Thinking of making the transition from plastic to rock? Have a newbie friend you want to coax outdoors for the first time? Glen Buchanan has the answer—only a short drive from Melbourne, Staughton Vale is the perfect bridge between gym and crag.
Around 30 years ago, work transferred me to the Mornington Peninsula—and I quickly discovered that Victoria’s best climbing was inconveniently located way out west. Arapiles was a five-hour drive, and that felt like a mission. Back then, The Rock climbing magazine used to include little insert guidebooks, and issue No. 22 featured Melbourne’s Best: Selected Climbing in and Around Melbourne. With no internet to consult, I had no idea there were crags closer to home. That guide was a revelation.
My friends and I started exploring these newfound day-trip options. Staughton Vale was in the guide but only listed four routes—hardly worth a visit. Then, in The Rock No. 24, it got a proper write-up with 15 climbs, three of them starred and all under grade 20. I was still new to trad climbing, having come from Nowra where sport routes ruled and bolts were standard fare, so the mention of bolts piqued my interest.
At Seaford Climbing Gym (R.I.P.), someone told me to take star pickets and a hammer for anchors at the top. Surely they were joking? Apparently not. The bolts were carrots, and—already having been burned by Victoria’s unique hangerless bolting system—I’d come prepared with shiny new bolt plates. Off we went, enjoying the easy hour-and-a-half drive. The walk-in was a breeze: flat, under 10 minutes, arriving right at the top of the cliff.
In hindsight, I should’ve scoped the anchor situation first. But instead, we descended to the base and jumped on The First Commandment, a starred grade 18. It’s a 30m route—with one bolt. Not quite the sport climb I’d imagined. The description mentioned a crack, which I optimistically translated as “plenty of gear.” Not quite. The placements were flaring, downward-facing slots or shallow side-pulls—not ideal for a nervous trad leader. Topping out, I found zero gear placements up top. Turns out, the advice about star pickets was spot on. I ended up walking 20 metres back to a tree that looked solid enough to belay from.
Fast forward three decades, and the few bolts that once existed have been chopped. But Parks Victoria has since installed well-maintained, regularly inspected abseil anchors. The result? Staughton Vale has become a top-tier top-roping crag.
Just under an hour and a half from Melbourne, and with a smooth, well-built 10-minute approach, it’s incredibly accessible. The cliff is around 30 metres tall, set in a scenic spot that even draws in tourists to the nearby lookout. But the best thing about this crag? It’s the perfect place to introduce indoor climbers to real rock.
With chunky, gym-like holds (albeit not colour-coded), it mimics indoor climbing surprisingly well. There are no weird sloping depressions or shoulder-wrenching jams like you’ll find at many of the granite crags closer to Melbourne. The routes are long and flowy, ideal for helping new climbers settle into their rhythm. From the ground, the wall looks steep—almost overhung—which makes it visually impressive to first-timers. But it’s actually a gentle slab, keeping weight on your feet and arms fresh for the inevitable “Where’s the next hold?” moments.
There’s space for multiple climbers to spread out, with grades generally ranging from 10 to 18 as you move right to left. The fun starts with big, friendly jugs, and there’s a natural progression toward crimps, side-pulls, and more balancy, technical sequences.
Since publishing this article, a volunteer of Safer Cliffs has made some solid progress on rebolting this area.
You can’t go wrong if you start from the right end of the cliff—just be sure to stay above the large step-down—and work your way left. “Miner’s Right” (10) offers an exciting start with a step-out move above a drop, which adds a little thrill for new climbers.
From there, “Welcome Stranger” (12) ⭐️ and its companion route “Graven Image” (13) provide 27 metres of gently angled slabs, with excellent hand and footholds. These routes are perfect for beginners to ease into real rock climbing while soaking up the atmosphere and natural beauty of the area.
For those looking to push themselves a little further, “Yet Another Commandment” (15) ⭐️brings a bit of spice with its tricky, balancy movement, sloping footholds, and a thin crack ideal for side-pulling. The test piece in this zone is undoubtedly “The First Commandment” (18) ⭐️⭐️—a 30-metre journey of thin edging and delicate layback moves up a prominent finger crack that defines this part of the cliff.
Continuing left, “Ferris Wheel” (12) ⭐️ and “The Gates of North Wind” (11) both start up a ledge at the far end of the main wall and trend rightwards. They head toward the obvious guano streak and the sentry box feature, respectively.
If your group still has gas in the tank, wrap up with the final two routes: “Leather Zen” (19) ⭐️ and “Acid and Afterbirth” (18) ⭐️. Both ascend past a prominent hole and an eye-catching crack near the top. These climbs, like most in this section, stretch beyond 25 metres—so expect some tired arms and tender fingers by the end of the session!
If you’re looking for somewhere to give your gym-loving friends their first taste of outdoor climbing, I can’t recommend Staughton Vale highly enough.
