Located in Marrickville, BlocHaus Bouldering Sydney is inclusive of all ages, genders and levels of experience. With 850+ square metres of climbing walls and problems galore, you’ll want to get here ASAP. For newbies, their padded floors and friendly staff will qualm any fears; as a plus, they also offer gear hire.

Now that we’ve taken you to the Inner-West, let’s go to Western Sydney, where Climb Oz is located. This indoor rock climbing and bouldering gym is the hidden gem of Blacktown, where they have belay walls and a large bouldering area that’s fit for anyone. ClimbOz also offers you private or group training sessions where you can be a part of the community. Their in-store hire of shoes, chalk and harnesses can help-out any newcomer, or you can purchase any of their products at affordable prices.

This Sydney climbing gym chain is located in two of Sydney’s up and coming areas, Parramatta and Alexandria. As it is a bouldering gym, there are no tall climbing walls, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out. Their 4.5m bouldering walls give you the space you need to train and perfect your technique where their specialised padded floor can help you make mistakes. There are nine levels of difficulty geared towards climbers of all experience levels. Their ethos of body, mind and spirit is perfect for avid climbers who use skills to tackle and send problems. They also have hiring gear!

Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym is another combo of indoor rock climbing and bouldering, with two distinct locations that cater to everyone. The first is St Peters rock climbing gym, one of Sydney’s most famous, hosting the 2008 World Youth Championships. This gym is massive, with 3700 square metres worth of climbing walls and 800 square metres of bouldering. With 450 routes and 180 boulder problems, you won’t get bored at this place. While the Villawood rock climbing gym is not as big, it still has a whopping 2200 square metres of climbing walls and 250 routes and 5o boulder problems, perfect for anyone at any stage.  Everyone is encouraged to come and have a go, where gear hiring is simple, and the staff will help any newbies along the way. They also offer group sessions and parties.

NOMAD Bouldering Gym is one of the largest bouldering gyms in the Southern Hemisphere with 1,000 square meters of climbing space. As their community spirit is based on growth and exploration, it’s a great place to start for new climbers. They offer classes, workshops and even have a competitive event called ‘Pumpfest’. Prices for this Sydney bouldering gym range from AU$18 – AU$20, with a Friday Student Night special of AU$13.50 after 5 pm. Shoe and chalk hire is also available.

The Climbing Centre in Penrith is a bouldering gym that’s perfect for all ages, where kids and adults have a great time alike. They offer an advanced bouldering area for those of you who want to work on training your climbing and overhang skills. There are safety mats to help prevent any risks or falls, with a range of problems and routes for you to work on. It’s the perfect place for bouldering in Sydney if you want to have a fun time! Pricing ranges from AU$10 – AU$26, with harness hire and safety lessons offered.

This indoor rock climbing and bouldering gym caters more towards rock climbers, where they have 102 top rope routes. That doesn’t mean you can’t boulder, they have 46 bouldering problems that can satisfy your bouldering craving. They offer parties, classes and even have lessons on belaying, which is perfect for when you want to go outdoors. Their cafe can also give you a chance to relax before or after a climb. Pricing ranges from AU$11 – AU$31 and they even have a special offer on Wednesdays of AU$9 from 3:30 pm.

ClimbFit St Leonards offers you over 140 top rope climbing routes, making it the perfect indoor rock climbing and bouldering gym in Sydney. Their 80 boulder problems, varying angled climbing walls (18-32 degrees) and new 40° Moon Board can help train your technique and strengthen your movement. With three auto-belays you can utilise your training without needing to ask for help. If you’re a newcomer, you can use the auto-belays as a way to try out how to rock-climb without worrying about someone else belaying you.

Bouldering with a view is what Skywood Climbing offers you, as you can climb just by the water. Founded by Yossi Sundakov-Krumins, a world-champion competitor, this bouldering and indoor rock climbing centre in Sydney has classes and coaching for new timers. They have a standard fixed price of AU$24 for single entries and memberships are available. If you’re a student, you’re in luck because you’ll get a 10% discount on every price!

Northern Beaches Rockhouse is another perfect place to do both indoor rock climbing and bouldering in Sydney, where you can do top-rope climbing, lead climbing and training. All ages are encouraged to come along but you need to be 16+ to belay. They’re a welcoming community which allows you to explore each avenue of climbing and have fun at the same time. Gear hire is available and you can also purchase if you’re in need for some permanent gear. There’s a flat rate of AU$13.50 for bouldering or prices range from AU$12 – AU$24 for kids to adults.

While you could definitely argue the two practices are similar, there are definitely some major differences when it comes to indoor rock climbing and bouldering. These include;