The Tasmanian Bouldering Guide

Yosemite bound and planning your next Big Wall route? You might be in luck because I’m selling my entire pin rack for $250. 

5x RURPs (realised ultimate reality pitons)

9x Bongs (assortment) Not to be confused with drug paraphernalia!

8x Knifeblades/Bugaboos and 3x Leepers (a type of angle piton)

11x Lost Arrows (assortment)

3x Skyhooks - (cliffhanger hook, Grappling hook, bat-hook)

16x Angles (assortment)

I’ll even toss in my hammer if you buy the whole job lot.

Cheers, Al

Hi all,

Please be aware that access to Lowdina will be changing going forward.

The landowner (Noel) continues to remain happy for climbers to access and climb at the cliff.  However, this will be on the basis that he has met you. The CCT / crag steward(s) will accommodate this as follows:

• An annual BBQ will be held prior to winter each year at the start of the cliffs 'season'. This will be held at Noel's house, below the cliff.
• All climbers are invited to attend the BBQ for a meet and greet with Noel (and an optional arvo climb!)
• The crag steward(s) will compile a list of attendance, and this will be provided to Noel. Attendance at the BBQ will form the basis of access to the cliff.
• If you can't make the BBQ on the day and don't go on the attendance list, you can still visit the cliff with someone who did, provided you're climbing with them.
• The current process of texting Noel about your intended visit the day before and receiving the OK is still valid. 
• Please do not attempt to visit the cliff if you haven't received the OK from Noel. Permission to climb on his land will not be given, unless you attended the BBQ, or are with someone who did.

To summarise new access requirements:

1. Attend the Annual BBQ at Noel's house. Eat some free food, say hello, learn about the farm and any access requirements from Noel.
2. Either of:
   1. You went to the BBQ - Text Noel the day prior to your visit - wait for the OK from Noel.
   2. You didn't go to the BBQ - Tag along with someone who did, and has already got the OK from Noel.
3. Sign into the register at the stile before walking up the hill.
4. Go climbing. Be back at your car before dark.

Please be reminded that access to this crag is a privilege, not a right.

The 2026 Annual BBQ will be held at Noel's house, on the 14th June from 12:00pm to 1:30pm.
RSVP to lowdina@climbersclubtas.org.au by at least the day prior.
Food and drinks provided by CCT.
Address: 1243 Colebrook Road - first driveway on the left before the turn-off to the cliff car park, if coming from Richmond. Please don't block the driveway.

Cheers,

Christoph
Crag Steward

Hi all,

Please note that climbing at Lowdina will be temporarily closed whilst new access arrangements are being made. The cliff will be re-opened to climbing once new arrangements are made. Please do not contact the landowner or seek to climb here until new arrangements are made.

Regards,

Christoph
Crag Steward

Dear Climbers,

The DRAFT PWS Rock Climbing Policy has undergone another revision based on CCT and climbing community feedback - please see the latest drafted policy and internal guidelines attached (in attachments on page).

The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service is hosting a session on the latest draft PWS Rock Climbing Policy for CCT members as the PWS is interested in community feedback on the draft.

Time: 4:50pm arrival for 5:00pm to 6:00pm session

Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026

Location: 134 Macquarie Street, Hobart (Lands Building)

Please RSVP here by the end of the day on 2 June so that the PWS can anticipate attendance numbers: 3 June 2026 Draft Rock Climbing Policy session – Fill out form

When you arrive, please enter the building and report to the front desk to sign in. PWS staff will then take you through to the session room. Please note that the front doors are locked after 5:00pm, so be sure to arrive before 5:00pm as late arrivals cannot be accommodated.

For those unable to attend in person, you can join the session online:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/45137360802001?p=cEW53kUf30f5Ss02SG

Meeting ID: 451 373 608 020 01

Passcode: 4f8hQ23m

Regards,

Christoph Speer

Secretary - CCT

Hey - late last night I came off the tote and left an (old) rope set-up loosely across the Tyrolean points. Apologies for any inconvenience, but there is room for other gear on the anchors and be assured I will return take it back down soon. If possible please leave it in situ  -  I plan to use it again shortly and will remove it next visit. Note it is a low visibility rope and actually pretty hard to see from a distance.

Also note - the conditions on the totes yesterday were rather spoogy for anyone wanting to free-climb  - fine for aiding obviously. Probably needs a good rainfall event to clean it. Wave wash wetness was also extending higher than usual on pitch 1!!  

Ryan Sklenica has done a 35/9a route on the Iceberg @ Adamsfield. 

47.    Frostbite    35    Þ     
Starts off the rock stack with obvious left hand undercling and right hand mini pinch.
Ryan Sklenica, 2026

Probably needs some stars?

And earlier in the year Oliver Schmidt did the Business Man project at the Star Factory (originally bolted by Kim Robinson 20 odd years ago), as well as Bless My Chungus Life (31):

★★★ f3.    Business Man    25m    33    Þ     
Amazing sustained, pumpy climbing. Line of bolts that arches left at the start and then goes straight up in between "Entree" and "Fairy Floss". The redpoint crux is at the very top. Mantle out to the top of the cliff.
Oliver Schmidt, 18 Jan 2026

Dear Climbing Community,

The Climbers Club of Tasmania (CCT) wishes to convey its position regarding climbing at the unpublished cliff above Poatina. 

The CCT is aware that some climbing activity has been occurring at t​​his site. We have recently received correspondence from an Aboriginal heritage officer re-emphasising the cultural significance of the area, advising a repeat site assessment will be undertaken in the near future, and noting the site will be used for Aboriginal heritage training exercises for junior rangers. 

In light of this information, CCT is writing to clearly restate its position urging climbers to not climb at this cliff. This request is made to minimise damage to Aboriginal heritage values, respect the concerns raised by the Aboriginal community and government agencies, and protect the long-term interests and reputation of the climbing community as a whole. We have been advised the climbs at this site are considered to be in contravention of the Aboriginal Heritage Act. 

We recognise this will disappoint some climbers, particularly those who may have enjoyed the area without full knowledge of its cultural and legal context. CCT does not make this request lightly. 

CCT remains committed to advocating for a careful, proportional, and transparent approach when heritage protection is required near climbing areas. We ask for the support of the broader climbing community in respecting this request. Doing so strengthens our ability to continue advocating for climbing. 

Further background information is provided in the attached Background & FAQ document.

Sincerely,

CCT Committee


https://www.climbersclubtas.org.au/

Recently, the bolts were removed from the climb The Far Side at the Acropolis in Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park.

In World Heritage areas it is illegal to place new bolts using a power drill or to establish sport climbs. The Far Side was originally established as a sport route using a power drill, and a number of years ago Parks issued a request to the first ascensionist for the bolts to be removed. That request was not acted on at the time.

Over recent discussions within the climbing community, there was broad agreement that leaving the route bolted continued to create tension with Parks, as the climb was frequently raised in meetings as an example of climbers not complying with park regulations. With this in mind, and after consultation with various climbers, I contacted the first ascensionist to discuss options. He gave his consent for the bolts to be removed.

The climb is accessed from the top (rap in, climb out), so it remains possible to top rope the climb.

The hope is that by taking responsibility for past mistakes or changes ourselves, the climbing community can avoid Parks needing to contract professional bolt removal, and in doing so maintain a stronger, more cooperative relationship with land managers going forward.

—

Adam Donoghue

We used to do this all the time, and it's probably considered cheugy these days, but sorry I can't help myself posting these ones as I'm so excited that such great trad lines can still be found on the pipes these days!

1. Check out Upper reaches buttress found autumn 2025 - a un-touched buttress with quick access, and 4 new trad lines up 45m high, including the unique-for-the pipes Wild Thing 22 by Jamie Spencer, that was confirmed *** on repeat ascents. See Jamie Spencer's photos of Az in blue then orange during an early repeat. 
2. The Nightingale *25 35m was rejected by Lord Hartshorne due to a contrived section up high, but still climbs really well and we don't have many other sections of trad this hard on the pipes. Photos tx to Michael Lehmann of HJ stemming double cracks.
3. Max Rockatansk 26 65m has an alternative possibly improved start as a project (HJ), but as it stands is a remarkably good (***) 2 pitch, all-trad weaving thin crack plus slappy arete. Photos show Jem topping out. On first attempt a while back there were too many pebbles rattling around/blocking the thin crack, but now cleaed this is a total gem. 

Heads up... there is a Bassian Thrush reportedly nesting at the base of route 'Living the Dream' below Battle Cruiser Ledge.  Apparently it is a bit distressed by the presence of climbers. Please stay away from these small collection of climbs for another month. Climbs on Battle Cruiser Ledge should be fine. 

Bassian Thrush: https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Zoothera-lunulata

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/bassian-thrush/

Peter Jackson 21/10/1943 to 10/10/2025 obituary.

Peter Jackson has died
after a long illness that he endured for the last 12 years of his life and subdued his otherwise prodigious productivity in Australian climbing culture.
Peter is survived by wife, daughter and two sons and a handful of his climbing partners who continue to gain inspiration from his memory. Peter lived a multifaceted climbing life that is hard to summarize, with the breadth of his influence spanning beyond even that already celebrated in the numerous articles written about his career.

Peter’s pioneering of new crags and climbs started in the 1960s ‘golden era’ of Victorian climbing, and continued throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s in Tasmania. He carried a vision that
was infectious, which resulted in no less than four generations of climbers being introduced to climbing through him, many of whom become highly influential figures themselves. His creativity was equally impactful on the community through his photographs, cliff drawings, articles, and public speaking.

In Victoria, he recorded the first climbs at Arapiles and was prescient of the significance of this discovery. Climbing often with Bob Bull and John Fahey, he established many
iconic and audacious climbs such as Muldoon, The Watchtower Crack, Eurydice and also gymnastic test pieces for the time such the Fang and Moby Dick. He pioneered many other Victorian crags from Cape Woolami to the Grampians, most notably 'finding' and naming Bundaleer and establishing the first routes there. With John Fahey he established Victoria’s first grade 17, The Witch, at Macedon.

“With Peter on the end of the rope you felt like
you could do anything. He brings out the best in people” Bob Bull.

After moving to Tasmania in 1967, his trademark enthusiasm for landscape, infused with philosophical and literary reflections again created a distinctive legacy. His first epoch in Tasmania started by introducing fellow art school students Bob McMahon and Michael McHugh to climbing, with whom he established the epic first ascents on Bare Rock (Fingal), the first recorded climbs at Freycinet, Lowdina, the Rookeries and numerous other cliffs in southern Tasmania. His bold ascent of Incipience, using a marginal skyhook to exit the runout crux, remains a pivotal
lead climbing achievement.

As an art teacher and father based in Hobart, Peter then turned his attentions more locally during the late 70s and 80s, supporting hundreds of students into climbing with a
highly progressive and inclusive approach, resulting in another generation of inspired misfits, such as Gerry Narkowitz, Doug Fyfe, Pete Steane, Nathan Duig, and many other colourful characters. During this era he continued to put up some hard and scary classics himself in the Hobart scene, such as Yoda and Poha, which continue to command respect even by todays climbing standards. Moreover, in 1978 he built the first community climbing wall in Australia at Elizabeth College, which was surprisingly entertaining given it was made from bolt-on metal plates, and which became the cultural hub for Hobart climbing throughout the 1980s. His climbing school was still going strong in the late 80s churning out influential climbers, such as Tim Chappell in 1988.

During the 90s Peter’s own climbing endeavours became mostly a family affair as his sons, Marcel and Hamish, came of age and new epoch of exploration ensued. Collectively, they were dubbed "The First Family of Rock'. His influence on outdoor culture remained broad however, since his work as an artist and photographer left an equally interesting cultural legacy. His superb hand drawings of cliffs were unsurpassed and were the mainstay of guidebooks from the 1960s onwards. He also contributed to outdoor culture outside climbing, for example with his contributions to the landmark Wild Rivers book by Bob Brown and Peter Dombrovskis; his 1990s article on Peter Dombrovskis won article of decade in Wild Magazine. In 1996 he presented the ultimate slide show celebrating Tasmanian climbing history at the Tasmania University inaugural outdoor cultural podium, entertaining hundreds of people. By the 2000s he was the go-to speaker for climbing guide book launches and anniversary events, due to the scope of his climbing experience and oratorial skill.

Aside from all these contributions, he was ultimately a kind and sensitive man, who enjoyed a life of deep friendships, and a warm and vibrant family life. We, the survivng Jacksons, hope his creative spirit and keen engagement in life continue to be a positive influence. We would like to thank the climbing community for the support they have offered us over this period.

A funeral service for Peter will be held at Graham’s Risdon Rd, Hobart. 3pm Saturday 18th of October.

Version 1.4.3 of the Android app is in the play store now.

It has updated content, and the downloading of updates is fixed.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thesarvo.guide

I finally (only after 15+ years or something), setup https/ssl on the servers this morning. So it's now running at https://www.thesarvo.com and http://www.thesarvo.com  redirects to https.

Hopefully this might fix the issue of some Android devices not syncing updates, but I'm not certain. If thats still an issue I'll have to get the tools out.

Let me know if you see any issues

Recently I removed all the bolts from two sport climbs on Mt Amos in Freycinet NP. 

The climbs were:  ‘I Wish she were mine’ 19 and ‘No friends nuter ’’ 22. These climbs were in very close proximity to the main walking track to the top of Mt Amos. Although these climbs have been in place for a long time; as a community we have been facing increasing pressure - locally and nationally - from other user groups and land managers regarding our impacts. As the bolts visually impacted other user groups to the National Park it was decided after discussion with various climbers and the first ascensionists that it would be better to remove these climbs. I hope that climbers can more pro-actively manage inappropriate bolts in future rather than rely on land managers to tell us when we go too far. Our narrative of self management is more credible if there are examples like this to draw on.

Adam Donoghue

Hiya!

We're coming down to Tasmania from Thursday (19/12) until the Boxing day. 

Just wondering if anyone knows where I could rent a couple of bouldering pads or if you had a couple spare that we can rent off of you for a bit. 

Feel free to reach out on here or by email at aji.istadi@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance!  

Aji and Wen