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Physical Description

The Jenolan Caves Reserve is situated on the western spur of the Blue Mountains, about 180 kilometres west of Sydney. The Reserve is located in mountainous country, forming a dissected eastern margin of the highland plateau east of the town of Oberon, and contains the most well known karst landscapes in Australia.

The geological structure of the Jenolan karst is complex, resulting from two periods of major folding and a number of faulting events. In addition to many smaller scale structures, a change in the strike of the limestone 1 kilometre north of the Grand Archway is the expression of a large scale fold described as the Jenolan Mega-Kink. The most spectacular surface karst feature is the wall of limestone 90 metres high and 150 metres wide at the confluence of the Jenolan River, Surveyors Creek and Camp Creek. The three spectacular karst bridges - the Grand Archway and Devil's Coachhouse (at present stream level) and Carlotta Arch (at a higher level) are internationally renowned.

The main cave system contains over 20 kilometres of passage developed in a one kilometre length of limestone body. The Reserve is renowned for its range and profusion of calcite speleotherms, including examples of less common forms such as helictites, ribbon helictites, shields, monocrystalline stalagmites and sub aerial stromaltilites. Aragonite speleotherms, often with spectacular morphology, and also found in restricted localities. Gypsum speleotherms are significant and include forms not reported elsewhere.

The karst contains over 300 tagged cave entrances. A large percentage of the discovered cave passage is linked and effectively is one large cave system formed by three major catchment areas. The caves contain a rich troglobitic fauna, an outstanding level of aesthetic quality, and a diverse range of speleotherms and minerals.

A large amount of highly decorated cave passageway is located in close proximity to three natural rock arches. This area also contains areas where underground river systems can be viewed. The development of these caves provides visitors with an opportunity to view some of the most highly decorated areas of cave as well as caves that have formed over many different time spans under different conditions and which demonstrate a diverse range of shape, form and decoration.

Many caves contain a wide range of river sediments and surface infills relating to the different environmental conditions that have occurred over millions of years. The sediments contain information about changes to climate, vegetation and land formation processes. Many caves and 'unroofed surface cave' sediments contain fossil faunal remains deposited under a range of conditions. Very little study and documentation of the fossil bone deposits has been undertaken (Manidis Roberts 2003: 17, 22-23).

The Jenolan Caves, located 80km west of Katoomba, is part of McKeowns Valley which is a very significant fluvial karst valley. The caves are a result of this karst land form which characterised by caves, disrupted surface drainage, underground drainage and closed depressions that can all be witnessed as part of the Jenolan Caves Reserve. There are over 300 Limestone caves as part of the Jenolan Caves area that are very diverse in their nature and demonstrate contrasting characteristics. The caves can be horizontal or vertical and there are both inactive (dry) and active caves in the area that contain either abandoned or active underground stream ways (Caves Reserve Trust 1996:10). The caves can also be classified into 'dark' caves and above ground systems (Department of Public Works, 1979).

The caves contain large sediment banks that are able to reveal a stratigraphy of many thousands of years. Bone deposits are prevalent in many of the caves on the Jenolan Reserve and some of these fossils are of human remains and have and important anthropological significance. There are also many animal bone deposits as the caves have acted as a natural trap for animals and these deposits are now of a significant palaeontological value such as a 20,000 year old owl pellet site and bone deposits of the Mountain Pygmy Possum (Caves Reserve Trust, 1996, 11).

The caves entertain a wide variety of invertebrate, flora and fauna species many of which have been studied and recorded as part of the complex ecological system. The cave system and the surrounding area also supports rare animals and plants such as the Sooty Owl and the Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby (Register of the National Estate Database, 2001).

Modifications

1870s - visitation to the caves associated with destruction and theft of cave features
1878 - first road to the caves hamlet built from Oberon.
1880 - first permanent buildings erected, with some clearing of the land.
1887 - electric lighting introduced into the caves
1895 - fire destroys most existing buildings
1896 - first wing of Caves House built
1897 - remodelling of landscape around Caves House
1920s - new buildings erected in the hamlet area
1960s - interiors of the caves extensively renovated
1980s - new wave of building works
(Moore 1989, 21-22)

Condition

Physical condition is good. Some caves have been damaged through poor past management and vandalism, and there are concerns about the impacts of visitor numbers on the physical condition of some caves.

History

The Aboriginal peoples of the Reserve left many artefacts that have been noted and recorded. Several caves would have made good occupation sites and artefacts have been found at Jenolan. The nature of the landscapes, including caves, arches and steep sided slopes, would have developed many strong anthropological links. Gar-rang-atch, part fish and part reptile, formed many of the holes and caves in a number of karst landscapes in the south east of NSW while trying to escape Mir-ra-gan. Kohn (1993) states that at the time of contact with Europeans, Jenolan Caves fell within the territory of Gundungarra-speaking people, with Wiradjuri-speaking people to the north and west. The traditional land owners were probably Gundungarra-speakers, who had territory which included the Megalong and Burragorang valleys (Jenolan Reserve Trust 1995: 6).

The Post-contact history of the Reserve, or at least of the caves hamlet, was summarised by Moore in 1989 in six distinct phases. Phase 1, 1838-1866, began with runaway convict James McKeown using the caves as a hideout for about 3 years, where he was found and captured by local pastoralist James Whalen in 1841. News of the caves then attracted a trickle of visitors willing to make the arduous journey. Unfortunately, the visitors were prone to taking large pieces of cave formations with them back to Sydney, and in 1865 local MLA John Lucas, after removing a large formation from Exhibition Cave, then persuaded the colonial government to declare the area a reserve to protect the caves. In 1866, the Fish River Caves Reserve was gazetted, the first reserve in NSW made for the protection of a natural feature.

Phase 2, 1867-1895, covers the gradual increase in public control over the reserve, especially the caves, and the provision of accommodation and access. The destruction of formations was made an offence in 1872, and in 1879 Jeremiah Wilson was appointed as the first resident caretaker, a year after the first road (from Oberon) was made to the caves. Wilson built some rough timber buildings, and by the mid-1880s he was flooded with requests for accommodation. The buildings were expanded several times until a fire in 1895 destroyed most of them and brought an end to Wilson's caretakership. Wilson campaigned for 'improvements' in the caves, and steps, gates, railings, ladders and wire mesh cages were built for the safety and comfort of visitors, and to protect the formations. In 1887 a steam-driven dynamo was installed in the Grand Arch to provide electricity to light the Imperial, then the Nettle and Arch caves. This was replaced in 1889 by a water driven Leffel Wheel near a waterfall on the Jenolan River. This was the first hydro-electric scheme in Australia and the first time electricity was used to light caves anywhere in the world.

Phase 3, 1896-1906, was marked by a strong commitment by the government to development of the caves as a resort for wealthy travellers and a retreat from Sydney. The Government Architect, Walter Liberty Vernon, designed the first wing of Caves House, built in 1897, which could then be reached by a new road through the Grand Arch. Vernon designed Caves House in an Arts & Crafts style to reflect the romantic and picturesque associations of the caves, describing it as a 'large comfortable hotel of the type best known in the tourist districts of England, Scotland, Ireland'. Moore describes it as having a craggy gabled faade and series of picturesque gablets, knobbly tile roof and deep recessed openings with multi-paned windows, giving the new building an instant air of old-age, charm and respectability. In 1897 the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens Joseph Henry Maiden remodelled and terraced the slopes around Caves House, providing a setting of park-like gardens.

Phase 4, 1907-1929, covers the gradually widening popularity of the Caves made possible by motor transport and promoted by tourism literature. In 1907, a second wing, also designed by Vernon, was added to Caves House, with subsequent wings in 1914 and 1923, probably also designed by Vernon but supervised by George McCrae. Numerous service buildings were also constructed in the hamlet during the period, reflecting a move towards day trips as well as overnight stayers.

Phase 5, 1930-1965, was marked by the Depression, World War 2, and the post war years which saw a great drop in the numbers of visitors, then a gradual rise towards the end of the period marked by extensive renovations to Caves House.

Phase 6, 1965-1989, covers a period of strong growth in visitor numbers with consequent further renovations and building programs to keep up with demand. At the same time the growing environmental awareness lead to visitors and others taking a greater interest in the reserve's natural and scientific values, and an Environment Protection Committee was formed to approach the perceived conflicts between natural values and tourist activities (Moore 1989, 13-20).

Phase 7, 1990-2003, covers the period of the Jenolan Caves Trust, established in 1989, when the first conservation plan for the Reserve's cultural heritage was produced after its transfer from control by the NSW Tourism Commission. The Trust was set up to manage the karst reserves of Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie, with Borenore added in 1996. In November 2000 the Reserve was included in the Greater Blue Mountains Area that was inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition of its natural heritage values. Visitor numbers to the Reserve peaked during this period at about 250,000, then began to decline. In late 2003 the Trust Board was replaced by an administrator (HO).

In the 20th century visitor numbers continued to increase and the caves are now a major tourist attraction of NSW. Hence, alterations have been made to the access points of some caves although there are still many caves in the region that remain relatively untouched by tourism (Mackay, Quint, Pratten:1985), (Department of Public Works and Services:1979).

The Caves Reserve was created in 1866, six years before the declaration of the world's first National Park. Since its reported discovery by James Whalan between 1838 and 1841 the area has attracted more than three million visitors. The area also contains a number of important industrial relics, including Australia's first hydro-electic power station and the remants of the first electric lighting of caves which was installed in the Chifley Cave in 1887 (National Trust of Australia, 1985).

Internet links

Webpage	Source
Jenolan Caves Reserve	Attraction Homepage
Jenolan Caves	Tourism NSW
Jenolan Caves Cottages	Tourism NSW
Jenolan Caves	Tourism NSW
Jenolan Caves Resort	Tourism NSW

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