Climbing progression.

Gym top-rope → outdoor lead → Arapiles trad → multi-pitch → New Zealand alpine → world-class crags on the van trips.

Where you are: indoor purple-grade top-rope (≈ outdoor 18–19), 5×5 full-extension pull-ups, 1-min plank, climbing coach, no outdoor experience yet, 25 days into the recovery plan.

Start here — first 4 actions, in order

Action 1 · this week

Book the Hardrock Lead Course

Org: Hardrock Climbing

Two weekend mornings · gives you Hardrock Lead Pass

~$190

Action 2 · next 2 weeks

Join the climbing community

Org: CLIMB Melbourne + VCC

Meet partners for outdoor trips · 2 free VCC trips before joining

~$60/yr VCC

Action 3 · within 2 months

Buy your starter outdoor kit

Harness, shoes, helmet, chalk bag, 70m single rope, 12 quickdraws

Bogong Equipment or Mountain Designs · sale season Jun-Jul

~$1,200 all-in

Action 4 · within 6 months

5-day Arapiles trad course with ASM

Org: Australian School of Mountaineering

Live on-site at Aus's best climbing crag · learn trad + multi-pitch

~$1,800 + travel

Where I am now.

The starting point for the next 24 months. Strong base — just no outdoor experience yet.

Strength + skill

Indoor purple-grade top-rope (≈ outdoor 18–19)
3 purple sends in 25 days (Day 11, 13, 25)
5 × 5 full-extension pull-ups + 1-min plank (first strength session, Day 25)
Climbing coach session every fortnight, plus solo climbs 2–3×/week
Daily-plank-for-2-weeks core block in progress (coach plan)

Gaps to close

No outdoor experience — gym only
No lead climbing — top-rope only (the single biggest gate)
No trad skills — can't place own protection
No multi-pitch — single-pitch only
No mountaineering — no snow / ice / alpine
No regular climbing partners outdoors

Australia foundation — 4 phases, 18 months.

Sequenced. Each phase unlocks the next. The path runs through Hardrock → Melbourne crags → Arapiles → New Zealand — and then the trip routes open up.

Phase 1

Indoor lead

Month 1 · ~$190

Top-rope to lead. The single biggest gate. Unlocks outdoor sport climbing AND lets you lead at any gym instead of waiting for a top-rope partner.

Hardrock Lead Course → $190 · 2 weekend mornings · Hardrock Lead Pass · path of least friction (you already climb here)

Melbourne Climbing School Learn-To-Lead → 6h over 2 evenings · "principles first" pedagogy

Urban Climb Learn to Lead → Urban Climb lead pass valid Australia-wide

~$190 Unlocks: outdoor sport

Phase 2

Outdoor sport lead

Months 2–6 · ~$1,800–2,500

First real rocks. Bolted natural cliffs — lower technical bar than trad. Local crags: Werribee Gorge, Camel's Hump, You Yangs. Day trips from Melbourne.

The Climbing Company outdoor course → Designed for Melbourne indoor climbers transitioning to outdoor sport

Climbing Guides Australia — 4-day course → Single-pitch lead on natural surfaces · Mt Ngungun QLD (2-day fly trip)

Plus: outdoor kit purchase (harness ~$150, shoes ~$250, helmet ~$120, rope ~$350, 12 quickdraws ~$400)

~$1,800–2,500 Unlocks: Arapiles

Phase 3

Trad + multi-pitch at Arapiles

Months 6–12 · ~$2,500–3,500

The defining phase. Mount Arapiles is one of the best trad crags on Earth — 2,500+ routes, world reputation. Learn to place your own protection and climb multi-pitch routes (multiple rope-lengths up bigger walls). After this, you're a "real" climber by most definitions.

Australian School of Mountaineering — 5-day Arapiles → "Best place in Australia to learn trad & multi-pitch" · live on-site · groups of 4-6

Unleashed-Unlimited Trad Lead Course → Same location, alternative provider

VCC trips → Free / cheap once you're a member · go regularly to log mileage

Plus: trad rack (cams ~$800–1,500, nuts ~$150, slings ~$150)

~$2,500–3,500 Unlocks: NZ mountains + world trad

Phase 4

NZ alpine skills

Months 12–18 · ~$3,500–5,500

No real mountains in Australia. New Zealand's Southern Alps are the closest serious range — crampons, ice axe, glaciers, rope teams. Pick a course that suits your appetite.

Aspiring Guides — 3-day intro → Cheapest entry · The Remarkables, Queenstown · NZ summer (Nov–Apr)

Alpine Guides Mountain Experience Course (MEC) → 5 days · Aoraki/Mt Cook · "from casual hiker to competent mountaineer"

Alpine Guides Alpine Skills Course (ASC) → 7 days · the serious version · "safely undertake independent climbing in glaciated terrain"

Plus: mountaineering boots ~$600, crampons ~$250, ice axe ~$150

~$3,500–5,500 Unlocks: real mountains + alpine routes worldwide

World-class destinations — sequenced to the van trips.

Every climbing destination on the four van routes (see trips →), with what skill level unlocks each one. The order is "easiest world-class entry first."

Country / area	Crag	Style	Route	Ready when
CroatiaBalkans	Paklenica · Anića Kuk (350m)	Multi-pitch sport / partly bolted	Route 2 — Balkans (van: $18k/yr) trip detail →	After Phase 3
SloveniaBalkans	Osp / Mišja Peč + Julian Alps	Sport + alpine · partly trad	Route 2 — Balkans trip detail →	After Phase 3
GreeceBalkans	Meteora · conglomerate multi-pitch	Trad-friendly multi-pitch	Route 2 — Balkans trip detail →	After Phase 3
PolandBalkans	Sokoliki · granite cracks	Trad mecca + Jura sport nearby	Route 2 — Balkans trip detail →	After Phase 3
FranceWestern Europe + Nordics	Verdon · Chamonix · Fontainebleau	Trad multi-pitch · alpine · world-class bouldering	Route 1 — Nordics (van: $24k/yr) trip detail →	After Phase 3
ItalyNordics	Dolomites · Sardinia	Big-wall trad · multi-pitch	Route 1 — Nordics trip detail →	After Phase 3 + Phase 4
NorwayNordics	Lofoten · Troll Wall (1,100m)	Granite sea-cliff + big-wall trad	Route 1 — Nordics trip detail →	2+ years in
SwedenNordics	Bohuslän · granite cracks	Pure trad crack climbing	Route 1 — Nordics trip detail →	After Phase 3
TurkeyCaucasus → Central Asia	Geyikbayırı + Aladağlar	Sport mecca + alpine trad	Route 4 — Central Asia (van: $9.8k/yr) trip detail →	After Phase 3
KyrgyzstanCentral Asia	Karavshin / Ak-Suu (1,000m+)	"Asian Patagonia" · expedition big-wall trad	Route 4 — Central Asia trip detail →	3+ years in
USAUSA loop	Yosemite · Indian Creek	Granite trad capital · splitter cracks	Route 5 — USA (van: $17k/yr) trip detail →	After Phase 3 (+ heavy crack practice)
ThailandSE Asia · no-van fly trip	Railay / Tonsai	Sport + deep-water solo (DWS)	Route 3 — SE Asia (no-van, $32k/yr) trip detail →	After Phase 2 (sport is enough)
MalaysiaSE Asia	Dragon Horns, Tioman (300m)	Granite trad · SE Asia's trad surprise	Route 3 — SE Asia trip detail →	After Phase 3
VietnamSE Asia	Cat Ba / Lan Ha Bay	Deep-water solo (DWS) mecca	Route 3 — SE Asia trip detail →	After Phase 2 (DWS doesn't need trad)
Chile / ArgentinaSouth America	Cochamó · Patagonia · El Chaltén	Big-wall granite trad · alpine	Route 6 — South America trip detail →	3+ years in (alpine prep mandatory)

Suggested van-trip sequence — climbing-shaped.

If climbing is the spine of the trip, the trip order changes. Easier trad-friendly destinations first; alpine objectives later.

Year 1 (van) — Route 2: Balkans

Why first: trad-friendly entry without big alpine commitment. Paklenica is the headline (350m multi-pitch, mostly bolted), Meteora is unforgettable, Slovenia adds variety. Cheapest route ($18k van vs $55k no-van).
Skill required: Phase 3 done (Arapiles trad cert).
Stretch goal: climb Anića Kuk (Paklenica) — your first "real" multi-pitch on travel.

Year 2 (van) — Route 1: Nordics

Why second: world-class density (France, Italy, Norway), but harder routes + bigger walls + more alpine. Lofoten + Troll Wall is a long-arc goal — likely "watch from beach in Year 2, climb in Year 4."
Skill required: Phase 3 + 4 done (trad + NZ alpine skills).
Stretch goal: Verdon Gorge multi-pitch trad; one of the Dolomites classics.

Year 3 (no-van fly trips between van years) — SE Asia + USA

SE Asia fly trip: Railay (sport + DWS), Cat Ba (DWS), Dragon Horns (granite trad). Low cost, hot, fun.
USA fly trip (or buy a US van for a 1-yr temp import): Yosemite + Indian Creek. Crack practice required — get on Arapiles + Werribee Gorge cracks first.
Stretch goal: one moderate El Cap formation (e.g. Bishop area first, then Yosemite Valley).

Year 4 (van) — Route 4: Central Asia (Turkey + Caucasus → Karavshin)

Why fourth: Turkey alone (Geyikbayırı + Aladağlar) justifies it. Karavshin is the headline — a 3-week expedition objective, not a casual ascent.
Skill required: Phase 3 + Phase 4 + 1-2 expedition-style trips first (e.g. Patagonia approach climbs).
Stretch goal: one big route in Karavshin / Ak-Suu.

Year 5+ (van) — Route 6: South America (Patagonia)

Why last: Patagonia weather + alpine + commitment are the highest of any route. Cochamó is "Patagonia for trad climbers" — Yosemite-style granite with milder weather. El Chaltén is the alpine objective.
Skill required: all phases + 4 years' regular outdoor experience + multiple alpine routes.
Stretch goal: a moderate alpine route in El Chaltén range.

Lofoten (separate stretch year)

The dream: Troll Wall is one of Europe's iconic alpine big walls (1,100m). 5+ years of training, mountain experience, and partners.
Don't book a date. You'll know when you're ready.

Cost & timeline — the foundation.

Before the van trips. Once you're at "ready," the destinations open up on the existing van schedule.

Total foundation cost

$8–12K

Courses + kit + travel · 18 months

Time to "real climber"

12 mo

Phase 3 done · Arapiles trad cert

Time to NZ alpine

18 mo

After Phase 4 · first alpine peak

Time to world-class trad

12–24 mo

After Phase 3 (Year 1 trip starts)

Organisations & clubs — full directory.

Every group, course, and supplier mentioned above, with links. Use this as the bookmark page.

Indoor lead courses (Phase 1)

Hardrock Climbing Lead Course — Melbourne, $190, 2 weekend mornings $190
Melbourne Climbing School (The Climbing Company) Learn-To-Lead — 6h over 2 evenings
Urban Climb Learn to Lead — Australia-wide Urban Climb Lead Pass
North Walls Lead Course — one weekend day, for grade 18+ top-rope climbers

Clubs & community (every phase)

CLIMB Melbourne Meetup — Mon/Fri/Sat sessions at Hardrock CBD + Urban Climb Blackburn · partner-finding
Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) — founded 1952 · outdoor trips · 2 free guest trips before joining
MUMC (Melbourne University Mountaineering Club) — Monday Night Climbing at Urban Climb Blackburn 7pm · open to non-students
Sends With Friends — Melbourne climbing meetup

Kit suppliers

Bogong Equipment (Melbourne CBD) — best Melbourne climbing shop, expert staff
Mountain Designs — multiple Melbourne stores · sales every 6–8 weeks
Backcountry (online, US) — competitive prices on hardware (long lead time)
Wildfire Sports & Trek — Australian online · good for shoes

Reference / guidebooks

theCrag — Mt Arapiles database — every route documented · free
VCC courses page — member rates on outdoor trips
UKClimbing — global trip reports + route info