Perth crags

Stathams Quarry: a beginner's guide

2 min read

By EvanACIA qualified climbing guide and registered mental health nurse

A group session at a sunny quarry wall: two climbers on top ropes and belayers at the base.

Stathams Quarry is one of the places we take people for their first outdoor climb, and for good reason. It's close to the city, the walk in is short, and the rock suits beginners. Here's what to know before your first visit.

Where it is

Stathams Quarry sits on Gooseberry Hill, on the edge of the Darling Scarp, about 30 minutes' drive from the Perth CBD. It's an old quarry, so the climbing is on rock faces cut into the hill, with bush all around.

We send the exact meeting point, parking details and a map in your confirmation email, so you won't need to find your own way to the wall.

Why it's great for first-timers

  • It's close: about 30 minutes from the CBD, so there's no long road trip.
  • The walk in is short, so you arrive with plenty of energy for climbing.
  • There are plenty of easier climbs, which is perfect for learning the basics.
  • It suits small groups, so everyone gets lots of turns.

It's also a good place for a mixed group. If one of you has climbed at the gym and another has never put on a harness, there's usually something to suit you both, and I can set up the ropes so everyone gets a challenge without anyone feeling out of their depth.

Evan at the top of a crag sorting the ropes, with bush and a dirt track far below.
Setting up the ropes at the top before the session starts.

What a session there looks like

After the walk in, we set up at the base of the wall. I'll run the safety briefing, fit everyone's harness, shoes and helmet, and set up the top ropes while you practise knots and calls on the ground. Then you take turns climbing, with coaching between goes.

The 3 hour Taster runs at Stathams or Mountain Quarry and is a relaxed first go. The 5 hour Go Outdoor Climbing session gives you more time to learn belaying and technique, then put it into practice.

Stathams is close enough for a morning climb, and it still feels a world away from the city.

Looking after the place

Stathams is a shared space. You'll often see other climbers and walkers, and it's home to plenty of local wildlife. We stick to the tracks, keep our gear tidy and out of the way of other groups, keep the noise down, and take everything home with us, food scraps included. It's all part of learning to climb outside properly.

When to go

Stathams can be climbed through much of the year. In winter we wait for the rock to dry after rain, and from December to February we start early or late to stay out of the heat. Either way, we make the weather call by 6pm the day before. Mild autumn and spring days are especially pleasant there, with comfortable rock and a cool walk in.

If Stathams sounds like your kind of first climb, book a Taster or a 5 hour session, and I'll see you at the bottom of the wall.