4 Free Bouldering Walls in Melbourne – Where to Find Them & How to Get There

The free outdoor bouldering walls of Melbourne provide excellent training opportunities to climbers of all levels. Chris grabbed his climbing shoes to rate the best free options.

The four facilities listed below are managed by different government and user groups. Climbers are welcome to use the sites free of charge and – if you’re feeling generous – help maintain them.

1. Burnley Bouldering Wall

Address: Under the CityLink freeway behind McConchie Reserve, Burnley
Contact: Burnley Bouldering Club
Toilets: The nearest toilets are in Barkly Gardens, around a 300m walk from the bouldering wall. From wall one, walk towards Melbourne CBD and up the steep hill to the right of the CityLink bridge. Cross the park and follow Mary St to the right. Toilets, along with drinking taps, are located just past the oval.

The Burnley Bouldering Walls are the most comprehensive, most popular, and most varied of the free facilities in Melbourne.

Here climbers are treated to three walls of different angles, set with traverses and vertical problems. The varied routes, hold types, and angles accommodate everyone’s learning and training, and allow freedom to create your own preferred sequences.

The Burnley Walls are located under the Citylink Freeway which provides protection from light rain. When the weather is really miserable though, this is still a very cold place to be. If you’re a sucker for punishment, make sure you rug up!

How to Get to Burnley Bouldering Wall

By Car

Two options are available, each with similar walking distance. Parking availability is generally the deciding factor for which approach you take.

• Option 1

Park at the end of Mary St, beside McConchie Reserve. Walk through the reserve passing the soccer goal and follow the path down the steep slope. There are some easy-to-miss stairs on the left, which you’ll take. Continue away from the city for 100m (you can duck under the bridge at this point if it’s raining) to arrive at the first wall.

• Option 2

Follow Coppin St until it turns left beside a park and becomes Barkley Avenue. Follow Barkley Avenue downhill, bending right, and park outside the Parks Victoria depot. Walk to the river, watch for high-speed bikes, turn right, and cross the bridge. You’ll pass the bouldering walls and arrive at wall one.

By Bike

Follow the Main Yarra Trail on the left side of the river, travelling away from the city. Multiple bike stands are available for securing your metal mate, and the river fence provides a backup option on a busy day.

By Tram

Tram 70 will drop you at the intersection of Swan St and Coppin St. From here you’ll walk along Coppin St, and cross through Barkly Gardens to Mary St. Follow Mary St past the electrical substation and disused quarry, before walking through McConchie Reserve on your left.

Walk through the reserve passing the soccer goal and follow the path down the steep slope. There are some easy-to-miss stairs on the left, which you’ll take. Continue away from the city for 100m (you can duck under the bridge at this point if it’s raining) to arrive at the first wall.

By Train

You want to get off a train at Burnley Station (the Lilydale, Belgrave, and Glen Waverley lines stop there) for a short 15-minute walk to the bouldering walls. Ensure you aren’t jumping on a limited express as these don’t typically stop at Burnley.

Exit the station on the left facing the city, cross under the Burnley Street Bridge and walk along Burnley St away from the train line.

When you pass the Burnley Metropolitan Fire Brigade facility, follow the path on the right. Reaching Barkly Ave, turn left and follow the road downhill to the river. Watch for bikes popping out from the blind corners at speed and follow the Main Yarra Trail right to reach the walls.

2. Footscray Bouldering Wall

Address: Maribyrnong River Trail, Footscray VIC 3011, under the Hopkins bridge on Dynon Road.
Contact: Victorian Climbing Club
Toilets: The nearest public toilet is at the rear of Byron Plaza, at the intersection of Byron and Leeds Strets. It’s a 15-minute walk each way

Footscray has a single wall with varied angles, a spray wall section, hang boards, and an outdoor park gym. The bouldering wall is under a bridge, which provides limited shelter from rain, but excellent shade on sunny days.

This wall, and outdoor gym, are an excellent option for climbers with a training goal and some motivation. While it doesn’t take long to complete all of the set problems on the wall, there’s strong potential for creating your own problems on the spray wall and building endurance through repeated traverses of the wall.

How to Get to Footscray Bouldering Wall

By Car

Park at the end of Saltriver Place, Footscray. Walk left along the river and in two minutes you’ll be at the wall. Take note of the parking restrictions as Saltriver Place has both two and four-hour parking and getting a fine will take the fun out of your day.

By Bike

Follow the Maribyrnong River Trail to the Hopkins Bridge. If you’re starting in the city then use the Capital City Trail through Docklands then follow the separated bike path along Docklands Highway until you reach the Maribyrnong River.

Bike locking facilities are available right beside the wall and as a bonus, there’s a bike repair station nearby also.

By Train

From the Footscray Train Station, you’re looking at a 15-minute walk. Coming out of the station and facing the Footscray Market turn right and follow Irving St until you can cross the train line on Hopkins St.

You can continue along Hopkins St/Dynon Rd until a park on the right provides access to the river and wall, however it’s much more peaceful to turn right on Cowper St then left on Wingfield St and follow this to the river. At the river, turn left and in 300m you’ll reach the wall.

3. Brunswick Bouldering Wall

Address: 101 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Contact: Victorian Climbing Club
Toilets: Toilets are available in Barkly Square Shopping Centre, directly across Sydney Rd from the bouldering wall

Self-motivation is needed to get much value from the Brunswick facility. There are no defined routes or problems here. This means that users complete laps as volume training or must build problems of their own.

The upside of this facility is the supremely easy access by public transport and close proximity to great coffee.

How to Get to Brunswick Bouldering Wall

By Car

Let it be known that I recommend taking the train. If you do choose to drive, aim for off-peak times as the Sydney Rd traffic will take away all the fun you hope to gain bouldering.

On-street parking is difficult, so the best approach is to park in the Barkly Square Shopping Centre car park. Exit the shopping centre on foot to Sydney Road, cross to the other side, and you’ll be greeted by the Brunswick bouldering wall.

By Bike

The Upfield Shared Path is a bike path that follows the Upfield train line all the way to Jewell station. At the steps of the station, ride in the opposite direction, and you should see the Brunswick bouldering wall ahead of you.

There are multiple bike racks in the square, however, these can be filled by people visiting cafes or shopping, so it’s wise to have a lock big enough to reach around large light poles (these might be your only option).

By Train

Take a train to Jewell station. From the steps of the station, facing Sydney Road, you can see the wall ahead.

By Tram

Stop 20 on the number 19 tram is one minute from the wall. Get off the tram and walk toward the city on the right side of the road. The Brunswick bouldering wall is in the square.

4. Holmesglen Bouldering Wall

Address: 617 Warrigal Road, Chadstone. The wall is on the Waverley Rail Trail
Contact: Victorian Climbing Club
Toilets: The nearest public toilet is a full kilometre back toward the city along Gardiners Creek Trail. So you may be better off heading to the McDonalds across the road!

Holmesglen has a single bouldering wall sporting a range of overhanging angles, slabs, and aretes. While there are limited set problems the wall offers plenty of opportunities to work on specific weaknesses for those with a training goal.

How to Get to Holmesglen Bouldering Wall

By Car

Parking is available on Power Ave, beside the Holmesglen Reserve. From here, walk towards Melbourne CBD to meet Warrigal Rd, then turn left. Follow Warrigal Rd, pass under the train line, and you’ll arrive at the bouldering wall in less than 300m.

By Bike

While the Holmesglen bouldering wall is on the Waverley Rail Trail, a much more pleasant – and less disjointed approach – is to follow the Gardiners Creek Trail until it passes underneath Warrigal Rd. Exit the trail here and ride across the creek on the left of Warrigal Rd. As you pass below the train line, look for the bouldering wall on your left.

There are limited locking options here, mostly consisting of benches or tree protection infrastructure. Leaning your bike at the left end of the wall will mean that it can’t be taken without your permission (but you’ll need to keep an eye on it!)

By Train

Exiting a train at Holmesglen station, on the Glen Waverley train line, will see you land right in front of the Holmesglen bouldering wall. Exit the station to Warrigal Rd, use the pedestrian crossing lights, and start bouldering. It’s almost close enough that you could walk it in climbing shoes.

Want more information about any of these sites or to contact the location managers? Contact the Victorian Climbing Club by email.