The Lactic Factory

Melbourne's first bouldering gym

The Lactic Factory has been on Studley Street in Abbotsford since 2006 and calls itself Melbourne's first bouldering gym. It is now one of three gyms run by Northside Boulders, which began when five climbers bought this small gym and went on to open Brunswick in 2015 and Northcote in 2018.

The gym

It is a compact venue in an ivy-covered brick building, a short walk from Victoria Park station. Bouldering walls rise above deep yellow matting along a single hall, with a wooden training board, hanging rings and a small upstairs area with weights. New problems go up every Friday. Visitors describe the setting as technical and best suited to intermediate and stronger climbers, and the space as small, with less for beginners than Northside's bigger gyms.

Events

The gym puts on occasional events, such as the Dojo Sessions Japanese-style pump fest in October 2026, set by guest setters with Northside's Japanese Climbing Club.

Visiting

The Lactic Factory opens on weekday evenings and at weekends, and standard entry needs no booking. Casual prices match Northside's other gyms, and a Lactic-only membership costs $70 a month, with cheaper entry at Brunswick and Northcote. Northside's full memberships and two-week trial cover it too. Shoes and chalk can be hired, and well-behaved dogs are welcome if supervised and kept off the mats. Children aged 12 and under need one adult each with them, and 13 to 15-year-olds need an adult in the gym.