Angie Scarth-Johnson
Keep your ears open as you pass Katoomba’s Camp Street bouldering gym any night of the week, and you might be lucky enough to hear the rhythmic wailing of Queen’s Greatest Hits pounding into the stars. Take a peek inside and you’ll find 14-year-old Angie Scarth-Johnson pushing out another set of reps on the campus board, finishing up a night’s training, or working with Australian rock legend and friend, Lee Cossey, on preparation for her next project.
“Lee’s kind of banned me from playing any more Queen at the gym,” Angie smiles shyly at our interview. “But I can’t help it. I love Freddy Mercury.”
“Please don’t tell me your theme song is ‘We Will Rock You’,” I say, conscious and a little nervous that I’m lunching with one of Australia’s best rock climbers, owner of a pincushion of Youth Nationals rosettes, holder of the world record for the youngest person to send a 31 (when she was nine), mistress of a tick list chocked with Spanish, American, and Australian 32s and 33s that most people twice her age would envy. (For context if you aren’t a climber; most of us weekend warriors start outdoor climbing on 16s, work up to 20s, and consider it a huge personal achievement if after a few years of concerted effort
