‘Super exciting’: Gecko Climb set to open next month
A world class bouldering and rock climbing gym is set to open in Darwin, marking an eagerly awaited return of the sport after years without any facilities in the Top End. LOOK INSIDE.
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A world class bouldering and rock climbing gym is set to open in Darwin next month, marking an eagerly awaited return of the sport after years without any facilities in the Top End.
Gecko Climb will hold its grand opening at the Woolner site on August 1, but staff had the chance to see the space and test out the walls for the first time on Thursday.
British climber Luke Murphy used to compete on the world stage with Team GB, and relocated to Darwin two months ago to become Gecko Climb’s head coach and route setter.
“It’s super exciting, I’ve come over from the UK just for this,” he said.
“The design, the whole selection, the quality of the build – everything about it is so high quality.
“You could put this climbing wall anywhere in the world and it would meet the standard – if not surpass it.
“Providing something of this kind of standard and quality to a town that doesn’t have a climbing scene – it’s kind of my dream.”
Gecko Climb has 300 sqm of bouldering walls, and 15 roped climbing stations with a mix of top-rope and autobelay options.
It will also have a cafe, a training area, a function room for birthday parties and community events, and a bespoke mural by Larrakia artist Jason Lee.
Gecko Climb director Jackson Bursill said the design of the build required extra engineering to meet Darwin’s cyclone building standards – three large shipping containers of steel and plywood panels arriving from Bulgaria via Brisbane-based manufacturers ICP.
“There’s a huge steel superstructure that sits behind the walls that’s holding everything up,” Mr Bursill said.
“And there was additional engineering that we had to do because this is a cyclone region – this was the most steel they’ve ever used in a climbing project, and they’ve been building climbing walls for years.”
Mr Bursill said he hoped to reach about 10 full time equivalent staff for the gym, and wanted to create a space where everyone felt welcome.
“It’s a physical experience, it’s also a mental experience, there’s so many interesting elements to climbing, and sitting behind all of that is this community that we’re trying to create,” he said.
“No matter if it’s your first time climbing, if you haven’t climbed in 30 or 40 years, or you’re a toddler whose only been walking for one year – we’ve got a climb that you can do here.”
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Originally published as ‘Super exciting’: Gecko Climb set to open next month
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