Pirates Cove

Located centrally in tassies North, escape from the gentle rolling hills and into this picturesque water polished quartz canyon. Access is sub 5min from the car to cliff, in fact the escape pitch is best belayed by anchoring to your car. 

Avoid going during rain or after any significant amounts of water (if in doubt rap in and leave a static rope in place). 

Please refrain from adding the location to the map and/or using searchable terms in the comments. The gps coordinates are more than enough to locate this somewhat public area. 

The main lookout is a very scenic camp spot however usually contains various bogan trash, please clean up what you can so we don't have access curbed. Over the last few years it has been the scene of a disposed sheep, pig and shit tickets on the trails. Despite the last few sentences this tiny reserve is one of the most unique crags in the country and provides fun dynamic climbing on steep bullet proof rock with big moves and big holds. Despite the carpark and highway being a mere 50m away, climbing here feels like a transportation deep into the Southwest. 

Shade most of the day, sun early arvo followed by shade again late arvo

Access 

Park here  -41.4088746, 146.4327590

From here there are a couple of options. Either rap directly off your towbar (or a tree) into the gorge (30m of static) and follow your nose upstream past some bouldery moves.

OR…

The better option is to take the walking trail upstream from the carpark for about 150m east to where the trail forks. At this point scramble 10m towards the drop off and locate the rap points about 2m down on a large vegetated ledge. 

Roughly: -41.4088746, 146.4327590

24m rap off fixed quicklinks to large flat boulder in the river. 

This rap point is directly on top of “ The Mermaids Siren”, one of the best grade 17 trad routes anywhere and a top rope can easily be rigged while on abseil. 

The climbing

Routes ordered starting upstream to downstream

The Mermaids Siren

17

18m trad

A very unique climb at the grade. Tackle the unlikely steepness at the start with some creativity and long runners before launching into the face proper and the further steepening headwall under the roof. 2x u bolts under the roof to lower off. 

A double rack of cams (0.3 - #2 plus a single #3) and several runners more than adequately protects this route. A brilliant warm up and very worth doing in its own right

Guillotine 

24 

15m sport

A great route beginning with delicate moves up the immaculate polished bulge (a stick clip helps). Gain the large ledge before launching up into the steepness on big moves. Guillotine takes the left line of bolts at the roof with a powerful crux.

2x u bolts for lower offs

Scimitar

23

18m sport

Starts as for Guillotine and forks right at the roof. A great warm up for the harder routes. 

2x u bolts for lower offs

The Gallows

21 

15m sport

The absolutely horizontal roof above Guillotine and Scimitar and a great way to top out the crag. Crazy moves in a crazy position, can be done from the ground in one mega pitch. Best be seconded to clean and descend from the rap point 30m upstream to avoid soaking your rope.

Negotiate the tricky section of canyon to get to the next climbs. Wading is usually the only option for those under 6ft. 

Its a Pirates Life For Me

26 

20m sport

Tackles the LHS of the major headwall up the largest cliff in the crag. Punchy moves to the first break followed by enormous dynos out the first roof. Takes the left hand line of bolts with an incredible final few meters to the anchors. Bring a few long runners to ease rope drag. 

2x u bolts for anchors

Alone in the Ocean

25

25m sport

Starts as for "Its a Pirates Life For Me" splintering right after the first roof. Bouldery and heroic, the final 5m of glory jugs finish at the very top right of the wall. Bring a few long runners to ease rope drag. 

2x u bolts for anchors

Shipwreck Cove 

Pocket full of bolts 

24

10m mixed

2 bolts followed by the right trending, mostly filled crack

At first glance this wall looks short and juggy, however it is anything but. This sustained boulder problem will have you fighting all the way to the anchors plugging bombproof gear at every stance. In fact there is so much good gear its easy to aid the moves before trying them.

A single rack from black totem to #1 is ample gear, a second 0.4 or 0.5 can be handy for aid.

2x u bolts for anchors

The Midlands Highway 

19

30m sport

Multiple roadworks were required to get this stretch of highway open. Not recommended if you want to have a good time, established as an access route to the highline anchors. 

Takes the long low angled slab before sharply turning and navigating the steep upper wall. Less confident leaders should consider breaking this into two small pitches as the upper moves can have some bad ledge fall potential. 

2x u bolts for anchors

Marooned

17

20m sport

The easiest way out of the crag but also a great climb in its own right. To access from the top rap down over the most prominent part of the lookout. From below, scramble up to the vegetated ledge (rope in place 2025 for safety) and navigate over the huge quantities of trash. Follow the line of bolts though two rooflets, topping out at the proudest bit of the cliff. Either belay here from single bolt and tree or continue 20m further to the carpark and belay from the comfort of your car. 

Alternatively, to escape the crag rock hop down stream for a couple hundred meters and take the walking trail back up the the cars (10-15 min when dry, 1hr+ when raining).