UP Climbing logo in cream letters on green

UP Climbing

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  • Bouldering
4.8from 109 reviewsDay pass $25
Visit WebsiteDirections
Family-run bouldering gym beside Balaclava station in Melbourne's inner south-east, with over 500 m² of walls reset twice a week, Australia's first Decoy Board, an upstairs strength area, showers and a café.

About

A bouldering gym beside Balaclava station

UP Climbing is a family-run bouldering gym at 24 William Street in Balaclava, in Melbourne's inner south-east. It opened in 2024 in a renovated building with plenty of natural light, 130 metres from Balaclava station on the Sandringham line and close to the Carlisle Street trams. There are bike racks out front, and street parking is free after 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays and all day on Sundays.

Climbing and training

  • More than 500 m² of bouldering walls over soft matting, with climbs reset every Monday and Friday.
  • Problems are graded 1 to 10 on the gym's own scale, from green "foundations" climbs to black "elite" ones, plus ungraded wildcards.
  • Australia's first Decoy Board, an app-controlled training board.
  • An upstairs strength and conditioning area with free weights for warming up and training.

Facilities

New bathrooms have change rooms and showers, and there's lockable bag storage, a retail gear shop and a café pouring Coffee Supreme beans through a La Marzocco machine, with free still and sparkling water on tap. Shoe hire costs $5.

Who can climb

UP is a 13+ gym: younger climbers need an age exemption, granted only to those with youth squad or coaching experience, and must be supervised by an adult. Everyone gets a safety induction on their first visit, beginners can join the Saturday morning classes, and a women's social night runs on the second Wednesday of each month. Dogs aren't allowed.

Prices

As we last found them. Prices change, so check the wall's website before you go.

Day pass
$25

- Day pass with shoe hire: $30 (shoe hire is $5)

- 3 Pass: $70; 10 Pass: $230 (passes never expire)

- Start UP Pass for new members: 6 weeks of unlimited climbing with shoe hire for $19 a week, or $114 prepaid with a free guest pass

- Groups of 10 or more: 15% off passes, shoe hire and café items

- Ages 13 and over; under-18s need a parent or guardian to sign the waiver

Membership
$151.67a month

- Full Membership: billed weekly at $35, unlimited climbing with shoe hire, no lock-in; freeze or cancel online any time

- Prepaid Full Membership: 6 weeks $210, 3 months $455, 12 months $1,820 with $500 of store credit

- Light Membership: $19 a week for one climb a week, minimum 4 weeks, set up in the gym

- Family Membership: two members at $35 a week each, then $19 a week for each extra member of the same household (all 13+)

Classes and courses

In the classes library at UP Climbing

As the wall lists them. Times and prices change, so check with the wall before you book.

  • InductionAges 13+

    Safety Induction

    On your first visitBeginners

    Free with entry

    Every new climber signs the waiver (online beforehand saves time) and gets a quick in-person safety intro at the counter before climbing; mention you're new for extra tips.

  • Learn to climbAges 13+

    Start UP Beginner Climbing Classes

    Saturdays 09:15–10:30, in a rolling series you can join any week5 weekly sessions of 75 minutesBeginners

    $40 a session

    A five-week beginner series: each Saturday starts with a 15-minute warm-up and refresher on the fundamentals, then an hour on one theme – climbing basics, footwork, route reading, slab and overhang.

Upcoming events

In the events calendar at UP Climbing

As the wall announced them. Plans change, so check with the wall before you go.

  • CompetitionOn now

    HYAKU Social Series

    A five-week social bouldering comp: 100 problems, ten new ones going up every Monday and Wednesday, with scores logged for each set, category rankings, prizes and a raffle for everyone who scores every set.

  • Social

    Women's Social Night

    Free for members, $30 for non-members (includes a day pass and shoe hire)

    A relaxed monthly evening for women of every level, starting with a light stretch and an hour of climbing with a host who shares tips and beta; you can carry on climbing together afterwards. Book online.

  • Social

    HYAKU After Party

    The closing party and special climbing session that wraps up the HYAKU Social Series.

  • Social

    Women's Social Night

    Free for members, $30 for non-members (includes a day pass and shoe hire)

    A relaxed monthly evening for women of every level, starting with a light stretch and an hour of climbing with a host who shares tips and beta; you can carry on climbing together afterwards. Book online.

  • Social

    Women's Social Night

    Free for members, $30 for non-members (includes a day pass and shoe hire)

    A relaxed monthly evening for women of every level, starting with a light stretch and an hour of climbing with a host who shares tips and beta; you can carry on climbing together afterwards. Book online.

Key Features

Food & Drink

  • Cafe
  • Hot Drinks
  • Cold Drinks
  • Snacks

Types of Climbing

  • Bouldering (any)

Climbing Training

  • Training Walls (any)
  • Digital Board

Gym Facilities

  • Gym (any)
  • Free Weights

Access

  • Memberships
  • Single Day Passes
  • Multi-day Passes

Equipment Hire

  • Shoe Hire

Other Amenities

  • Merchandise Shop
  • Changing Rooms
  • Lockers
  • Showers
  • Toilets

Classes & Programs

  • Classes (any)
  • Beginner Classes
  • Local Competitions
  • Team Building
  • Women's Programs

Venue Type

  • Climbing Gym

What climbers say about UP Climbing

4.8 out of 5from 109 reviews on Google

“…I felt the boulders were more physical than technical (or am I just weak), with a lack of variety in both the holds used and the problems offered.”

Google review,

“Excellent bouldering gym in Balaclava, right next to the train station. It now features a lot of variety in the problems, a very good density of setting, and overall is just an excellent vibe.”

Google review,

“The routes are tough though. On a scale of 1-10, they begin getting difficult for an average climber at 3. The walls are tidy, the routes change often…”

Google review,

Ratings as each site showed them in October 2026.

Been to UP Climbing?

Tell other climbers what it's like, and help them choose where to climb.

Write a review

Beta videos

How climbers have done climbs at UP Climbing, played from where they were posted. Walls reset their climbs every few weeks, so check when each was posted.

View all 10 videos at UP Climbing

  • Smearing technique on the wall

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By @up.climbing.stkilda on Instagram ·

  • How to dyno to a far hold

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded
    • Dynos

    By @up.climbing.stkilda on Instagram ·

  • Buddy climb

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By SECO on YouTube ·

  • Grade 7 boulder

    • Bouldering
    • 7 (UP scale) · Advanced

    By SECO on YouTube ·

  • Session on the boulders

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By SECO on YouTube ·

  • Boulder problem attempt

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By SECO on YouTube ·

  • Benchmark social comp problems

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded

    By SECO on YouTube ·

  • Green wildcard with a dyno start

    • Bouldering
    • Ungraded
    • Dynos

    By SECO on YouTube ·

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