Brooklyn

	Belay from your bumper bar.
	Crag faces north
	Slab climbing

Introduction

Previously known as "Suicide Slabs", then "Sewerside Slabs" due to the stench that wafts up from the toilet block, now its just "Brooklyn"! This is a great little north facing crag, offering probably the best friction climbing in the Sydney region, on generally good rock and with easy access. The crag is superb in winter, but is a bit of an oven in summer. The crag was originally developed (sans bolts) by the incredibly prolific Wondabyne Climbing Club, but was rediscovered and the bolts put in sometime during the 1980s. Phil Stallard relates a story of a rather drunk Dave McGrouther soloing up the route on the left hand side, falling from near the top and sliding the entire way back to the bottom. Soon after this experience he soloed Gigantor on Dogface then promptly found religion! The main attraction is the huge slab of rock leaning up against the hillside. This offers five superb bolted slab routes (with grades between about 14 and 18) and a stack of top rope variants as well. The routes in the centre are generally easier, with harder routes to the left. There are also two routes on the right hand side of the block, one on the left, five routes on the smaller block behind the main block and a project (by Julian Anderson) on the wall behind the blocks. Unfortunately none of these routes compare in quality to the routes on the main slab. There is also some bouldering on the wall to the right of the main block.

Access

To get there, drive north along the old Pacific Highway (NOT the F1) to the Brooklyn exit. Take this and follow the signs to Brooklyn (about 10km). Once in Brooklyn, turn right onto Bridge St, left onto George St and follow it to the end (to the Parsley Bay boat ramp). The slab is obvious up and to the right. The crag is also easily accessible by public transport - the Hawkesbury River railway station (on the Newcastle line) is only about 300m from the crag.

The Slab

This is the obvious slab that faces the road. A large fig tree overhangs the right side, so most people climb the routes on the left side which remain relatively moss free.

A	?	15m
The hanging arete on the left, via a rusted bolt stuck in wafer thin rock high up.

* *	B	18	15m
	The first route that scoots around the sandy cave on the left side of the crag (facing the carpark). Up past a thread and four carrot bolts. Some interesting route finding.

C	17	15m
The next route right via three carrot bolts, the middle one which pokes out way too far (use some jiggery to keep your bolt plate flush with the rock)

* *	Hot Shit Burn my Arse	15	15m
	The route in the middle of the slab past several shiny carrots. Originally had no protection, but bolts were added sometime after the FA.
	Phil Stallard, WCC 1980

D	14	15m
The next route right via rusty carrot bolts. The top section requires navigating the tentacles of the giant fig tree.

E	14?	15m
The right most route on the main slab, before the cave on the right side facing the toilet block. Three rusty carrot bolts then up the arete and over the fig tree.

F	?	10m
The rusted bolt ladder past the right cave facing the carpark.

The Spire

The following two routes are on the spire above the slab. Originally there was a single, extremely dodgy bolt on top for belaying and for the (dangerous) abseil descent, but it may have been replaced since then?

Turning Point	17	10m
Start: Below left arete of spire above slab. Up the arete, originally with natural protection (hexes).
Phil Stallard, WCC 1980

Thunderclap	18M1	10m
Start: Below flake on spire above slab. Straight up the flake and over. FA anecdote from Phil Stallard: "We left Dave on the crux with all his pitons and crap in the middle of an electrical storm - he was squealing like a stuck pig - we just tied him off and waited in the cave until the storm had passed."
Dave McGouther, WCC 1980