Best Indoor & Outdoor Climbing Places in Sydney for Beginners

Once, I was a couch potato with zero athletic skill, but now I’ve been climbing for about 2 years and it’s a sport that I’ve fallen surprisingly (ha!) in love with. Climbing is a full body workout and with a mix of balance, flexibility and strength required to figure out how to reach the top without falling. It is challenging mentally as well - with harder climbs requiring near perfect performance under high pressure situations. I have really enjoyed my progression from indoor gyms to outdoor crags as my love for the sport grows, supported by the strong social scene in climbing.

There are two ways to rock climb - roped and bouldering. Roped climbing is what it sounds like: climbing with a rope and someone belaying you (keeping you safe). Bouldering uses mats to protect the climber instead of a rope, so they’re more powerful routes set on shorter walls (about 4.5m high as opposed to 16m for roped climbing). As such, bouldering requires the least amount of gear - just a chalk bag, shoes, and stoke.

Climbing is bigger than ever in 2020 and climbing gyms are growing at an exponential rate. It’s even going to be in the (postponed) Tokyo 2021 Olympics, with both roped and bouldering included. And most of us have watched Free Solo or The Dawn Wall in isolation, just to get inspired. So why not give it a go? Come try your best and test your skills at the best indoor and outdoor climbing gyms in Sydney.

Here are the best indoor and outdoor climbing places in Sydney for beginners: 

One of the largest indoor climbing gyms in Australia, and the first climbing gym in NSW - Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym is a place where you’ll see a mix of all levels. Most people start with either bouldering or top roping, while seasoned climbers come to practice their lead climbing on various routes (lead climbing is where you clip the rope to protection as you climb) on 50 degree overhangs or even 25 metre routes. There’s plenty of routes to choose from and even two bouldering areas if you want to climb without the rope. For the kids, they have their own climbing area full of fun characters and unique challenges, and the gym also hosts school programs, holiday camps and birthday parties. 

Bouldering is incredibly easy to try out, and is the best form of climbing if you are looking for a social experience, one of the reasons it’s gaining popularity so quickly. All you’ll need to get started are some climbing shoes, a water bottle and some chalk. 9 Degrees has gyms located in Alexandria, Lane Cove and Parramatta. You’ll almost always find a super friendly crowd, with a mix of regulars and new climbers throughout the day. People are always willing to give tips and tricks if you’re struggling on a problem, so going by yourself doesn’t need to be daunting. Plus they serve great coffee and are also dog-friendly, so you’ll likely see a pup or two when you visit!

The Climb Fit gyms are a jack of all trades. Located in the North Shore and the Sutherland Shire, the gyms not only offer roped climbing, bouldering walls and a kids area - they also hold a range of fitness classes from yoga, core, circuit, strength and pilates that are inclusive of membership to help build strength and flexibility. The gym organises regular community events such as ‘Social Nights’ and also invites the Australian Mountaineering School to teach rope skills for abseiling, outdoor rock climbing and more.

The Blue Mountains is one of the best locations for rock climbing in NSW and can easily fit into a day trip from Sydney. For beginners, The Soft Parade near Barden’s Lookout is a popular place for beginners to try rock climbing due to it’s well marked access and multiple short routes ranging from grade 4-18. When you climb for the first time outdoors, it’s different to the rainbow coloured holds in the gym. Outside, you learn how to read sandstone and figure out where best placements for feed and hands are. This is a great place to build your rock climbing skills, headspace and trust your feet. 

Dural is a beginner’s hidden gem in the northern suburbs of Sydney - short, easy and full of jugs (large holds you can easily grab on to). It’s a short walk into the sunny crag (directions can be found here - don’t walk too far, into the shooting range) where the routes start from a grade 7 to the early 20’s. This would also be a great place to learn lead climbing if you’re feeling confident - lead climbing is when you clip your rope into the protection yourself instead of relying on the top anchors. Would recommend starting from the Lower Tier section and working your way across throughout the day. 

A classic outdoor bouldering area in North Rocks, The Frontline contains over 200 routes ranging from grades V0 to V11, all varying in styles and heights. There’s something for everyone from the 3m warm-up wall with Point of View (V0), powerful roof climbs like Bright Side (V5) to explosive moves like Boogie Knights (V8). When bouldering outside, you need to bring your own padded mat (slightly smaller and firmer than the gym mats), chalk, chalk brush (for cleaning the chalk off the rock) and climbing shoes. Make sure you know how to spot when others are climbing to ensure safety.

Happy Climbing! 

Amanda Chan the resident graphic designer for Klook ANZ. Outside of work, she’s a regular indoor/outdoor climber, spreadsheet traveller and also creates video content over on her Youtube channel.