Mount Buffalo - North Gorge

Mount Buffalo’s North Gorge wall stands out in Victoria, and even all of Australia, for its sweeping granite and the kind of runout (and vegetated) climbing that will keep everyone on their toes. The wall’s scale and exposure over the gorge give it an alpine feel, rare in this corner of the world and the closest thing to Yosemite big walls for a few thousand miles. Long known as a proving ground for bold aid ascents in the 1970s and 1980s, the gorge is seeing a quiet revival this decade, as climbers like Lee Cossey explore the free climbing potential of routes like Forgotten Playground (line 31) and Free Reign (line 37).

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Route List

1: Needling Doubt, 22, M. Law, T. Dignan, 01/1978
2: Queen Elizabeth, 24, P. McKeand, T. Hancock, 05/1971/E. Lockey, 02/1998
3: Yellow Moon, 26, S. Camps, M. Elliot, 01/1993
4: Zeus, M5,6, G. Fitzgerald, P. Treby, 03/1971
5: Bannister's Rush, 21, J. Schwerdfeger, B. Cowan, 01/2001
6: Defender of the Faith, Direct Start, 20, J. Jane, B. Wiessner, 02/2022
7: Comet Ram, Variant Crack, 18, G. Tempest, K. Egerton, 11/1977
8: Straight Edge, 25, A. Thomson, D. Neilson, 12/1971/S. Camps, K. Lindorff, 01/1996
9: Defender of the Faith, Variant Finish, 20, S. Mentz, I. Vickers, 03/1995
10: Defender of the Faith, Direct Variant, 24, G. Poultney, A. Darragh, 02/1996
11: Defender of the Faith, 23, C. Baxter, G. Gledhill, 11/1974/S. Monks, J. Wilkinson, 1991
12: Rough Justice, 28, S. Monks, M. Matheson, 02/1992
13: Cardinal, M5 18, M. Taylor, C. Baxter, 12/1976
14: Emperor, 21, T. Battie, I. Speedie, M. Stone, R. Williams, 02/1966/K. Lindorff, S. Kenny, 12/1977
15: Il Duce, 21 M5, M. Stone, C. Dewhirst, G. Gledhill, 12/1970/G. Tempest, J. Smoothy, 1978
16: Mussolini, 28, M. Matheson, K. Hamilton, 01/1991
17: El Supremo, 25, C. Peacock, K. Lindorff, 01/1982/C. Peacock, 02/1982
18: Führer Eliminate, 21, J. Friend, K. Carrigan, 11/1974/K. Lindorff, 01/1977
19: Führer's Indiscretion, M9, G. Hinton, 2002
20: Führer, 25, C. Dewhirst, J. Moore, I. Guild, P. Seccombe,08/1966/A. Darragh, S. Mentz, 02/1996
21: Lebensraum, 25, M. Matheson, S. Monks, 02/1992
22: Lord of the Flies, 25, A. Thomson, D. Mudie, 04/1971/M. Matheson, 02/1991
23: Mein Kampf, 25, M. Matheson, S. Monks, 02/1991
24: 1066 (and All That), M5 21, K. Lockwood, A. Thomson, C. Dewhirst, T. Hancock, 09/1971
25: Tyrant Legitimate, M4 23, P. McKeand, C. Parker, 09/1971
26: The Fifth Column, M1 23, C. Dewhirst, C. Baxter, 03/1970
27: Tyrant, M5 23, K. Lockwood, C. Baxter, 01/1970
28: Usurper, M5, A. Thomson, D. Mudie, 01/1976
29: Magic and Loss, M4 18, S. Eberhard, V. Wong, 12/1993
30: She, M6 21, N. Taylor, A. Thomson, 01/1975
31: Forgotten Playground, 27, L. Cossey, A. Hah, 01/2017
32: Strange Ritual, M4, S. Eberhard, 1995
33: She Variant, M4, S. Eberhard, 01/1994
34: Cleo, M3, A. Thomson, M. Taylor
35: She-Ozymandias Eliminate, 22 M1, K. Lindorff, A. Thomson, G. Tempest, 01/1978
36: Clouded Queen, M8/M9, T. Dignan, G. Little, 1981
37: Free Reign, 28, L. Cossey, 01/2013
38: Free Blast, 23, J. Styles, S. Eberhard, 01/1995
39: Rats in Paradise, M4 22, S. Eberhard, J. Styles, 01/1995
40: Copperhead Road, M9, M. Matheson, 01/2000
41: Bandidos, 23, S. Eberhard, J. Styles, 01/1995
42: Ozymandias, M4 14/28, C. Baxter, C. Dewhirst, 10/1969/S. Monks, J. Wilkinson, 1989
43: Ozymandias Variant, M2, S. Eberhard, 11/1993
44: Ozymandias Direct, M4/28, G. Gledhill, A. Gledhill, C. Dewhirst, P. McKeand, 1971-1972/L. Cossey, P. Sage, R. McLoughlin, 01/2005
45: Better than Disneyland, M9, G. Hinton, 2002
46: Holden Caulfield, M7, C. Reece, 1980s/S. Monks, 2002
47: Lord Gumtree, M7/28, P. McKeand, C. Dewhirst, 12/1971/S. Monks et al., 2004
48: Primary, 23, E. Ozols, G. Pritchard, 01/1982/P. Croft, M. Matheson, 1990
49: Tripping the Light Fantastic, M3 17, K. Lockwood, A. Thomson, 12/1972
50: False Modesty, 24, G. Gledhill, C. Baxter, A. Gledhill, 01/1971/M. Matheson, I. Anger, 02/1993
51: Modesty Blaise, 25, M. Matheson, S. Carter, 01/1995
52: Death and Disfiguration, 22, K. Carrigan, M. Law, 12/1977

Sources

• “Mt Buffalo, Volume I - The Gorge,” 6th ed., Steve Toal, Crashdog Publications, 2023
  
• “Mt Buffalo, A Rock Climber’s Guide,” 5th ed., Kevin Lindorff, Simon Murray, Victorian Climbing Club, 2006
  
• “Sublime Climbs, A Guide to the Best Rockclimbing Venues in Victoria, Australia,” Kevin Lindorff, Josef Goding, Jarrod Hodgson, Rockmaster, 2011
  
• Lee Cossey
  
• Victorian Climbing Club
  
• thecrag.com
• chockstone.org