<guide>
<header id="3" name="Mars Arch and Cape Queen Elizabeth" walk="Arch 45-60min. Cape Queen Elizabeth 1.5-2 hours" sun="mixed sun and shade" rock="slabby dolerite" acknowledgement="Phil Robinson" intro="Mars Arch is a spectacular dolerite arch below Mars Bluff on the beach at the western side of Moorina Bay, set out from the cliff. The base of the dolerite cliff behind the arch has good bouldering on solid rock to a few metres in height as does the arch but the bluff to the west of the contact is made of horrendously loose mudstone.<br/>No climbing has been recorded before this guide at Cape Queen Elizabeth as the rock is renowned to be atrocious." history="Bouldering at the Arch has been an activity for at least 15-20 years and four routes (to Feb. 2024) are recorded on thesarvo's bouldering guide to Bruny Island<br/>See http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/display/thesarvo/Bruny+Island+bouldering<br/><br/><br/>At Cape Queen Elizabeth, a 30-40m slabby dolerite cliff of reasonable quality has been developed from 2021 by Phil Robinson" access="Mars Arch Access<br/><br/>A popular walking track leads to Cape Queen Elizabeth via Mars Bluff and Mars Arch. A 30 min. walk from the car park brings one to a junction and signpost, to either go over the Bluff or along the beach, the latter much the quickest way. At low tide it is often possible to a walk around on the sand east to the arch, only 5-10mins. away. Even If the tide is up one can usually enjoy a rocky scramble dodging the waves to reach the Arch. Though longer, over the Bluff is only 10 min. walk to the top. Once over the hill and down on the beach head back west to the arch.<br/>" camping="" autonumber="false"/>
<image id="5" src="Tasmaps Bruny l(CQE).jpg" height="417" width="700"/>
<image id="6" src="100_4197(Kim, 2007)c.JPG" height="436" width="700"/>
<image id="7" src="Dave Humphries 2.jpg" height="667" width="500" legend="false" legendFooter="" legendTitle="Dave Humphries bouldering on the Arch"/>
<text id="8" class="text">Dave Humphries on the first ascent of the seaward side of the arch. Photo Jon Nermut 2005</text>
<image id="16" src="100_4189(Claire).JPG" height="525" width="700"/>
<image id="34" src="100_4193(2007).JPG" height="525" width="700"/>
<text class="text" id="2">Claire Hewer bouldering on the cliffs behind the Mars Arch <br/>Photos: Kim Robinson 2007</text>
<header id="18" name="Cape Queen Elizabeth" walk="1.5-2 hours" sun="mixed sun and shade" rock="slabby dolerite" acknowledgement="Phil Robinson" intro="Cape Queen Elizabeth itself has very loose and chossy rock but a short distance to the south west is a reasonably solid and featured 30-40m high dolerite cliff with a friendly angle, the top few metres a scramble. The cliff can be viewed from just below the Cape Queen Elizabeth lookout" history="" access="<br/>The walk-in is 1.5 hours from the road plus an extra 15-20min. if the tide compels one to walk over Mars Bluff. However, the track is easy, the views wonderful, the sea stretching south to Antarctica and far to the west are the Southern Ranges and Adamson’s Peak. The atmosphere can be electric with high waves and a large swell. Waves crashing 10-15m up in the air have been encountered at the southern end.<br/>At the eastern end of Moorina Bay the track climbs up the hill for 10 min. then south toward Cape Queen Elizabeth. Just before the track climbs up to the cape, head right toward the top of the cliff 2-3 minutes away. One can either abseil in 30-40m from the metal stake buried deep and back it up with slings around low bushes or scramble down to the south for a shorter rap of 10-15m. If the sea is low, follow the ramp further to an easy climb of a few metres down to the shore platform. The left side of the cliff is low with good rock, the right side is loose, chossy and worthless. The top few metres of the cliff lay back, grassy and loose so care is needed. Rap bolts would be useful to avoid topping out. Nevertheless, as it is there is some good middle grade climbing. Very much a trad. adventure type cliff.<br/><br/>" camping="" autonumber="false"/>
<image id="19" src="Tasmaps aerial(CQE).jpg" height="408" width="600"/>
<image id="39" src="IMG_3446 CQE.JPG" height="667" width="1000" legend="true" legendTitle="Cape Queen Elizabeth climbing cliff">
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<climb/>
<climb>21</climb>
<climb>22</climb>
<climb>38</climb>
<climb>23</climb>
<climb>24</climb>
<climb>25</climb>
<climb>26</climb>
<climb>27</climb>
<climb>28</climb>
<climb>29</climb>
<climb>30</climb>
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<climb id="21" stars="" extra="" number="1." name="Low Swell Access" length="6m" grade="2" fa="">Scramble down from the clifftops south for an easy climb to the shore platform when the tide and swell are low.</climb>
<climb id="22" stars="" extra="" number="2." name="Where there's a will" length="6m" grade="6" fa="">The short hand crack a few metres right of the low swell access. The crack to a ledge and on to the top.</climb>
<climb id="38" stars="" extra="" number="3" name="Easy Exit" length="6m" grade="2" fa="">Further R an easy climb traverses L to the slabs.</climb>
<climb id="23" stars="" extra="" number="4." name="The Staircase" length="14m" grade="3" fa="P.Robinson 25/01/24">Next right is a narrow and sharp broken staircase of rock, surprisingly solid but not recommended for a downclimb.</climb>
<climb id="24" stars="" extra="" number="5" name="Picnic Crack" length="15m" grade="7" fa="P.Robinson 27/10/21">The obvious broken crack on the right.</climb>
<climb id="25" stars="" extra="" number="6" name="Picnic Wall" length="20m" grade="14" fa="P.Robinson 27/10/21">Start as for Picnic Crack. Climb up the easy crack for 10m. until one can move R onto the nose. Follow the weakness to a ledge and up to the top.</climb>
<climb id="26" stars="*" extra="" number="7" name="Far Horizons" length="20m" grade="19" fa="P.Robinson 30/01/22 T.R.">The line right of the Picnic Crack cleavage.<br/>A bouldery start with sparse pro to reach the crack system. Follow this until five metres from the top and take the short traverse line R onto the face before climbing directly to the top. Alternatively continue up the crack. A 10 m. scramble follows to the cliff top.<br/></climb>
<climb id="27" stars="*" extra="" number="8" name="The Groove" length="35m" grade="project" fa="P.Robinson project">Start R of Far Horizons in a corner. Climb easily to a ledge and take the groove on the left (crux, unclimbed) to a pleasant hand crack. Follow the crack which trends slightly left until it thins and up the face above. Take care on the last 10m, an easy grassy scramble to the top.</climb>
<climb id="28" stars="*" extra="" number="9" name="Sea to Sky" length="35m" grade="18" fa="P,Robinson 22/03/21">An absorbing crack line in an atmospheric location. On a sunny day blue sky and sea stretch as far as the eye can see.<br/>Start on a large ledge a few metres above the sea at the base of a corner a few metres R of Far Horizons. Easily up the corner, as for The Groove, to steep layback moves leading to a crack line, finishing up a grassy scramble at the top to belay. <br/></climb>
<climb id="29" stars="" extra="" number="10" name="The Wall" length="35m" grade="16" fa="P.Robinson 30/01/22">The wall, between ‘Sea to Sky’ and ‘White Thunder’.<br/>To start, climb the first few metres of Sea to Sky to a large ledge or the cracks on the short wall to the right of it.<br/>Climb directly up the middle of the face. The wall finishes with a 9m scramble to the top.<br/></climb>
<climb id="30" stars="*" extra="" number="11" name="White Thunder" length="40m" grade="16" fa="P. Robinson, C. Rathbone 20/01/21">The first route on the cliff. An obvious line in the middle of the cliff, broken by two ledges. A worthwhile route, the upper part a technical finger crack.<br/>Accessed and cleaned by abseil on the 1st ascent although there is little to belay to at the top. A metal star picket was hammered in and a low bush used with a sling around the base branches. Rap 40m to sea level passing two ledges on the way. The bottom few metres are wet in high seas.<br/>Climb the crack in the short wall left of the chimney to a ledge, then 10m up the broken groove or the crack on the R wall to another ledge. Follow the pleasant crack to a loose slope 5m below the top. Take care.<br/></climb>
<climb id="31" stars="" extra="" number="12" name="Calm before Chaos" length="37m" grade="15" fa="P.Robinson 25/01/24">A few metres right of White Thunder is a wall with enjoyable slab climbing followed by a chossy stepped cliff. Although much loose rock has been dislodged in the top half, extreme care is needed. The route goes up the middle of the wall and could do with rap bolts where the wall ends after 20m. The clean crack at the bottom on the L has also been climbed (gr.9).</climb>
<image id="32" src="IMG_3460(Mars Bluff and Arch)scd.jpg" height="533" width="800"/>
<text id="33" class="text">Mars Bluff and Moorina Bay</text>
</guide>
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