Hangin' Out

Halls Gap sits at the entrance to the Grampians National Park, ringed by sandstone ranges that hold some of the best beginner-friendly rock climbing and abseiling in the country. Hangin' Out has run guided climbing days here since 2002 under Earl, whose ease with nervous first-timers and young children comes up in review after review — the operation regularly takes kids as young as four through supervised abseils on a 22-metre rock face, alongside adult and corporate groups after a harder day out. Guides hold Australian Climbing Instructors Association and Professional Association of Climbing Instructors qualifications, and the business operates under a Parks Victoria commercial licence for guiding within the national park. Sessions run from four to six hours for an introduction, with full-day and private guided options for climbers wanting more terrain or a multi-pitch route. Programs run most days year-round, scheduled around the group rather than a fixed timetable, making Halls Gap a reliable stop for a first taste of climbing in the Grampians.