-off is over on the back (best to abseil off this to clean the route, as the top is quite loose).
Evan Peacock, Dec 1992.
21.Sequels of Nongs1222 
Start up Sequels and move R at the overlap into Pathetic Nongs, finishing as for that route.
★★ 22.Pathetic Nongs Steal Hangers, Yes I’m Talking to You Arsehole10m21 
Very nice, balancey, climbing up the groove just R of SOTL.
A. Rosa, Oct 1992.
The rock to the R of PNSH etc is in the process of "stablisation" - most of the loose rock has been removed but CAUTION if you are round that area! There is probably still some more to come down...
23.COVID10m19 
A route squeezed in between PNSH and the rubbish rock to the right (use the arete to the right but don't venture further right). Kick right from the pedestal near the top to finish. Might not really be 19 but with a heavy fever and respiratory difficulty it just might be.
Alan Jackson & Gabriel Kinzler, Jun 2020
★ 24.Oh Joyous Lobotomy10m21 
"A route in the classic tradition of Waterworks Quarry. A route that will warm the hearts and minds of repeat ascentionists, chill them to the bone and make them sick to their stomachs. This route epitomises its creators hedonistic and sociopathic style and is a textbook case of man against rock, rock against gravity and gravity against the combined forces of Ramset and Ryobi. The first bolt, with its stark placement and uncompromising height off the deck, deftly describes mans inhumanity to man. It is also a vivid phallic symbol graphically outlining the first ascentionists subconscious insecurity about the size of his bit. The moves up the wall above form an abstract modern dance that brings to mind images of East European conflict especially the side-pull which is the key to reaching the third bolt and a new round of Geneva peace talks. A man will always return to old stomping grounds and search for his roots; pulling up on the crucial razor sharp undercut one can almost feel them. The heady aroma of vast African plains drifts tantalisingly through ones nostrils and momentarily the mists of time part, you run, then walk, then crawl back down the evolutionary chain until an apelike heave sends you scurrying up and over the crux. You pause to appreciate the moment and the true symbolism of the metaphor, but a glance at the vacant expanse looming high to the left tells you the best is still to come," John Domeney,
Many have puzzled over this eclectic description, but most have scratched their heads and abandoned their search for the elusive climb, believing it to be a complete figment of John's fertile imagination. The best bet is to climb Trad Wankers to the overlap, then via a long reach clip the bolt over the lip. Traverse left a metre and stem up to the overlap then layback the right hand arête of the rooflet above to reach the lower-off. Enjoy! The final moves above the overlap have altered considerably due to changes to the rock that occurred in mid 2017. Now slightly harder as a result. Careful of loose holds towards the end.
J. Domeney, Sept 1993.
★★ 25.Trad Wankers Must Die10m18 
Looks like a pile of choss, particularly in the region near the overlap. Climb the loose pedestal to a ledge, then up the wall past three bolts to the overlap. Move right then up the wall past the fifth bolt, to the lower-off.
J.Domeney, S.Stojanovski, Oct 1992.
★★ 26.Urban Renewal10m23 
Harder than it looks and prone to spitting climbers off like flies. Start immediately right of Trad Wankers. Follow the corner and thin face (crux) then up the flake finishing at a lower off. At some stage in 2019 the first bolt was found broken off. The initial moves are now unprotected.
Evan Peacock, Dec 1992.
★ 27.Drilling in the Name of10m20 
Start up Urban Renewal to the second BR, move R past 2 more to finish at the Jesus chain.
John Domeney, Dec 1993.
28.Interloper10m18 
Somewhat contrived, yet opens up new possibilities. Start midway between Urban Renewal and Jesus Built my Hammer Drill. Lower section is a crimpfest, the middle section a side-pulling stepladder and upper section a cruxy blank face. Stay centred on the bolt line and do not use holds to your left (Urban Renewal) or right (Jesus). Finish at the same anchor as Resurrection and Drilling in the Name Of. In loving memory of Majo.
Gabriel Kinzler & Alan Jackson, Oct 2019
★ 29.Resurrection10m15 
Covers the line of another route that fell down. Starts up Jesus Built my Hammer Drill to the third bolt, before trending left past two more bolts to finish as for DITNO.
OCCG (Old Codgers Climbing Group) 2005.
★★ 30.Jesus Built My Hammer Drill10m17 
The cliff classic - a chameleon of a route, changing all the time. The grade is anything from 14 to 20, presently about 17-18. At the RH end of the climbable rock are 4 bolts plus a lower off, with actually some decent moves in between.
John Domeney, Oct 1992.
31. The Process of Elimination 10m20 
Takes the old top rope line between JBMHD and BLC, using the existing bolts. A little discipline is needed to eschew the holds on the other two climbs but it gives an independent and surprisingly solid climb. Finish at the BLC rap chains.
D. Gray, Jan 2012.
32.The Blind Leading The Crippled 10m16 
The soaring line R of Jesus Built My Hammer Drill. 4 bolts to chain.
Duncan Meerding, Paul Pritchard, Nov 2010.
 
  • No labels