History
By measuring the ratio of radioactive potassium and trapped
argon gas, which was produced when the potassium decayed,
scientists determined the age of the clay in the cave to be
approximately 340 million years old, thereby making this cave
complex the world's oldest known and dated open cave system.
However, this is still a theory. This work is being done by the
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation(CSIRO)
in association with the University of Sydney and the Australian
Museum.
Local Gundungarra Aboriginal tribes knew Jenolan Caves area as
'Binoomea' (Dark Places) and possibly shunned them; in approx.
1835-40 the area was recorded for the first time by either James,
Charles or Alf Whalan, three brothers who each claimed to have
discovered the caves while searching for a bushranger, James
McKeown, whom they claimed used the caves as a hide-out. One of the
less-visited caverns in the area is called McKeown's Hole, however
there is no actual evidence of his existence. It is more likely the
brothers were searching for cattle that had strayed from their
nearby farm.
The caves, then known as the Fish River Caves, came under New
South Wales Government control in 1866, becoming only the second
area in the world reserved for the purpose of conservation and the
following year Jeremiah Wilson was appointed as the first "Keeper
of the Caves". Wilson not only explored the already known Elder and
Lucas Caves but later discovered the Imperial, Left Imperial (now
known as Chifley), Jersey and Jubilee Caves. The caves were open to
tourism early, but there was little protection from visitors
damaging formations until souveniring was banned in 1872. In 1884
the name Jenolan Caves was adopted, an Aboriginal name meaning
'high place' as it is named after Mount Jenolan nearby.
The road to the caves originally went in from Tarana, which
meant that travellers from the south had to take a long, roundabout
route of about 90 miles from Katoomba to Oberon, and, from there,
to Tarana.
In the mid-1880s, hotel keepers in Katoomba wanted to improve
business by constructing a road to the Caves from their town, but
the steep, rough ground between the caves and town was a major
obstacle, and several attempts failed. However, representations
were made to the state premier by Peter Fitzpatrick of Burragorang,
who was connected to some mining operations near Katoomba.
In April, 1884, William Marshall Cooper, Surveyor of Public
Parks for the State Government, was assigned the job, and worked
out a horse-and-carriage track in a 10-day trek from Katoomba to
the Caves. The route was, he remarked, 26.5 miles from the Western
Hotel in Katoomba. "... Anyone accustomed to walking can do it
comfortably in 12 hours... when the proposed horse track is
completed, it will be a very enjoyable ride of five hours." It
became known as the Six Foot Track.
Cooper also pointed out that "Fish River Caves" was a misnomer,
the Fish River being on the western side of the Dividing Range and
the caves on the eastern side. At his suggestion, the caves were
officially named "Jenolan Caves" in 1884 after the parish in which
they are situated.
By 1885, Parliament had approved ₤2,500 for the construction of
Cooper's bridle track, with the work starting at the most difficult
area, the Megalong Cleft, where a zig-zag had to be cut, partly in
solid rock, to reduce the grade to 1:5.5.
The first recorded passage of the completed bridle track from
Katoomba to Jenolan was by the governor, Lord Carrington, in
September 1887. Lord Carrington also made the first official visit
to the caves at the completion of his journey, accompanied by
Wilson.
In 1898 the current Caves House guesthouse was built, replacing
the earlier wooden accommodation house built by Jeremiah Wilson,
which had been destroyed in a fire.
James Wiburd become "Keeper of the Caves" in 1903 and quickly
discovered five more caves within eighteen months: the River, Pool
of Cerberus, Temple of Baal, Orient and Ribbon Caves. He remained
Keeper until 1932, when he left following a bitter dispute over the
development of the Ribbon Cave for tourism.
The Chifley Cave, originally known as the Left Imperial Cave but
named for Prime Minister Ben Chifley in 1952, was the first of the
caves to be lit with electric light, as early as 1880. In 1968, the
Orient Cave became the first in the world to be cleaned, due to
contamination from a nearby coal boiler. This was entering the cave
via a new tunnel blasted 400 feet through to the Orient cave in the
1950's to allow easier access (entering at Bat End). Steam cleaning
was found to be damaging to the crystal formations, due to the
rapid expansion and contraction caused by the heat from the steam,
and these days water from the caves' own underground rivers is used
if cave cleaning becomes necessary.
Climate
Climate data for Jenolan State Forest
Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
Average high °C (°F) |
22.4
(72) |
21.7
(71) |
20.0
(68) |
15.1
(59) |
11.4
(53) |
8.5
(47) |
7.9
(46) |
9.1
(48) |
12.9
(55) |
15.7
(60) |
18.5
(65) |
21.7
(71) |
15.4
(60) |
Average low °C (°F) |
9.7
(49) |
10.3
(51) |
8.6
(47) |
4.9
(41) |
2.2
(36) |
0.0
(32) |
-1.1
(30) |
-0.5
(31) |
1.6
(35) |
4.1
(39) |
6.4
(44) |
8.8
(48) |
4.6
(40) |
Source: BOM 2009-07-07
|
Tourism
- Jenolan Caves attracts over 250,000 visitors a year, making it
the most popular tourist location in rural New South Wales.
- The caves are a convenient 3 hours drive for day visitors from
Sydney and Canberra.
- In 2008 and 2009, Jenolan Caves won several tourism awards,
from Blue Mountains Tourism and NSW Tourism.
- Ten of the area's "dark caves" are open for regular guided
tours every day (1 to 2 hours per tour). These 'show' cave tour
sizes vary, for example the delicate Pool of Cerberus Cave can have
only 8 on a tour, while the Lucas Cave (with its massive chambers)
can have up to 65 people per tour. Tours also vary in difficulty,
for example the Imperial Cave has the fewest stairs, while the
River Cave is the most strenuous. However, the average tourist can
tour any of these 'show' caves.
- Several undeveloped caves are available for Adventure Caving (2
hours to all-day tours). The introduction to Adventure Caving is
the Plughole Tour, which runs daily and includes basic abseiling.
Other even more challenging Adventure Caving tours are
available.
- A self-guided tour of the huge Nettle Cave/Devils Coach House
is also available - in 8 languages plus an engaging commentary for
children.
- During NSW School Holidays, specially developed tours are
available for children and teenagers.
- Night tours run every night except Sundays, including the
popular ghost tour, 'Legends, Mysteries & Ghosts'.
- The Six Foot Track is a 48 kilometre walking route from
Katoomba to Jenolan Caves. Every year in March, the Six Foot Track
Marathon finishes at Jenolan, outside Jenolan Caves House.
- The Cathedral Chamber, part of the "Lucas Cave" is famous for
its acoustics. At least twice every month, underground concerts
take place in this chamber.
- Several times a year, concerts also take place in the
spectacular Grand Arch, including the annual Carols in the Caves,
which raises money for charity.
- Jenolan Caves has long been a popular destination for school
excursions. For instance, Normanhurst Boys High School, Sydney, has
been running an annual trip to the caves every year for the past 51
years. This is arguably the longest continually running excursion
by one school to one place in Australia, let alone the world.
- When visiting Jenolan Caves, tourists stay at heritage-listed
Jenolan Caves House, designed in 1897 by Government Architect,
Walter Liberty Vernon, as a resort or retreat for the wealthy. To
cater for the expectations of the well-to-do, Vernon included a
ballroom and magnificent grand dining room (now Chisolm’s
Restaurant). Chisolm's is open for lunch and dinner every day,
serving modern Australian cuisine. Now, Caves House caters for all
guests, from every walk of life, from families and backpackers to
bridal couples and corporate groups.
- Facilities include an hotel/motel complex, self-contained
cottages, restaurant, bar, cafe and wine cellar (inside a
cave).
- The huge Jenolan Reserve is a National Park, located in the
World Heritage Blue Mountains Area, where signposted bush trails
often enable tourists to glimpse shy Australian birds and native
wildlife, including kangeroos and platypus.
- There is no public transport to Jenolan Caves. However, there
are large carparks. Also a range of coach operators bring tourists
from Sydney and Katoomba every day.
Caves
Large portions of this extensive cave system are accessible only
to cavers, especially those areas along the underground river
system; but, there are ten caves at Jenolan that have been
developed for regular tourism.
- Lucas Cave: Discovered in 1860 and the most popular among
visitors. The Lucas Cave (named after local politician John Lucas
who pushed to have the caves preserved in the 1860s) features a
number of large chambers including the Cathedral, over 50 metres
high, and the vast Exhibition Chamber which contains the Broken
Column formation. The Cathedral is also used for wedding ceremonies
and recitals. The Cathedral Chamber, the highest Chamber within the
Lucas Cave, is the venue for monthly cello and Gypsy music
concerts, as well as other special concerts, including by local
band Didgeridoo Dingo.
- River Cave: Discovered in 1903, the River Cave is the most
extensive show cave at Jenolan and includes some of its most famous
features, including the Minaret, the Grand Column and the Queen's
Canopy, as well as part of the River Styx. Until 1923 when a
concrete bridge was built, a section of river in this cave was
crossed by a small boat.
- Chifley Cave: Discovered in 1880 and with electric lighting
installed almost immediately, the Chifley Cave was known as the
Left Imperial Cave until 1952, when it was renamed in honour of the
then recently-deceased former Prime Minister Ben Chifley, who grew
up in nearby Bathurst. Two of the cave's chambers are decorated
with coloured lights. The Chifley Cave was the first cave in the
world to be lit by electric light, having been illuminated this way
in 1880.
- Imperial Cave: Discovered in 1879, this is the easiest cave to
visit for tourists. The Imperial contains some of the best fossil
deposits and several Tasmanian Devil bones. Note that whilst
fossils may not be clearly evident to the casual visitor, in fact
the bedrock in which the caves are formed is richly endowed with
marine fossils. A side-branch known as the Diamond Cave is
occasionally shown in combination with the Imperial Cave.
- Orient Cave: Discovered in 1903, the Orient Cave was not opened
to public inspection until 1917, to allow for the installation of
electric lighting and paths. This cave contains some of the
grandest formations in the complex and was steam cleaned to
preserve them in 1968. Until 1954, this cave, along with the Temple
of Baal and Ribbon Caves, were only accessible through the River
Cave. That year, the Binoomea Cut was constructed near Caves House
to facilitate easier access to these caves. A new high-tech
LED-based lighting system
has recently been installed, showing the cave to great effect.
- Ribbon Cave: Discovered at the same time as the Orient Cave, it
was originally part of that tour but is now visited separately. The
Ribbon Cave is only 60 metres long but is very richly
decorated.
- Pool of Cerberus Cave: Discovered in 1903, this cave is a lower
arm of the River Cave. The major formations here are the Bath of
Venus and part of the underground river system that forms the Pool
of Cerberus itself. Also includes rare aragonite
formations.
- Jubilee Cave: Discovered in 1893, the Jubilee Cave is the
longest show cave at Jenolan. It takes the longest to see because
it is fairly remote from the other caves but offers formations of
stunning beauty at close quarters. Of the caves shown at Jenolan to
the public it is the least visited due to the length of the tour
and the small tour groups that can be taken there.
- Temple of Baal Cave: Discovered in
1904, the Temple of Baal Cave consists of only two chambers, one of
which is dominated by the huge 9-metre shawl formation called the
Angel's Wing. The cave is also famous for a high incidence of the
peculiar formations known as Helictites. The name derives from the
biblical story of Baal, and the feature
names in the cave largely relate to that story. Recent development
work has upgraded the lighting and added an audio accompaniment to
the cave experience.
- Nettle Cave: The Nettle Cave lies between the Grand Arch and
the Devils Coach House. The cave takes its name from the nettles
which grow near its entrance (note that raised walkways protect
visitors from their stings); an upper part of this cave can be seen
from inside the Devil's Coach House. Originally shown as a guided
tour, the cave was closed to the public in 1932. In December 2006,
this cave was re-opened to the public as a self-guided audio tour,
combined with the adjoining Devil's Coach House. The Nettle Cave
hosts "Crayfish backs", stromatolites shaped by cyanobacteria,
light and wind. They are estimated to be at least 20,000 years
old.
The road from Sydney passes through the Arch and six of the cave
tours leave from assembly points within it. Adjacent to the Grand
Arch is the Devil's Coach House, a vast open-ended chamber that
forms part of the many nature walks in the area. High above both of
these is Carlotta Arch, a free-standing arch that is all that
remains of a higher cavern system long since eroded and collapsed.
Along with these areas, there are several other caves in the area,
some of which are available for special tours.
- Elder Cave: Named from the Elder tree, visitors would climb
down to enter the doline (sinkhole). Discovered in 1848, the Elder
Cave was the first of the caves at Jenolan to be found and opened
to tourists. It was later considered too difficult to develop
adequately and tours eventually ceased; however in the late 1990s
the Elder Cave was re-opened for adventure caving, and is sold as
the Plughole Tour. It is not as well decorated as the regular show
caves, but does feature signatures left by early visitors and
includes a short section of the Imperial Cave.
- Aladdin Cave: The Aladdin Cave was first explored in the hope
of developing a shorter path to the Jubilee Cave. It boasts an
abundance of decorations not dissimilar to the Jubilee.
- Jersey Cave: An extension of the Elder Cave. One of the
features is a fossilised thylacine skeleton.
- Arch Cave: This cave lies above Nettle Cave and part of it can
be seen from the Devils Coach House. The entrance to this cave is
at the base of Carlotta Arch (hence the name) and the stairs and
locked gate can still be reached although the Arch Cave.
References
-
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia
Britannica, Eleventh Edition', a publication now in the
public domain.
External
links