Protruding from the Wimmera Plains in Victoria, like a whale breaching the waves, Mt Arapiles is a mecca for rock climbers from all over the world and it’s easy to understand why this is so. Its crags, chimneys, bluffs and labyrinths of gullies provide many challenges for anyone who is mad enough to put themselves into gravity-defying situations in the name of sport.
Luckily for us we didn’t have to climb to reach the summit as on the opposite side of the bluff in the first photo above, there’s a road that finishes within 50 metres of the top, leaving some hand- engineered stone steps through stunted scrub for the final ascent. It was a hazy windy day when we visited, and winter; so the wind was cold and the views somewhat compromised. Even so, we could still get an idea of the bulk of this monolith and its dizzying drops from the viewing platform where we stood hunched against the gale with our jackets pulled tightly around our bodies.
In the photo below, on the right ( you need to look carefully), there’s a climber, lightly dressed and seemingly unperturbed by the journey he has ahead of him.
With our viewing over, we scuttled back to the warmth of the car and continued our journey.
It looks very imposing.
Indeed it is, Tracy.
Avid climbers are built of different stuff (none of which I have). I’m glad you found another way to enjoy the vista from above.
There are photos online of people dangling from the bluff. I would have liked to post one, but they’re all copyright. The very thought of it nearly makes me ill!
Wonderful views from the top, Jane. I always wondered what this area looked like as I worked for a private boarding school for 16 years and one of the school camps was a climb through these imposing rocks and outcrop.
(I can’t press your blog’s LIKE button since I got my new computer 2 months ago – just letting you know I continue to read your blog, even if I don’t comment).
Thanks Vicki. It would have been good to have explored a lot more as I believe there’s interesting bird life up there and also aboriginal rock paintings, but the weather was against us.
What amazing views and heights. Very lovely and breathtaking.
Thank you, Cindy. It was certainly breathtaking with the wind blowing us around!
I would have taken the drive up too, but what a wonderful view once there!
It was, though we didn’t admire it for long!
Incredible views … the landscape looks very dry even allowing for winter. Rock climbers are a hardy group, I’m definitely not in that league!
It wasn’t quite as dry as it seems in the photos Gerrie as a lot of the land was being prepared for wheat crops and had been ploughed. There was rain while we were in Victoria- lucky them! We’ve nearly forgotten what it looks like.
Wow! Looks absolutely amazing. 🙂
I love the Arapiles. A bit closer to me are the Grampians where I would takes school year Nines rock climbing whenever I could succeed in getting other staff to agree. Great shots.
You were game to take Year Nines rock climbing!