Wondabyne North

	Crag faces East and North
	Sandstone Climbing

Introduction

An extensive line of cliffs located at the northern end of the ridge above Wondabyne Station (on the Newcastle Line). One of the attractions is that you need to take the train to get there, and the tiny station is very cute!

History

This crag (along with the two other Wondabyne crags) was a hive of activity for the (now defunct) Wondabyne Climbing Club in 1976 and 1977. The following information was taken from the 3rd edition of the club's Wondabyne climbing guide (published in 1977). Recent reports suggest that many of the climbs at the crag may be somewhat undergraded (more evidence for grade inflation perhaps?).

Access

The easiest way to get to the crag is to catch a train to Wondabyne station, the next station north of Hawkesbury River and the station before Woy Woy. The train normally doesn't stop at Wondabyne, so you will have to inform the guard when you board that you wish to alight there. From the station, head north for several hundred metres, staying well away from the railway tracks. After passing a quarry, you will reach a swampy inlet. The crag is located uphill from here (you may find the track, although it has become very overgrown and indistinct). The track (if you find it) reaches the base of the cliff just south of Rilly Billy. IMPORTANT NOTE: StateRail has been experiencing safety problems with members of the public walking alongside the railway track near Wondabyne station. Apart from the fact that these people are trespassing on railway property there is a real danger of someone getting injured. They ask that any climbers who wish to visit the Wondabyne North crag stay well away from all StateRail property. It is also possible to walk to the crag direct from the Mainline crag, by following the firetrail along the top of the ridge, but it is very difficult to find the crag from the top. Please keep noise to a minimum since sound travels well in the valley, and the residents will hear any loud noise you make at the crag. The crag is also overrun with ticks and leeches, so make sure you take some industrial strength insect repellent.

Climbs described left to right (facing the cliff).

*	Rilly Billy	14	23m
	Obvious square corner high on wall. A good climb. Up face to ledge, traverse right 3m then up to corner. Up this to the top.
	M. Foster, P. Stallard 1977-02-20

A walkdown gully splits the cliff just here.

The Odyssey	16M2	28m
On rock 5m left of BotA. Hand traverse left to the lower ledge on the arete. Up to next ledge. Traverse right to the base of the thin crack in the centre of the wall. Aid up this until it widens, then free to top.
P. Stallard 1977-01

* *	Branches of the Almighty	14	23m
	Obvious clean corner in centre of cliffline. A great climb. Straight up the corner. Unless you have tube chocks, the last gear is at about half height, which puts you on a 15m ground fall through the crux (a rounded, insecure layback right near the top).
	P. Stallard, S. Hoy 1976-11-21

Close to the Edge	13	27m
Start as for BOTA. Up corner to ledge with garden. Follow this for 8m then up the arete at end (unprotected).
P. Stallard 1976-11-21

* *	Fragile	16	30m
	Thin flake 3m right of BotA. 1. Up thin crack to base of flake. Strenuously up flake to cave. Walk 7m right to piton belay. 2. Continue along ledge to base of small corner above. Follow this to the top.
	P. Stallard, S. O'Brien, S. Hoy 1976-11-28

Gilmour's Gout	11	27m
Corner 7m right of F. 1. Up corner to cave (piton belay). 2. As for F.
P. Stallard, S. Hoy 1977-01

Lillee's Luck	9	27m
1m right of GG. 1. Move diagonally up towards tree, then move left to cave. 2. As for F.
P. Stallard, S. Hoy 1977-01

*	Calm Before the Storm	14	21m
	8m right of LL. Up undercut overhung groove to small cave. Traverse delicately left and up to tree and cave. Pull over roof directly above tree then up ramp to top.
	P. Stallard 1977-01

Uranus	9	22m
10m right of CBtS. Up the chimney and crack in left hand wall. Tree belay.
I. Foster, D. Stellar, P. Blackmore, D. Eldridge, A. Humphries 1977-02-20

Callous Crack	13	25m
7m right of U. Up crack and wall directly above.
P. Stallard, M. Foster, S. Hoy 1977-02-20

Montage	14M2	12m
2m right of CC. Peg left under roof to corner. Nut up this then free up blank wall. Finish up CC.

Raspberry Jam	9	10m
Break in face 13m left of cave with shells. Up pleasant crack to tree belay.
I. Foster, D. Stellar, R Blackmore 1977-02-20

Capstone Wall	13	10m
Start at base of wall 5m left of 3 sided square gully. A large rock sits over the top of the wall. Up crack in corner, then move right onto face and up to the right of the capstone.
P. Stallard, S. Hoy 1976-11-21

Native	14	10m
1m left of 3 sided gully below roof and face forming thin chimney. Step up into crack, then delicately onto face and up pleasant flared chimney.
S. O'Brien, S. Hoy, P. Stallard 1976-11-28

Nip	13	10m
Left hand corner crack of 3 sided square gully.
M. Foster, P. Stallard, S. Hoy 1977-02-20

Nook	15	8m
The central crack in the 3 sided square gully.
P. Stallard, S. Hoy, S. O'Brien 1976-11-28