Will's Rock Climbing Page > Crags > AU > Vic > Arapiles > Central Gully

Last updated: Jan '05

Central Gully

The Word: It's got the lot!
The Crag Classic: Morfydd (*** 19), however Eskimo Nell (*** 10) and the hardman Dreadnought Gully routes also put a strong case.
The Hidden Gem: The entire shady side - I never understand why people moan about araps being too sunny!!
Sun/shade: Either, any time. With over 200 shady routes (and that's not even counting the shady side of the Bluffs!), Central Gully Right side is the biggest shady area at Araps - very worthwhile to remember on those days when the sun just has too much bite. On the other hand, Central Gully L side having sun until late afternoon, is perhaps the largest single offering of short sunny routes.
Wet weather options: Dreadnought Gully.
Style & Length of Climbs: The Left side is mostly a few degrees either side of vertical and only gets up to about 25m. The R side gets much more overhung but also eases off to vertical and slabby, with routes from 15m up to 100m.
Available Grades; Best Grades: 10-29;

Access: For the Left Side, walk up to the Organ Pipes then walk R uphill along the base. For the R side, a good track heads up the base of Central Gully from near the Plaque. For Major Mitchell Gully just walk up beside Fang Buttress and up along the base. If you're feeling really lazy, for the Skyline Walls or perhaps Deep Freeze Wall you might consider parking at the top and walking down the Central Gully trail, though frankly the drive probably takes longer than the walk up from the Pines!

Descent(s): Most routes have convenient walkdowns or raps, however Dunes Buttress requires walking all the way back (NW) along the top to the dirt road, 50m L along the road, then back L down the Central Gully track (marked to "Centenary Park").

Described L to R.

Central Gully Left Side

Well worth a visit. Plenty of good routes, quieter than many areas in the vicinity and being high up the hill makes for good views. Moby Dick, Hyaena and Howling Wolf look good.

Central Gully Left Side - Lower section. As viewed from the Pines.
Lower Central Gully Leftside

Central Gully Left Side - Lower section. As viewed from the top of Skyline Walls. Notice also Colosseum Wall off in the distance, and the Organ Pipes at bottom left.
Lower Central Gully Leftside

Squeakeasy Wall

This is the first wall you get to when you start walking up the gully from the Organ Pipes. These two routes are both superb.

** Squeakeasy 20m 22 (flash)
A great route with wonderfully varied climbing. Beware the runout from 4m to 7m.

Adam cruises up Squeakeasy
* Quisling 20m 19 (OS)
Another great route, quite solid for the grade. I love routes like this - people who can't jam fall off!

Adam cruises up Quisling

Another shot of Squeakeasy, this time it's Mike, grimacing for the camera.
Mike continues up Squeakeasy.

Golden Fleece Wall

This area is pretty much a continuation of the Squeakeasy Wall - Pedro is only about 8-10m R of Quisling.

** Pedro 36m 10 (YP)
A good line up the L end of Golden Fleece Wall, with tricky climbing (for the grade!). Easily up to wide section, and either quasi chimney with feet on the face out left, or bridge around it. Easily up to steeper section, with lovely easy steep climbing. As crack tends left, a nice undercling gains wall above crack, and then to top.

Pedro - Nicola stepping up into the crux, with Beautiful Possibilities taking the front of the buttress 2m to her R. Visible in the background is the Moby Dick pinnacle, which marks the L end of Stoat Wall.
Pedro

*** Beautiful Possibilities 46m 15 (OS)
Lovely, sustained and insecure, and not easy for 15! Generally follows the front of the gleaming white-yellow buttress just R of Pedro, although it does start just to the R and veers a bit to the L at half height. Despite the 2003 death of a leader on this route, it can be very well protected with small wires - take at least a double set and plenty of quick draws. Up easily a few moves then step L onto some extremely polished footholds - keep moving L and things get a bit better, but remain insecure as you continue up the front of the lovely buttress. The holds start leading a little L below the high bulge, be sure to place good gear just below it then move R over the cruxy bulge. Easier territory continues above for 12m.

'The Rock' cruises up Jason, with Beautiful Possibilities taking the thin white rib on the L, and Golden Fleece on the R.
Da-a-a-a-ve cruises up it

** The Golden Fleece 25m 18 (OS)
Very nice face climbing about 4-5m R of the distinct R facing corner (Jason (16)). Up past great wires with occasional stemming rests to glassy break. Tricky up and right to rest on top of bulge, then step left to obvious layback. Swing left up to small holds, arrange some feet, and then easier to top.

The Golden Fleece - me cruising the easy ground above the crux.

Moby Dick Pinnacle

A further 15m R of Golden Fleece is this stout little pinnacle.

* Hyaena 16m 18 (YP)
Takes the "just a bit wide" crack just R of the downhill arete of the Moby Dick Pinnacle. It's not long, but quite long enough! Quite a battle to climb, and a good test of your jamming, probably even better than Rack. Use big cams in order to keep the jams available. Be aware that several people have decked out after having cams rip out on this route - the crack is glassy and slightly flaring so search around for secure placements.

Horrorscope 10m 24 (TR)
Thought this'd make a nice little project for my next Araps 24 so I sussed it out one evening on the way back to camp. But it's not really my idea of fun and I struggle to see how it earns a star.

Pebbles Pinnacle

Keep walking up Central Gully from Moby Dick Pinnacle, you'll pass along beneath a very short wall (Stoat Wall) for about 15m. Then you'll reach the distinctive Pebbles and Bam Bam Pinnacle, split by 2 cracks. With any luck Pebbles will be a better route than Bam Bam which didn't do much for me.

* Bam Bam 10m 20 (OS)
Struggled quite a bit on this one but made it in the end. And I'm afraid I can't say I thought all that much of the climbing. Looks short but you'll be pumped before half way! Has a trad anchor but with some ingenious draping of your rope off either side of the pinnacle you can rap off and clean your own gear!

Pebbles Pinnacle. Pebbles (22) is the left line, Bam Bam (20) is the right line.

Wailing Wall

Continuing up Central Gully from Pebbles Pinnacle, this wall is about 30m further on. It's easiest to hug the base of the orange face as you approach, although also possible to approach along the lower path.

An angle of Wailing Wall showing the lovely view off over the Wimmera plains towards the Grampians.
Strife on the Gravy Train

Death Sentence 20m 22 (YP)
Only barely worth a toprope after you do SotGT. The fingery thin start takes some working out, then the rest is sorta ok.

** Strife on the Gravy Train 20m 14 (OS)
Now this route I thought was really great. If it went for another 5m I'd give it 3 stars for sure. The gear is good, the grade is very consistent the whole way, and it's steep enough to give a real nice airy feeling as you pull the lovely face moves to finish (modelled by Nicola below).

Nicola on the excellent face climbing finish of Strife on the Gravy Train. Note that Death Sentence comes up the orange rock to her left.

A shot of Wailing Wall (on the left) and Dog Wall (on the right). Initialled routes are Paladin (* 24), Life in the Fast Lane (** 24), Die Loaded (** 24), Strife on the Gravy Train (** 14), Howling Wolf (** 18), Puppy Love (* 15), and Black Dog (19) with climber halfway up it and belayer at top right.

Dog Wall

Pretty minor by Araps standards, but still a few things here worth doing.

* Puppy Love 20m 15 (OS)
Nice enough, in its own way. Surprisingly tricky up the glassy slabby arete, then a slightly bold slab finish above an ankle-breaking ledge at the top. Initialled in the photo above.

A view of Wailing Wall (at far left) and the crags further R, Dog Wall and Hellspite Wall.
Wailing Wall, Dog Wall, Hellspite Wall

Central Gully Left Side - Upper section. Notice the climbers on Charity Buttress.
Upper Central Gully Leftside

Charity Buttress

Low angled beginners action is all you'll find here. The routes all look over-starred, but I spose low grade stuff needs to be publicised to spread the crowds.

* Loyalty 18m 14 (OS)
Hmmm, 2 stars I think not. Not a complete waste of the walk however, and at least we escaped the crowds.

Deep Freeze Wall

At the far top end of Central Gully Left side is this hidden wall. Can't say I'll be rushing up to visit myself...

Deep Freeze Wall as viewed from the top of Charity Buttress.

Central Gully Right Side

Shady and intricate, and gets half the traffic of some areas. The rock quality is a little low in spots, but compared to anywhere other than Araps, it�s all fine! I'm keen to return for Electric Warrior, Droop Street and Los Endos.

Upper Central Gully R side, with marked features being Mari Buttress (with the yellow dot being a climber on Electric Warrior), Cecilia Wall, Skyline Walls, Garden Wall, Reaper Buttress, Starless Buttress (with the impressive/scary Wind Wall facing L up the gully) and Preludes Wall.
Upper Central Gully R side

Cecilia Wall

At the far top end of Central Gully right side is this, frankly, rather unassuming wall. People rave about the routes though so I spose I'll get up there one day.

Cecilia Wall as viewed from the top end of Central Gully Left side.

Skyline Walls

Just right of Cecilia Wall, this area is probably great for those who want a day full of 25s and 26s. Not much for the rest of us.

Skyline Walls as viewed from the top end of Central Gully Left side. Initialled routes are Exodus II (26), Copyright (22), Tres Hard (25) and On High (23). The location of the last two are my best guess.

Mari Buttress

Now has DRB rap anchors on the boulder above Droop Street (27m rap) which service all of the right side routes, and another set above Megalomaniac (on the R side of the gully) to service everything left of Mari.

Mari Buttress. Marked routes are Megalomaniac (14), Mari (17), Electric Warrior (20) (with the climber in yellow still on it) and Droop Street (21), all of which are 2 star classics.

Another view of Mari Buttress from further up Central Gully Left side, included to show the location of rap rings above Megalomaniac and Electric Warrior (where the X's are). This shot also better shows the lovely cracklines followed by Megalomaniac and Electric Warrior.
Mari Wall

** Megalomaniac 25m 14 (OS)
The bum crack 10m L of Mari looks like a thrutch-fest from hell but turns out to be all about stemming. Because the crack flares so much your gear is well in compared to where you climb - so ensure it's good for an outward pull. The second star only applies if you finish up the small corner on the left face at the top, which adds a few nice moves. Which makes it a real shame the rap rings have been placed on the other side of the gully. If you go straight to the rap rings it'll only be a one star route IMO.

Megalomaniac. Nic cruising this nice shady route.

** Mari 30m 17 (OS)
Good, but not a classic. Watch out for cams walking deep into the cliff though! Wander up to start of corner proper, then pull a hard move off greasy jam/laybacks and glassy feet. Continue upwards, then very sustained pleasant climbing up to roof, out and through it, and up corner above to ledge. Beautiful bridging for the last couple of metres. Bring #4 (ish) cams for belay.

Mari - me bridging the great top section of this tough little route.
Mari (** 30m 17), Mt Arapiles

** Electric Warrior 25m 20 (OS)
An excellent climb, with both the start and finish being full value for the grade - even if you can crack climb. Start just left of the main arete of the buttress. Move up to thin crack, and get some good gear (note the good wire right of the crack). Double sidepulls gain the obvious chalked crimp, from where its slightly intense, but essential, to get gear in (nice #1 metolius cam). Then yard up onto the obvious ledge and heffalump your way onto it. There are some non-obvious jugs high on the right which might allow more elegance. Then glorious easier climbing with as many bomber wires as you want leads 15m up the crack systems and over a bulge before stepping left to below the final polished finger crack. The fingerlocks are simply crap, but with enough good little feet left of the crack, just swing over to the right and a few layback moves solves it. Finish direct up the slab above for added pleasure, then step R to DRB rap anchor (27m). Great route.

* Femroc 20m 18 (flash)
Struggles for the star but the bottom half is quite nice - worth doing if you're in the area. Starts just R of the same arete, but from an elevated stance (belayer probably wants an anchor). Up to an ok mantle (looked harder for talls) then a nice, but short, steep wall. At the ledge move R, up a nondescript wall of slopers, then a bigger ledge to the final rubbishy headwall. The DRB are over to your left above EW.

James just above the low crux of Electric Warrior. The top crux is the obvious bum crack in the foreground

Lower Central Gully R side, with marked features being Reaper Buttress, Starless Buttress, Preludes Wall, Dreadnought Buttress (Dreadnought Gully leads scarily up behind Preludes Wall to Starless Buttress), Dunes Buttress, Bluff Major, Bluff Minor, John's Pinnacle (which obscures the R side of the mighty steep orange Denim Wall), Morfydd Wall (with Morfydd down the R end) and Fang Buttress.
Lower Central Gully R side

Reaper Buttress

Reaper Buttress
Electric Warrior

Preludes Wall

This is one of the few areas which catches early shade on those 40 degrees scorchers - well worth a few dawn routes. The Pillars of Hercules are pretty funky, and make excellent quick belay points! Take the time to wander 15m NE (towards the Pines) to check out the Dreadnought Gully routes, and also to look back above Preludes Wall to get a closer look at Starless Buttress. Note that you can now descend by a 25m rap off DRB, which are at the far NW end of the ledge (near Reaper Buttress).

* Rosy Shy 35m 19 (OS)
Much better than it looks - a worthwhile little route indeed. IMO the star only applies if you finish direct up the headwall, and don't move left to the easy rubbishy looking corner. Good moves lead up to the crux at 10m, you've just gotta trust a few slopers. Then an easier middle section leads to the overlap 10m below the belay. Heave over on jugs, then delicately continue up the headwall, only 15-16 but slopers and slightly spaced pro keep it interesting!

** Dracula 40m 11 (OS)
Quite pleasant. A trick start is well protected, then slightly steeper over the large block. Narrow stemming over the bulge, then trend R through the next bulge to the ledge, to allow leading it as a single pitch. Stem up final corner to pillar belay.

* Preludes 35m 17 (YP)
To be honest, this didn't do anything for me! Only gets a star here because my leader really enjoyed it, but IMO it has no redeeming features! The start is initialled (unfortunately!) so you won't get lost. Ho hum, up you go, jam a bit here, watch out for fragile holds there....zzzzzzzz....hmm what? Wake up?! Veer left up higher and over a steep juggy bulge.

Preludes Wall, with marked routes being Rosy Shy (19), Dracula (11), and Stalacmite (12). Minstrel Pinnacle is also marked, with Scourge (20) going up its backside. Note the awesome unique "Pillars of Hercules" at the top of the wall - you belay and abseil off them!

Anita moves up to the crux of Rosy Shy, with the superb Reaper Buttress at top left.

Looking up at the Dunes Buttress (on the left), Morfydd Walls (bottom centre), the back of the Bluffs (top centre), and Fang Buttress (bottom right). Initialled routes are Sandpiper (* 23) up the obvious steep crack, Eskimo Nell (** 10) up the white flake then onwards to the top, Morfydd (*** 19) up the line on the orange buttress, Bygone (* 11) up the lovely sheer face just R of Morfydd, Kamikaze (17) on Fang Buttress, and XI (** 18).
Preludes Wall

Dunes Buttress

This is the monstrous face which looks down over the Pines from part way up Central Gully Right Side.

*** Eskimo Nell 100m 10 (OS)
I must confess I didn't really relate to this route, although climbers at the grade seem to really enjoy it. Simul-climbing pitches 1 to 3 in one hit made it a pleasant 1hr jaunt. 1) (36m 10) Polished moves up the wide flake, then doddle up and head R of the steeper rock to where a short steep chimney appears on your L. 2) (6m 10) Up the chimney on suss holds. 3) (30m 10) Step from the R end of the ledge across the chimney onto the difficult looking wall - at which point awesome jugs appear! Continue up the vertical wall which then eases off to a slab, and leads to a ledge at the L end of a massive block. 4) (12m 0) Crawl R 12m through the tunnel behind the block. 5) (30m 10) An awkward move to chimney onto the chockstone, then more easily for 20m up the cracks. The steep finish up the wide crack is hard for the grade.

Morfydd Wall

The short wall rising out of lower Central Gully, which runs steeply uphill immediately behind the Bard Buttress and the Bluffs.

*** Morfydd 30m 19 (OS)
Absolutely excellent! Easily gets the third star from me. Steeply off the deck to the over-vertical crux sequence which trends up L on intriguing checkerboard flakes. Several sinker wires protect great moves up to a beaut jam (#2Fr), then one more hard move over the bulge to gain a good stance (optional belay). From there up the corner is just plain good fun, though still mostly in the 18-19 range, with outstanding stemming and jamming before two intimidating bulges at the top. (For the record, I don't agree with Mentz/Tempest saying the finish is "only" 18 - felt 19 to me). I wouldn't say its a sandbag but it's no easy tick for 19.

Morfydd - me mid-crux on the "checkerboard" flakes, about to get to the awesome jam
Morfydd

Morfydd - ok so this move may not be strictly necessary, but this corner/crack is still 20m of very funky climbing.
Morfydd

* Bygone 30m 11 (OS)
Almost earns 2 stars. Goes up the nice vertical face on the pillar just to the L of Ali's rap descent. An easy 12m ramble leads to an excellent 18m wall, with great gear, great holds and great moves all the way. Rap rings above Morfydd allow a 30m abseil only if you go over the Morfydd side.

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