Summary:
Excellent and steep 50m high limestone cliff with huge potential for mega hard routes, and is home to the NT's hardest climb. The cliff faces North, and is only in the shade until about 11am - making it a very hot place to be in all but the mildest of weather. Most routes are bolted, with the exception of Birds of Prey. There are also lots of sharp, manky, low angled walls - please don't put any routes up these.

Access and Ethics:
The cliff is on private property, and permission from the station owners (The Gardens Station) should be obtained where possible. The area was closed to access from the public for several years, and a No Trespass sign still exists (for Insurance reasons no doubt). Please treat the area and owners with respect and take out all your rubbish, be careful with fires, etc.

Getting There:
Head out of Alice on the Ross Hwy. About 15km past Corroborree Rock, turn left (North) into Mt Benstead Creek, and drive up/beside river bed (crossing it once) for about 1.5km (2WD), or 2km (4WD), crossing the river twice. The cliff is just past the second major bend in the river on the R.

Lower Benstead

Grey, slightly overhanging wall just off the river.

*Mini Cooper 'S' 13m 24
Situated on Lower Benstead, before you get to the main cliff. Start about 10m R of giant fig tree. Good, steep face climbing up 5 BR's to chain. Richard Lodge. 8/10/01

Benstead Proper

Left of Lower Benstead, the main cliff is obvious. Good bouldering is to be found in a long shallow cave beyond the far left end of the cliff. Exposed traverse left from halfway up slope, or approach from ground level, and scramble up to the cave.

*Birds of Prey 53m 22
Takes the line of least resistance up the main cliff, taking wall R of the major cave up on the left. Upon approach, walk up the L side of the cliff until you climb up a small step. A large diagonal crack leads up to the R. Natural gear, take a few cams of all sizes. 1) 28m 21. Steep start eases to nice climbing up line. Strenuous moves lead past small hanging corner (#1 friend) to a good jug, then continue up left to DBB (25m abseil from here). 2) 25m 22. Traverse 5m R to gain diagonal crack (crux). Up this till it ends, then straight up (poor pro) to the slab above . Traverse L to DBB, 45m abseil - take double ropes. Goshen Watts, Richard Lodge. 8/10/01

*Non Stop Action Groove 45m 28
The most obvious line - of least resistance! Start on the far R of main cliff. 13 FH's. Climb short wall (FH) to cave , then L and up (bolt bracket, and a #9 wire might be handy) with strenuous moves to horizontal. L, then nice climbing up line to double diagonal cracks - lower off possible here (25m, 25). Into corner and up (crux) to another diagonal crack. Up on pockets, traverse along L leading diagonal, then straight up past another FH to finish. Chain on huge block. Possible to lower to shackles with a 60m rope, otherwise, to clean the climb, have a second climb to the shackles halfway, or downclimb! Goshen Watts 02/10/01

Somewhere up right of NSAG, on the attractive vertical face is a climb that was put up by Damian Auton in 96. Climb up short wall / ramp to gum tree. Climb goes straight up from here. Damian tried to lead it onsight (no bolts), then came back and toproped it at grade 21, and placed two bolts. We couldn't find it last time we were there, so a FFA may yet to be done.