Five Ten 2014 | Dave Graham | Adventures in Oz

Five Ten 2014 | Dave Graham | Adventures in Oz follows elite boulderer Dave Graham into Australia’s Grampians, where ancient sandstone formations feel less like geology and more like something imagined. Through Graham’s eyes, the “bush” becomes a dream-state arena of electric hues, spiderweb quartz, and rail-cut faces—an otherworldly backdrop for modern bouldering at its purest. What makes this short film so watchable is its blend of high-level movement and genuine wonder: it’s not just about difficulty, but about the sensation of being somewhere that doesn’t quite seem real. Crisp climbing, hypnotic scenery, and an immersive soundtrack combine to capture that rare moment when exploration, artistry, and effort click into a single, unforgettable session.

Five Ten · 9:49

It's no surprise to me that ancient Aboriginals who first inhabited the Grampians, believed the surreal landscapes and animated structures of sandstone were designed by a creator named Bunjil in a "dream-state". I have searched the planet for the last sixteen years in hopes of discovering the type of stone and setting which can only be conjured through intense imagination, or extremely vivid dreaming. In 2011, I discovered it. Otherworldly is an understatement, and the whole place reminds me of Pangea. There is something incredibly hard to digest about the whole scene; it's a regular sensation to wonder if everything you experience out in the bush is actually happening, or if you are about to wake up in your bed on the other side of the planet... desperately trying to remember what just happened...if that electric blue sandstone with spider web quartz and lightning bolt-like rails were actually real... if the sun really looked like it was setting into an ocean of fire...and if the birds you heard actually exist. Music by kinematix - soundcloud.com/kinematixmusic