Take on the Icon! RoofClimb Adelaide Oval is the city’s freshest attraction. Get ready to see Adelaide in a whole new light!
Leaning back, there was nothing below me for fifty metres except the echoes of an empty crowd at Adelaide Oval.
A wintery Adelaide Oval breeze lapped at my harness as my nervous, sweaty palms let go of the safety rail. The adrenaline made my hair stand on end as I leaned back with nothing below me.
At least, that’s how it happened in my head…
We were still gearing up in the briefing room before our much anticipated RoofClimb at Adelaide Oval – a new attraction at one of the most picturesque and historic sporting grounds in Australia.
Courtney was all-smiles as she put on the RoofClimb overalls and harness… As for me, well… I shivered mine on! Heights have never been my strong point and despite somehow being bold enough (or silly enough) to go skydiving and bungee jumping, I was nervous about taking on the icon that is the Adelaide Oval rooftop.
We had a small group of four people and our guide, Dan, was happy to play fifth wheel. He took us through the safety checks while we geared up and put our loose items in lockers.
Soon we were sneaking through secret corridors within the bowels of the Adelaide Oval as we journeyed to the roof.
Don’t worry – an elevator gets you most of the way to the top, so you can catch the breathtaking views instead of catching your breath while walking along the rooftop shells.
After the lift and a short ladder later, we popped onto the western side of the roof! A couple low-hanging beams are the only obstacles to reach this point, so it was all pretty smooth going.
The tour guide then locked our harness to the safety rail and our walk along the metal catwalks began!
The pace of the RoofClimb walk is actually quite timid – it’s even relaxing!
This makes it suitable for all ages, offering you heaps of time to take in the incredible 360 degree views. The tour guides are well trained in safety (Dan is a rock climber) but the commentary was an unexpected highlight.
Stopping on our first shell, we learned about the foresight of the original Adelaide Oval planners. They planted fig trees along the famous northern hill to stop onlookers watching cricket games for free by walking up Montefiore Hill. Classic!
The heritage listed manual scoreboard – an icon in itself, stands proudly on the north end and there’s a sweet view of St Peter’s Cathedral just beyond it.
Next we’d head north towards the ‘bridge’ – the highest vertical point of the climb and the open air catwalk which connected the western shells to the Riverbank Stand…
These were the areas I’d mentally prepared to explore, earlier! I clung to the safety rail on that section like dry Weet-Bix on the roof of my mouth. Everyone else was fine, I just wanted to make sure the handrail was doing okay.
The view from the middle of the Riverbank Stand was incredible!
We deliberately timed our tour to see the sinking sun, but being 50 metres above the goal square provides a beautiful view any time of day. If you fancy watching a bit of AFL in one of those 16 seats up there, you can book a tour during a Port Adelaide game. I can only imagine the atmosphere from those seats if the stadium was decked out with cheering fans under a starry Adelaide sky!
While we sat, the climax of the climb had arrived. Dan had mentioned in the briefing room that if we wanted, we could lean out backwards over the edge of the catwalk at this location…
Today was not my day! I couldn’t do it. Nevertheless, it’s a great photo spot and the guide takes a few snaps of each person. This is a great way to get photo evidence to go along with your bragging rights!
After taking in the view and sharing a few laughs at the lean out point, we circled around the back of the Riverbank Stand which highlights the CBD skyline and the River Torrens. This area is definitely worth seeing at night when it’s lit up and on display.
We walked back across the bridge which rounded out our RoofClimb adventure at Adelaide Oval. It was a great experience we won’t forget! Locals and tourists alike will enjoy this unique and stunning display of Adelaide and maybe you’ll conquer a fear or two along the way!
RoofClimb Adelaide Oval
Web: http://www.roofclimb.com.au
Phone: (08) 8331 5222
email: [email protected]
Schedule: All tours depart from Adelaide Oval (War Memorial Dr, North Adelaide, SA) and the schedule varies so plan ahead here.
Prices: Tours packages vary so be sure to check out the most current info online.
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