Blog

Today I attended a community meeting at Waterworks with the local landcare group, and Alderman (Crocker) from the Hobart City Council and the parks officer responsible for the Quarry and Fruehoff.

Several topics of interest were raised that somewhat impact on climbers, but it is all positive.

Firstly the CCT are formally recognised by the HCC as interested stakeholders for those two areas, this consolidates the role of the CCT with the Wellington Trust through Al and Tony.  We will be consulted in respect to the development and conservation of both quarries. The HCC were aware of climbing activity at Waterworks but not so much at Fruehoff. Jon and I will meet with the HCC in the next couple of weeks to discuss the Quarry,  the Linear Park and Fruehoff in light of the development of the Linear Track after the purchase of the property from the Brewery.

This meeting was called by the local landcare group who have been instrumental in cleaning up the quarry over the last two decades. They are concerned about damage caused by the new pump track. However they are not negative and want to preserve the habitat of the (only) endangered Australian weed called the New Holland Daisy. They are also concerned about general degradation from the pushbikes. They seem very reasonable and want to work with both Council, cyclists and climbers. As a consequence of their concerns the HCC will take a number of measures to limit damage - climbers have a large part to play in this. 

Contrary to my previous understanding, the Daisy is in the corner of the Quarry near the climbers gate - it looks like a weed and unless you are a botanist or have it pointed out I doubt you would pick it.. Due to the bikes and climbers, this area has been hurredly fenced off and Council and landcare ask that climbers do not trample inside the temporary fence (pickets and orange bunting). In the near future the main climbers fence will be moved to place the Daisy inside the climbers fence. We are asked to look after the area. A row of rocks and a sign will be erected to tell climbers about the weed and how to look after it. They do not want to totally fence it as grazing by wildlife preserves the habitat. The gate will be moved slightly.The Quarry may later include other facilities such as BBQs.

The council officer (Adam) was really supportive of climbers and without a doubt will keep in contact. They are concerned about bone seed which is establishing itself on and around the cliff. Anyone who has been to Araps knows this one. The HCC suggested that they would put on a BBQ if we assist with weed removal from the cliff????

In terms of actual climbing no concerns were raised. Stability of the cliff was mentioned but not as an issue for climbers. Allegedly there was a fatality years ago from rockfall. 

In summary, climbers please respect the temporary fence and there are no problems. Jon and I will keep you informed as we go. We may have to make a mention in the guide thing.

S

The CCT is proudly presenting Smitten the Movie in Tasmania.

Smitten is the new Australian Sport Climbing, Bouldering & BASE jumping film. Prepare for the white knuckle, action packed, thrill ride of the year as we tour through the Grampians, Mount Arapiles , Blue Mountains, Nowra and Sydney with Australia's best Rock Climbers and BASE jumper.

“Smitten is a very very different kind of film than the standard climbing-film formula. Our mission was to take climbing-films to a whole new place.”- Ed Thornhill

Come along to the screening for your chance to not only experience the action on the big screen, but also win some of the lush door prizes up for grabs. Hang about after to show to meet with the stars of the movie and find out first hand what it takes to be the best.

The movie is rated MA so best leave the little ones with the baby-sitter! The bar will be serving food and drinks, with alcohol also available

Watch the official trailer here!

Where: Stanley Burbury Theatre (UTas Sandy Bay)

When: Thursday, 4^th August, from 7pm

Tickets: $10 each, bought from Passion8 (Elizabeth St), or $12 on the door.

Why: Because it’s gonna be HUGE…..

Tickets only cost $10 and can be purchased from Passion8 in Elizabeth St. Tickets will also be available on the door for $12. Cash preferred as EFTPOS/Credit makes life trickier. Limited seats so get in quick!

Howdy, 

Not sure if anyone is planning a trip to Victoria, Australia in the near future, but if you are you might be interested in learning that there is a fantastic new guidebook for the best climbing there! See details below. 

Sublime Climbs is a brilliant guidebook to the very best rock-climbing venues in Victoria. This 380 page full-colour extravaganza covering Mt Arapiles, Mt Buffalo and the Grampians includes:

• over 700 rock-climbs, meticulously described
• 123 stunning action climbing photos plus evocative panoramic photos
• 32 ‘locator’ photos (including a dazzling array of aerial photos)
• 158 photo-topos, incorporating a colour-coded grade range system
• 36 maps
• GPS info for camp sites, car parks and many cliff locations

http://rockmaster.com.au/

Enjoy! 

Monkey Cage take two
Hi all, 

There is some interest in the monkey cage still happening, and with gym down hopefully there is more interest out there....

So far we have seen a couple of possible venues, trouble is knowing keenness levels

1 - such that we can pay the rent
2 - so that we can get all the right approvals etc. to get this happening properly

So a meeting is proposed for Tuesday 24th May 5.30pm at the New Sydney hotel, Bathurst St. If you are interested in a general sense come along, if you are keen to do some work to make this happen, then please come along.
If you are keen to use the facilely but are unable to help out come along anyway or register your interest at hobartbouldering@gmail.com
Pass this message along to anyone that’s keen. Summer is still a long way off so a community not for profit training facility for those long winter nights would be awesome.

UPDATED: ALL SOLD

I bought a pile of new climbing gear and shortly after our daughter was born and that ended my climbing career! So here's some mint climbing gear for sale.

Black Diamond Camalot C4 -- Never ever used!
#3 50-87mm Unused $80
#4 66-114mm Unused $100

Or $170 for both.

The gear is located in Hobart. I will post at buyers expense. 
Send me an email or call after hours on (03) 62391727

Black Diamond size 4-13 stopper set plus extra 6 and 10 and nut tool $200ono new condition

Gri Gri $100 new condition

Please Call 0428 565 198

Apparently Lorano has found a new venue for "the climbing edge". There is a post on his site (http://www.theclimbingedge.com.au) saying that it is going up in Moonah Sport Center (17 Gormanston Road, Moonah). Being the sleuth that i am and not trusting everything I read on the internet I found an email address of a secretary of the Moonah Sport Center. I asked her to confirm this. Much to my surprise she confirmed and also said that there are plans for it being built in July of this year. I was, as i say, surprised about this. Has anyone else herd of these plans or any other relevant information?

Apparently Lorano has found a new venue for "the climbing edge". There is a post on his site (http://www.theclimbingedge.com.au) saying that it is going up in the Moonah Sport Center (17 Gormanston Road, Moonah). Being the sleuth that i am and not trusting everything I read on the internet I found an email address of a secretary of the Moonah Sport Center. I asked her to confirm this. Much to my surprise she confirmed and also said that there are plans for it being built in July of this year. I was, as i say, surprised about this. Has anyone else herd of these plans or any other relevant information?

See the following link to the Ben Lomond Guide update, for the 9 new routes done last summer. Some great photos of Ingvar Lidman on the Wizard (28). http://osp.com.au/?p=1897

lost gear in chasm crack, Northern buttress, forced to leave in situ after epic (rope jam) please give me a ring 0427 079 408 thx Chris

I'm going to be in Tasmania (from the United States) for a few days in May and am looking for someone to go climbing with on May 23rd (Monday). I will be in Hobart and I will have a rental car. I mostly do sport climbing although I do some bouldering and a bit of trad.  I climb up to about grade 22/23, but really am just looking to get out and have some fun.  I've been climbing for about 7 years so I'm safe and experienced.
 
Email me if you are interested.alan_grau@yahoo.com
Thanks!
Alan

For those not on the mailing list:

So the CCT is now incorporated, ready to take on the world! Ok so not the whole world but we’re back on our feet again!

So to celebrate, how about we go have a drink by a nice warm fire! John Middendorf has kindly agreed to show us some of his slides. If you’ve never heard of him just google ‘big wall climbers’ and you’ll soon learn what a priveledge it will be to see his pictures.

I’ve booked the same upstairs space at the New Sydney Hotel for Friday the 27th of May. Come along at 7pm, some of us will be ordering a meal and that will give us a chance to have a chat before the slideshow kicks off at 8pm.

If you could RSVP to Simon Young at climbing.simon(at)hotmail(dot)com it would be appreciated but not at all essential.

Please spread the word as the more the merrier!

Take care and look forward to catching up with you all soon!

You guys may have noticed a 18 year old kid from Belgium ripping up Tassie lately? That would be Merlin Didier. Great kid. I met him at Arapiles in December. One day I was lounging around the Pines nursing a hangover when Gandalf comes running up (remember the guy who wanted to climb the totem pole a month ago? Painted Green? Ed the Scottish giant? We called him Gandalf because when he sat in camp on those little chairs with us he looked like Gandalf sitting with the hobbits!) and stutters out, "Do you know CPR?"
This is never a good question to be asked outside of a job interview. That said, it is NEVER a good question to be asked.

Apparently Gandalf was belaying Merlin on an old crappy climb on the front of the Pharaohs to get up to Aftermath Roof. Somewhere up the middle of this chosspile Merlin dislodges a boulder the size of the Balrog which crashes down the cliff, with Merlin close behind! Gandalf dives out of the way, narrowly dodging the Balrog boulder. This time, he let the Balrog pass. Gandalf was unscathed, but what about our other conjurer of cheap tricks? Merlin took a bouncy little 15 metre tumble and was lying in a pool of blood when I got to him. Fortunately Merlin did not need CPR. With the help of Gandalf and the rest of the little hobbits from the Tas Uni Climbing Club, we called in The Great Eagles to fly Merlin's soul from the lady of the lake and sent him riding through the air into the healing arms of the House of Elrond (000, helicopter ride to the Alfred, if ya dont speak Tolkein).

Anywho, turns out Merlin just had a swollen brain. My hangover that morning was actually quite a bit more serious. So after a $20000 helicopter ride and business class tickets back to Camalot/Brussels, Merlin came back to Oz to finish his little trip. Long story short, Gandalf moved out of my little Hobart Hole and Merlin moved in. Lucky for Merlin, as you all know, April's weather was amazing. So he filmed all the climbing he did and made a movie about it and then entered the movie in a film festival via my wireless internet account (which cost me more than the prize money). And he won! The link is below. Its pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4yTRdnZQEA

Hi,

I have made number of short trips down to Hobart in the last 6 months.

Is there any indoor climbing gyms in/around Hobart?

I would be really keen to get up to Mt Wellington, unfortunately i'm down for business and am flying back before the weekend