Spotlight on Stirling | Portside Boulders

While people come for the climbing, they stay for the sense of community. It's a place to move, hang out, and catch up with familiar faces.

Portside first opened in 2017, inspired by a love for climbing and a need for more welcoming spaces in Perth. The founders drew inspiration from European climbing gyms, where climbing is a way of life and a social activity. They wanted to bring that same energy to Perth - a space where people could move, connect, and feel at home, whether climbing hard or just hanging out.

Osborne Park was chosen for its mix of university students, CBD workers, and local families, plus its proximity to Glendalough train station. This made it an ideal location to build a space that could become part of people's weekly rhythm, forming a little pocket of community in an otherwise busy day.

Portside Boulders stands out as more than just a gym. It's a "third place" or an in-between space where people come to unwind, meet new friends, and feel part of something. The climbing is great, but the community is the best part. It's genuinely supportive, encouraging, and full of good people.

As climbing has grown in Perth, Portside's spaces can get quite busy. The team adapts and improves by listening to customer feedback and tweaking how they run events or upgrade facilities to ensure the spaces still feel relaxed and welcoming, even when crowded.

Success for Portside Boulders lies in creating a space where people feel they can just "be." People remember how they felt in the space, so the team listens to the community and each other. When things feel good on the inside, that energy carries outward.

Community is a big part of Portside's identity. They support local by teaming up with artists, student groups, neighbouring businesses, coffee roasters, and community groups like ClimbingQTs. This collaboration can take many forms, from murals and t-shirt designs to climbing nights and pop-up stalls. It's all about sharing what they have and making space for others to be part of it.

The team at Portside Boulders is made up of real people who genuinely care. Many have been around since the early days, and they still remember regulars from when they first opened in O’Connor. It's not a job you can fake … Everyone climbs, helps out, chats with members, and looks out for each other. Friendships bloom here, and the team shows up with honesty, authenticity, and a shared love for what the place means to people.

Portside Boulders' advice to other local businesses is to make it a place people actually enjoy being in. If folks feel comfortable and welcome, they'll keep coming back.