Jenolan Caves - 2009

We left Katoomba in very thick fog and made our way to the Jenolan Caves via Medlow Bath, Blackheath, Mt. Victoria before turning off at Hartley for the last 48 klms to the caves. When the fog did lift at the bottom of the mountains we could see just how dry the area was. Everything was very browned off and in need of rain.

The Jenolan Caves were never on my "Things to do" list as I had seen them in my youth sometime. I distinctly remember going there at some time but so far back it is a very distant memory.

I arrived with an open mind as we had no other alternatives for the day so we opted for the "River Walk" which is a two hour experience climbing 1,298 steps. This walk is quite beautiful because we passed still pools of crystal clear water that had the most beautiful reflections and also had three of the largest crystal formations in the Jenolan's and also included the awesome Minaret formation. My small digital camera could not capture the beauty or the impact of being close to these formations.

Previously I have been to Europe and looked in awe at things that were a couple of thousand years old and thought to myself how young our country of Australia is.

I was amazed to find that these caves are now thought to be 340 million years old and are the oldest open cave system in the world. Until 20 years ago most scientists thought that the Jenolan Caves were no more than a few thousand year old. Last year a fossilised bone was found that proved to be between 20,000 and 40,000 years old.

I was quite taken back with this news and was very happy that this day had happened by default. I would recommend this experience to everyone who is agile enough to manage the steps and stairs in sometimes slippery circumstances. While we were in the caves our guide turned out all the lights and left us in inky darkness that was quite chilling. I don't know how the early explorers of the caves managed to do it. The river water was an incredible aqua blue and crystal clear and with clever lighting the managers of the caves have produced an awesome effect.

Put this on your things to do list!