Last updated: July 6, 2023
A guide with ten of the best Sydney indoor rock climbing and bouldering gyms with excellent facilities for beginners and seasoned climbers.
If you’ve got a penchant for conquering heights and an undeniable itch to explore the vertical, you’ve landed in just the right spot. Welcome to a dazzling tour of the finest climbing and bouldering gyms in our beloved Sydney.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro with muscles flexed and chalk bag at the ready, a beginner just starting to flirt with gravity, or someone in between looking for a fun and challenging workout, Sydney has you covered. We’re talking state-of-the-art facilities, dynamic and imaginative climbing routes, and a warm community that welcomes you with open arms.
Welcome, brave climbers, to the ultimate guide to the best indoor bouldering and climbing gyms in Sydney.
Top 10 Sydney Indoor Climbing Gyms:
| Climbing Gym | Rock Climbing / Bouldering | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym | Both | St Peters |
| Climb Fit Kirrawee | Both | Kirrawee |
| Northern Beaches Rockhouse | Both | Brookvale |
| Climb Fit St Leonards | Both | St Leonards |
| BlocHaus Bouldering Sydney | Bouldering | Marrickville |
| 9 Degrees Alexandria | Bouldering | Alexandria |
| 1UP Bouldering | Bouldering | Chullora |
| Nomad Bouldering | Bouldering | Annandale |
| Skywood Climbing | Bouldering | Freshwater |
| 9 Degrees Waterloo | Bouldering | Waterloo |
Top 10 Sydney Indoor Climbing Gyms
The following ten indoor climbing gyms in the greater Sydney area are open for business and happy to welcome you right now.
For more information about opening hours and admission prices, click the more-info link below each Sydney indoor climbing gym venue.
Check the Groupon website for any climbing gym deals or coupons.
1. Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym
The Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym in St Peters is one of Sydney’s most popular and oldest climbing gyms in Sydney and New South Wales.
It’s an impressively large venue, with almost 4,000 square metres of rock climbing walls in addition to excellent bouldering facilities.
Note that Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym has a second branch at Woodville Road in Villawood with similar facilities for rock climbing and bouldering.
Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym in St Peters is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | Unit 4C/1-7 Unwins Bridge Road, St Peters (map) |
| More info: | Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym |
2. Climb Fit Kirrawee
Climb Fit in Kirrawee is a large climbing gym with more than 3,500 square metres worth of climbing space.
The gym offers state-of-the-art climbing and bouldering facilities, in addition to a fully equipped gym with cardio and strength training equipment and even a yoga room.
Another drawcard of this climbing gym is its 12 x 12 foot, 40-degree kilter board, which connects to an app. It contains 306 unique handholds and 170 footholds that are brightly backlit.
Climb Fit in Kirrawee is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | 23 Waratah Street, Kirrawee (map) |
| More info: | Climb Fit Kirrawee |
3. Northern Beaches Rockhouse
The Northern Beaches Rockhouse indoor climbing centre in Brookvale offers top-rope climbing, bouldering and lead climbing facilities, and is also home to a dedicated training area.
Their top rope climbing walls feature over 100 different routes, and their bouldering wall offers seven different grade categories to cater for all levels of ability for solo climbers.
Northern Beaches Rockhouse is open from Monday to Sunday with extended opening hours during school holidays.
| Address: | Unit 4E/9-13 Winbourne Road, Brookvale (map) |
| More info: | Northern Beaches Rockhouse |
4. Climb Fit St Leonards
Climb Fit has a second climbing gym venue in St Leonards, slightly smaller with a 1,500 square metres floor, but with the same state-of-the-art facilities, including a fully equipped gym.
Their St Leonards venue includes 160+ rope climbing routes and 100+ boulder problems, with new climbing routes and boulder problems created weekly.
Another fun feature is their 40-degree Moon Board, an interactive board controlled by an app that illuminates the sequence on the wall.
Note that Climb Fit has another climbing gym venue in Macquarie Park.
Climb Fit in St Leonards is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | 23 Waratah Street, Kirrawee (map) |
| More info: | Climb Fit St Leonards |
5. BlocHaus Bouldering Sydney
BlocHaus Bouldering in Marrickville is an indoor climbing gym that specialises in fun and social bouldering for everyone.
The gym offers beginner classes to cover the basics of bouldering so you can make the most of your climbing sessions if you’re new to the sport.
What’s great is that BlocHaus resets three climbing sectors in their venue every week, which means you can experience a new gym every time you visit.
Note that BlocHaus also has an indoor climbing gym in Canberra in addition to a venue in Melbourne.
BlocHaus Bouldering Sydney is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | 49 Fitzroy Street, Marrickville (map) |
| More info: | BlocHaus Bouldering Sydney |
6. 9 Degrees Alexandria
In a timeframe of only a few years, 9 Degrees has established itself as a reputable bouldering gym with five locations.
The Alexandria venue was the first 9 Degree climbing gym location that opened in 2015 and has since proven to be a popular spot with the locals.
It’s not an overly big climbing gym by any means, but the smaller walls and the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at 9 Degrees will appeal to beginners and experienced climbers.
9 Degrees in Alexandria is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | 3/85 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria (map) |
| More info: | 9 Degrees Alexandria |
7. 1UP Bouldering
A whole new adventure awaits you at 1UP Bouldering, one of the coolest (and latest) climbing gyms in town. Boasting the title of one of the largest gyms in Sydney and NSW, 1UP is a thriving hub of climbing enthusiasts.
At 1UP Bouldering, get ready to be wowed by an array of freestanding boulders, each one presenting a new challenge to conquer. They also offer gym equipment, a yoga studio for some zen downtime, and an exciting spread of leisure activities to keep you entertained.
1UP is more than just a gym; they’re a family, passionate about the exhilarating sport of climbing. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a curious beginner, or somewhere in between, everyone is welcome.
1UP Bouldering in Chullora is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | Unit 1/4 Brunker Road, Chullora (map) |
| More info: | 1UP Bouldering |
8. Nomad Bouldering
Nomad Bouldering in Annandale is a climbing gym with a spacious 1,000-square-metre indoor bouldering arena.
The venue offers modern climbing walls that deliver the best climbing experience for beginner and experienced climbers.
In addition to excellent climbing facilities, Nomad also has a modern weights gym, showers and change rooms, and a small cafe for good coffee and refreshments.
Nomad Bouldering in Annandale is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | Unit 7/12 Chester Street, Annandale (map) |
| More info: | Nomad Bouldering |
9. Skywood Climbing
Skywood Climbing is a premium bouldering facility in Freshwater on the Northern Beaches.
With a desirable location less than 500 metres from the beach, Skywood Climbing is a modern, purpose-built climbing gym that may not be the biggest, but it is one of the more challenging and exciting ones.
Skywood Climbing in Freshwater is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | Shop 1/1-3 Moore Road, Freshwater (map) |
| More info: | Skywood Climbing |
10. 9 Degrees Waterloo
The 9 Degrees Waterloo branch is their inner-city flagship bouldering gym and the latest addition to the 9 Degrees chain of climbing gyms.
It is their largest venue, with state-of-the-art climbing facilities and a fun, welcoming and community-centric atmosphere.
Note that 9 Degrees has two more climbing gyms in the Sydney area, one in Parramatta and the other in Lane Cove, both with excellent bouldering facilities.
9 Degrees in Waterloo is open from Monday to Sunday.
| Address: | 21 Danks Street, Waterloo (map) |
| More info: | 9 Degrees Waterloo |
Types of Indoor Climbing
Now that we’ve shared the top 10 climbing gyms in Sydney, let’s discuss the two main types of indoor climbing.
1. Indoor Rock Climbing
This is the traditional form of indoor climbing where you’re trying to climb a wall supported by a harness and ropes.
This is typically done with two people, where one person on the ground controls the rope.
Indoor rock climbing is a full-body (and mind) workout where you’re going to need all the muscles in your body to scale the walls without falling.
2. Bouldering
The sport of bouldering is similar to rock climbing but without the harness and the ropes. It’s just you, your shoes, the chalk, and the wall.
The walls are typically shorter, for obvious reasons, and a padded floor protects you from injuring yourself when falling. Don’t worry; falling is part of the sport.
Some climbing gyms offer indoor rock climbing facilities, others do bouldering, and then there are also climbing gyms that provide both facilities.
However, the sport of bouldering has been going through a surge in popularity in recent times, and more gyms are popping up that focus solely on bouldering.
