CCA Climbing Gym Night
2024-05-08 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-05-22 19:30 - 21:30 (Australia/Sydney) | CIRC, 38-40 Essington Street, Mitchell, ACT, 2911, Australia
Come and hang out with us!! No RSVP needed, just show up.
The CCA hosts a twice-monthly gym night at the Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing (CIRC) facility in Mitchell, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month.
This is an opportunity for CCA members to climb with fellow members on a regular basis, learn or practise moves that you might use on outdoor climbs, and buddy up with potential outdoor climbing partners.
You can hire climbing shoes, a harness and chalk from the gym, or you can BYO. You will need to take a free-of-charge short belay course at the CIRC gym if you haven’t already done so.
As a CCA member, you can get a 10% discount on entry if you show your current membership card.
Coordinators for the gym nights are CCA Treasurer, Jack Pezzey, and CCA Secretary, John Wilson. You’ll be able to identify them on the night by the CCA graphics on the back of their club tee-shirt:

CCA General Meeting / guest speaker Hugh Newall
2024-05-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Ainslie Football & Social Club, 52 Wakefield Avenue, Ainslie, ACT, 2602, Australia
Come and hear a rundown of the CCA’s recent activities plus general climbing news and points of interest, followed by our guest speaker presentation.
CCA members and non-members are welcome.
Dinner is available from The Limestone Kitchen at the Ainslie Football Club, providing a great chance to relax and socialise with other CCA members before the meeting starts at 7.30pm. A table in the name of CCA is booked for 6pm.
Guest speaker: Hugh Newall
Hugh spends his time skiing steeps and climbing peaks. Tonight he will be talking about his climbs in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Introductory Climbing Day – Booroomba Rocks
2024-05-25 | Booroomba Rocks, Booroomba Rocks, Namadgi National Park, ACT, Australia
Ivory Coast – Booroomba Rocks
Our popular introductory climbing day at Booroomba Rocks, Namadgi National Park, is a great way for newer CCA members who are first-time climbers at Booroomba to enjoy the delights of the classic trad climbs at the Booroomba crag. It is also a great opportunity for indoor climbers to experience the joys of outdoor and trad climbing.
You will be led up a selection of classic routes at Booroomba Rocks, by experienced CCA members; grades will depend on climbers and leaders.
Participation
Participants of any experience are welcome; the focus for the day is to have a good time and provide an informative atmosphere.
The numbers who can participate will depend on how many CCA leaders we have, and we aim for a ratio of one leader/guide for a maximum of two participants, so it’s first in – best dressed!!
This event is only for CCA members. You cannot join the CCA on the day of the event, and you can only join via the CCA website. Please note that it takes about three weeks to receive your member’s card after you submit the membership application form on-line and pay the membership fee.
The day will be hosted by the CCA President, Zac Zaharias, and coordinated by CCA member, Phil Thomas. Please register your interest with Phil (see details below).
Please do not turn up on the day and hope to go climbing as we need to organise climbing leaders in advance for this event.

What to bring
Integral Crack – Booroomba Rocks
You will need to bring your personal climbing gear (climbing shoes, chalk bag, harness and helmet) plus food and water for the day. A water bottle that you can attach to your harness comes in very handy, as most climbs at Booroomba Rocks are multi-pitch. Many of the climbs are in full sun for most of the day so some form of sun protection is a good idea.
Meeting time and location
We will meet at the Booroomba Rocks car park at 9am for introductions and to organise climbing parties. To get to the car park, drive up Apollo Road to about 1km before the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station. Turn right onto the gravel road (it’s signposted) and follow this to the end, about 3 km.

Booroomba Rocks image gallery Booroomba Rocks climbing guide

CCA Climbing Gym Night
2024-06-13 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-06-27 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-07-11 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-07-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-08-15 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-08-29 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-09-12 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-09-26 19:30 - 21:30 and 5 more dates | CIRC, 38-40 Essington Street, Mitchell, ACT, 2911, Australia
Come and hang out with us!! No RSVP needed, just show up.
The CCA hosts a twice-monthly gym night at the Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing (CIRC) facility in Mitchell, on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.
This is an opportunity for CCA members to climb with fellow members on a regular basis, learn or practise moves that you might use on outdoor climbs, and buddy up with potential outdoor climbing partners.
You can hire climbing shoes, a harness and chalk from the gym, or you can BYO. You will need to take a free-of-charge short belay course at the CIRC gym if you haven’t already done so.
As a CCA member, you can get a 10% discount on entry if you show your current membership card.
Coordinators for the gym nights are CCA Treasurer, Jack Pezzey, and CCA Secretary, John Wilson. You’ll be able to identify them on the night by the CCA graphics on the back of their club tee-shirt:

Winter Solstice 2024 at Honeysuckle Creek
2024-06-22 - 2024-06-23 | Honeysuckle Creek Camp Ground, 244 Apollo Rd, Rendezvous Creek, ACT, 2620, Australia
The Winter Solstice weekend CCA camp-out at Honeysuckle Creek is becoming an annual tradition!
Spend the weekend climbing at Booroomba Rocks, Honeysuckle Crag or on the Orroral Ridge (the Orroral Ridge Road is open again – yaaayyyy!!!) and join other climbers at Honeysuckle Creek Camp Ground on Saturday night.
This is a great chance to meet other climbers, have a few drinks and tell a few unbelievable yarns around a roaring campfire.
Climbing
You will need to have a climbing partner to go climbing on this weekend.
The weekend is not an introductory activity for novice climbers, and there will be NO GUIDED CLIMBING for this event. If you cannot arrange a leader, you are welcome to still come along for the camp out.
Camping
The CCA will pay camping fees at Honeysuckle Creek Camp Ground, and we will provide wood for the campfire. We need to know participant numbers to register with ACT Parks and pay the camping fee, so please let the organisers know if you are coming to camp overnight (see RSVP details below).
Honeysuckle Creek Camp Ground has water, toilets, fireplaces, picnic tables and chairs. There is no electricity. You will need to provide everything else, including:

Warm clothes, beanie, gloves etc. in many layers. It will be cold overnight!
Dinner and breakfast, including food, cooking utensils, stove, plates and bowls, cup etc.
Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, torches (it is the longest night of the year, after all), a folding chair and any other creature comforts you feel are necessary.

We will be camping about 30-70m from the car park.
For more information about the campsite, visit Honeysuckle Campground – Parks ACT.
Registration and further information
For more information, to register for Saturday night camping, or to volunteer to help out, please contact the organiser detailed below.
Honeysuckle campground in winter

CCA General Meeting / guest speaker TBA
2024-07-17 19:30 - 21:30 | Ainslie Football & Social Club, 52 Wakefield Avenue, Ainslie, ACT, 2602, Australia
Come and hear a rundown of the CCA’s recent activities plus general climbing news and points of interest, followed by our guest speaker presentation.
CCA members and non-members are welcome.
Dinner is available from The Limestone Kitchen at the Ainslie Football Club, providing a great chance to relax and socialise with other CCA members before the meeting starts at 7.30pm. A table in the name of CCA is booked for 6pm.
Guest speaker: TBA

CCA General Meeting / guest speaker Hugh Newall – alpine expedition to Bolivia
2024-09-18 19:30 - 21:30 | Ainslie Football & Social Club, 52 Wakefield Avenue, Ainslie, ACT, 2602, Australia
Come and hear a rundown of the CCA’s recent activities plus general climbing news and points of interest, followed by our guest speaker presentation.
CCA members and non-members are welcome.
Dinner is available from The Limestone Kitchen at the Ainslie Football Club, providing a great chance to relax and socialise with other CCA members before the meeting starts at 7.30pm. A table in the name of CCA is booked for 6pm.
Guest speaker: Hugh Newall
Hugh will share his experiences from an unforgettable alpine expedition to Bolivia. Hear stories of high-altitude climbing, choss, spicy leads, taking lead falls on ice, emergency wisdom teeth removal, and the stunning peaks of the Cordillera Real. Hugh will discuss the logistics, planning, and the adventure of mountaineering in one of South America’s most remote regions. Don’t miss this opportunity to get inspired and learn about what it takes to climb in the Bolivian Andes!
Find out more about Hugh and his adventures via Instagram @hughnewall.
Daygin Prescott in the Condoriri Massif (Hugh’s climbing partner)

Namadgi National Park 40th Anniversary – A Rock Climber's Perspective
2024-10-10 15:00 - 16:00 | Namadgi Visitor Centre, Naas Road, Tharwa, ACT, 2620, Australia
On 3 October 2024, Namadgi National Park will mark the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Namadgi as a National Park. The declaration on 3 October 1984 followed a decades-long campaign by the ACT National Parks Association. The ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) and ACT National Parks Association (NPA) will celebrate the anniversary through a series of activities which will be held from 30 September 2024 until 6 October 2024 (the second week of the school holidays) and hosted by PCS and Namadgi stakeholders.
The CCA has long been part of Namadgi’s story, including the Namdgi National Park and the previous Gudgenby Reserve, and has been invited to help PCS celebrate.
We will deliver a presentation, with many accompanying photos, on the history of rock-climbing in Namadgi National Park that stretches back over 50 years. The presentation will be delivered by long-time CCA member Paul Daniel, who has a long history of climbing in the area pre-Namadgi NP and is also a pioneer climber putting up new routes. After the presentation there will be a show and tell of rock-climbing equipment and how it has evolved over the years.
This event is free but bookings are required:
Bookings
Download the 40th Anniversary Activities calendar (PDF 518KB)

Introductory Climbing Day – Booroomba Rocks
2024-10-27 | Booroomba Rocks, Booroomba Rocks, Namadgi National Park, ACT, Australia
Ivory Coast – Booroomba Rocks
Our popular introductory climbing day at Booroomba Rocks, Namadgi National Park, is a great way for newer CCA members who are first-time climbers at Booroomba to enjoy the delights of the classic trad climbs at the Booroomba crag. It is also a great opportunity for indoor climbers to experience the joys of outdoor and trad climbing.
You will be led up a selection of classic routes at Booroomba Rocks, by experienced CCA members; grades will depend on climbers and leaders.
Participation
Participants of any experience are welcome; the focus for the day is to have a good time and provide an informative atmosphere.
The numbers who can participate will depend on how many CCA leaders we have, and we aim for a ratio of one leader/guide for a maximum of two participants, so it’s first in – best dressed!!
This event is only for CCA members. You cannot join the CCA on the day of the event, and you can only join via the CCA website. Please note that it takes about three weeks to receive your member’s card after you submit the membership application form on-line and pay the membership fee.
The day will be hosted by the CCA President, Zac Zaharias, and coordinated by CCA member, Phil Thomas. Please register your interest via the link below.
Please do not turn up on the day and hope to go climbing without having registered, as we need to organise climbing leaders in advance for this event.
What to bring
Integral Crack – Booroomba Rocks
You will need to bring your personal climbing gear (climbing shoes, chalk bag, harness and helmet) plus food and water for the day. A water bottle that you can attach to your harness comes in very handy, as most climbs at Booroomba Rocks are multi-pitch. Many of the climbs are in full sun for most of the day so some form of sun protection is a good idea.
Meeting time and location
We will meet at the Booroomba Rocks car park at 9am for introductions and to organise climbing parties. To get to the car park, drive up Apollo Road to about 1km before the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station. Turn right onto the gravel road (it’s signposted) and follow this to the end, about 3 km.

Register for this event

Cancel registration

CCA General Meeting (AGM) / guest speakers Caitlin & Joe Horan – climbing on El Capitan & Yosemite NP
2024-11-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Gungahlin Lakes Golf & Community Club, Gundaroo Drive, Nicholls, ACT, 2913, Australia
This meeting will be our AGM, so we will include election of CCA office bearers for 2024/2025 and a rundown of the CCA’s recent activities plus general climbing news and points of interest. The meeting will be followed by our guest speaker presentation, as usual.
CCA members and non-members are welcome.
Please note the change of venue from our normal club meetings: this meeting will be held at the Gungahlin Lakes Golf & Community Club. Details are provided below.

Dinner is available at the club, providing a great chance to relax and socialise with other CCA members before the AGM starts at 7.30pm. A table in the name of CCA is booked for 6pm.
Guest speakers: Caitlin & Joe Horan – climbing on El Capitan & Yosemite NP
Caitlin and Joe Horan will present on their recent ascent of El Capitan on the route Lurking Fear, along with tips and tricks for climbing and visiting Yosemite NP. They will also present on other Californian climbing destinations visited on their recent road trip.
Cait & Joe on Lurking Fear – El Capitan
Speaker profiles
Caitlin Horan is the Principal of Dickson College. She has been climbing for 25 years, and is the Australian Ambassador for Climbers Against Cancer and the title author for ‘More Than It Hurts” – a book about women in climbing. Cait has extensive coaching experience, is a qualified outdoor guide, and is an advocate for the benefits of outdoor education in schools. Cait travels the world climbing and has two ascents of El Capitan under her belt. From bouldering indoors to climbing big walls, she loves climbing in all its forms.
Joe Horan is a Head of Faculty at Alfred Deakin High School, and has been climbing since he was 9 years old. Joe’s passion is for outdoor climbing, but as a former member of the Australian Climbing Team he continues to compete on occasion. Joe has been involved in all areas of the sport from working in gyms to outdoor guiding. Joe is a well-rounded climber, experienced in all disciplines; he is equally at home crushing on a Moonboard as he is ascending a route on El Capitan. He has travelled the world, visiting world class climbing areas and honing his skills.
Cait & Joe Horan atop El Capitan

CCA Christmas drinks 2024
2024-12-11 18:15 - 21:00 | Capital Brewing Co., Building 3/1 Dairy Rd, Fyshwick, ACT, 2609, Australia
Our last event for the year is the ever-popular Christmas drinks, which will again be held at Capital Brewing Co. in Fyshwick. A table for 20 has been booked in the name of CCA, in the outside beer garden.
Snack type food is available there. Food is also available at brodburger, who have a permanent van in the taproom. Please note that the brodburger kitchen closes at 8pm.
Come along, bring a friend or significant other, and enjoy a night out anticipating your Christmas holiday plans, or getting some great ideas for holiday destinations from fellow climbers!

Farewell Party & Closure of Canberra Indoor Rockclimbing Gym
2025-01-31 17:30 | CIRC, 38-40 Essington Street, Mitchell, ACT, 2911, Australia
We don’t want it to happen… but happen it will.
There will be laughter, tears, climbs, familiar faces, sausages, nibbles, hugs (and some more tears).
Come and say goodbye to our all-time favourite hang-out in Canberra. Let’s climb together one last time!
Please bring a plate to share.
GoFundMe appeal for the cost of CIRC deconstruction
The process of dismantling the gym and fulfilling CIRC’s tenancy commitments comes with significant costs, and the CIRC staff kindly ask for your support as they navigate this transition.
CIRC will cease operations on 30 January, 2025, and must vacate the premises by 28 February, 2025. Starting on 31 January, they will begin removing holds and features, and contractors will begin their work on 3 February, 2025.
Any contributions, big or small, to help CIRC manage these costs during this challenging time would be greatly appreciated. The donation link is:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/deconstruction-of-canberra-indoor-rock-climbing

Introductory Climbing Day – White Rocks (Wickerslack crag) - CANCELLED
2025-03-16 | White Rocks, White Rocks, Karabar, NSW, 2620, Australia
This introductory climbing day, to be held at White Rocks (Wickerslack crag) in Queanbeyan, is an opportunity for indoor climbers and new CCA members to experience some fun and easy top-roped climbs on limestone.

Participation
Current CCA members of any experience are welcome. The focus for the day is to provide an informative atmosphere. For new CCA members, the day is an opportunity to learn basic climbing, rope and cliff skills at the best introductory crag in the region.
This event is for current CCA members only. You cannot join CCA on the day of the event (* see note about CCA membership below).
The day will be hosted by the CCA Vice President, Brian Mattick. He can be contacted by email at brianmattick@outlook.com or phone 0418 633 157.
Event registration is required and is no longer available.

(* Note about CCA membership: you can only join CCA via our website, and it takes about a month to receive your member’s card after you submit the membership application form on-line and pay the membership fee)
What to bring
If you have your own climbing gear (climbing rope, a few slings, carabiners and a belay device), please bring it. If you are new to climbing and have only a harness and helmet, please let us know when you register your intention to attend. We may have to limit numbers because of gear limitations.
You will also need to bring your own food, water and sunscreen for the day.
Meeting time and location
Meet at the car park in Wickerslack Lane, about 450m from the Old Cooma Rd intersection, at 10am.
Climbing routes
Wickerslack Grag climbing guide
White Rocks Climbing Day homework!
The homework is intended to familiarise new climbers with some adventure climbing practices that are not necessarily learned in gym climbing.
White Rocks Climbing Day homework sheet (PDF 2MB)

CCA General Meeting / guest speaker Nick Wakeling – Tradventure in Patagonia
2025-03-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Ainslie Football & Social Club, 52 Wakefield Avenue, Ainslie, ACT, 2602, Australia
Come and hear a rundown of the CCA’s recent activities plus general climbing news and points of interest, followed by our guest speaker presentation.
CCA members and non-members are welcome.
Dinner is available from The Limestone Kitchen at the Ainslie Football Club, providing a great chance to relax and socialise with other CCA members before the meeting starts at 7.30pm. A table in the name of CCA is booked for 6pm.
Lucky Door Prize!
Tonight’s General Meeting will include a Lucky Door Prize, which will be drawn at the meeting. The prize is 2 tickets for Reel Rock 19, screening on Wednesday 26 March.
Time and venue details are here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/reel-rock-19-canberra-tickets-1141777239459
Guest speaker: Nick Wakeling
Tradventure in Patagonia – Argentina and Chile
Nick has recently returned from a 2 month climbing adventure with 4 friends, climbing from single pitches to 750m multipitches in Argentina and Chile. They climbed at some of the best trad crags including Arenales, Frey, and Cochamo. Plus a bonus month of hiking with his partner in El Chalten and Torres Del Paine.
He is excited to share their adventures with you.

Reel Rock 19
2025-03-26 20:30 - 23:00 | Capital Brewing Co., Building 3/1 Dairy Rd, Fyshwick, ACT, 2609, Australia
Reel Rock 19 showcases three world-premiere climbing films spanning disciplines, characters, and continents: a heartfelt story of second chances in love and climbing on Squamish’s legendary Cobra Crack; an outrageous 18-day big wall epic on Patagonia’s towering Torre Central; and the pursuit of a lifelong dream—a 5.15 first ascent—made possible by an unlikely partnership.
Reel Rock 19 is on tour worldwide starting March 2025.
Complementary tickets
The CCA General Meeting for 19 March will include a Lucky Door Prize of 2 complementary tickets for Reel Rock 19. The Lucky Door Prize will be drawn at the meeting.

DEATH OF VILLAINS
A former child climbing-prodigy confronts his struggle with disordered eating to attempt his life-long dream of climbing a groundbreaking 5.15 first ascent, with the help of an unlikely, and controversial partner.
Featuring: Kai Lightner & Joe Kinder
RIDERS ON THE STORM
Three Belgian big-wallers endure eighteen days of howling snowstorms, frozen feet, and gnarly runouts in their attempt to make a long-coveted alpine first ascent.
Featuring: Siebe Vanhee, Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll & Nico Favresse
THE COBRA & THE HEART
A turbulent 20-year saga of love, loss, and redemption: a whirlwind romance, a crushing defeat on a legendary climb, a religious epiphany, and family betrayal, all building to a desperate bid for a rare second chance—at love, fatherhood, and climbing.
Featuring: Didier Berthod, Thomasina Pidgeon & Cedar Pidgeon

Blue Lake climbing weekend 2025
2025-04-12 - 2025-04-13 | Blue Lake, Blue Lake Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, Australia
Blue Lake, in Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, is a rare and beautiful cirque lake which has some of the clearest waters of any Australian lake. Granite cliffs of up to 55m overlook the west side of Blue Lake, providing some wonderful traditional climbing and the only alpine climbing area in Australia.
Participation
CCA holds this climbing weekend annually. The event is open to all current CCA members, and please note that you cannot join CCA on the day of the event (* see note about CCA membership below).
This is a climbing camp and we don’t provide instruction; we expect everybody to be self-sufficient climbers. However, for those that are a little rusty, there are opportunities to tie in to the other end of the rope and follow more experienced climbers up on some of the easy single-pitch classics on Elephant Buttress.
The weekend will be hosted by CCA President, Zac Zaharias. He can be contacted by email at zaharias@iinet.net.au or phone 0402 286 257.
Registration has closed for this event.
Once you have registered, we will send you details including the camping location and possible car pooling options.
(* Note about CCA membership: you can only join CCA via our website, and it takes about a month to receive your member’s card after you submit the membership application form on-line and pay the membership fee)
What to bring
You will need to be a self-sufficient camper and climber for the entire weekend. We don’t provide any gear for this weekend’s event.
The crag is a 4 km trek from the carpark at Charlotte Pass, and is a steady uphill for most of the way. You will need to walk with all your climbing and camping gear, from the car park to where we camp above the tree line. Day climbing is also possible by walking the 4 km trek from the car park to the cliffs with just your climbing gear.
Climbing routes
Blue Lake climbing guide Blue Lake image gallery

Introductory Climbing Day – White Rocks (Wickerslack crag)
2025-05-25 | White Rocks, White Rocks, Karabar, NSW, 2620, Australia
This introductory climbing day, to be held at White Rocks (Wickerslack crag) in Queanbeyan, is an opportunity for indoor climbers and new CCA members to experience some fun and easy top-roped climbs on limestone.

Participation
Current CCA members of any experience are welcome. The focus for the day is to provide an informative atmosphere. For new CCA members, the day is an opportunity to learn basic climbing, rope and cliff skills at the best introductory crag in the region.
This event is for current CCA members only. You cannot join CCA on the day of the event (* see note about CCA membership below).
The day will be hosted by the CCA Vice President, Brian Mattick.
Event registration is required and has now closed.
(* Note about CCA membership: you can only join CCA via our website, and it takes about a month to receive your member’s card after you submit the membership application form on-line and pay the membership fee)
What to bring
If you have your own climbing gear (climbing rope, a few slings, carabiners and a belay device), please bring it. If you are new to climbing and have only a harness and helmet, please let Brian know this when you register your intention to attend. We may have to limit numbers because of gear limitations. CCA does not have climbing gear for members to borrow.
You will also need to bring your own food, water and sunscreen for the day.
Meeting time and location
Meet at the car park in Wickerslack Lane, about 450m from the Old Cooma Rd intersection, at 10am.
Climbing routes
Wickerslack Grag climbing guide
White Rocks Climbing Day homework!
The homework is intended to familiarise new climbers with some adventure climbing practices that are not necessarily learned in gym climbing.
White Rocks Climbing Day homework sheet (PDF 2MB)
