Wombeyan Caves Trip Reports

 

by Walter Waerner

           

            For my last subject at University I was required to undertake a case study on an issue of Environmental Management. This coincided nicely with the release in July of the new Draft Plan of Management for the Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. The Draft Plan became my case study. On the 17th of October (missed out on Yarrangobilly!) I drove up to Wombeyan to interview Mike Chalker, the Reserve Manager, to obtain information for my assignment. Kerin Knuckey came along for the ride, armed to the teeth with photography equipment to play with while I was off interviewing.

           

            I spent about six hours on the Reserve collecting information. Mike Chalker is a very approachable and informative individual, especially as he helped write the Draft Plan and was keen to get feedback from me as well. The interview went for well over an hour as Mike answered my long list of questions based upon the Plan. After this I was invited to have a look at the new improvements made to Figtree Cave, a self guided tourist cave. I went there the long way round, via Tinted Cave and Mares Creek. The longer walk was to search for photographic opportunities to aid my slide show presentation I would give to the class two weeks later.

 

            Mares Creek is no longer the water supply for the Reserve, a bore has been sunk to replace this. As a result, the Creek is now an ideal swimming location and seemed a nice place to visit on a hot, spring day. Tinted Cave is so named as a result of the algae growths growing along the rock in the filtered sunlight sections of cave. It also contains an automated lighting system so that visitors can walk through the cave to the viewing platform over the creek at the other end.

 

            Eventually I made it to Figtree cave. The new system is more coordinated than I remember the old one to be. The recorded information was good and the staggered lighting arrangements make this a great cave to visit. After exiting the cave I headed back to the car where Kerin was waiting. We then drove back to Wollongong so that I could begin typing the 2500 word submission for my Case Study. At least it’s on a topic I enjoy!

(Maybe a presentation at the February meeting??  ED)

 

 

12-13th August 2000

by Bob Kershaw

 

Present: Anthony Pezutto; Dave Dicker; John and Vonnie Kemister; Kerry Sanders; Gerrard Collins and Bob Kershaw, and a few members from SSS.

 

This was proposed as a family weekend and it turned into a relaxing and partime weekend for many of the ISS group.

 

On Saturday we woke to a frosty and very cold morning. At 8.30am Bob and Anthony were taken for a walk over the nearby Wombeyan countryside by John Wiley and Simon, who were retagging temporarily tagged caves in the area. We returned to camp at lunch and Dave and Kerry had arrived. After lunch Dave and Kerry did a gentle walk over the area and Anthony and Bob resumed their trekking with John in search of more caves to retag. During the afternoon we had a chance to examine the marble quarry and were astounded at the formations within the marble and how caves are actually formed! More trekking to the old quarry and back to camp about 4.30pm.

 

John and Vonnie had arrived from Sussex Inlet and joined us in the pre-dinner gossip before heading with Kerry to the warm cabin that they had booked for the night.

 

You’re getting slack Kemister!

 

After dinner we enjoyed the warmth of a great campfire and the yarns continued - generally about caving and the future in Australia - too philosophical for some so they turned in for an early night.

 

During the night the Rangee of Gerrard’s arrived- heard by some but not the trekkers of the day.

 

Sunday

Anthony had to return to the ‘Gong’ to complete a Uni assignment, Dave did a bit more gentle walking, The Kemisters went to Camden to say Happy Birthday to John’s 89 YO Mum and Kerry went home.

 

Gerrard and Bob went with John and Simon to GPS cave locations in the Sigma area, near the Pump House area and admire the countryside further from the camp. The weather closed in and drizzled for the remainder of the trek. An early afternoon and quick trip home pondering the 456 tagged caves, of variable size, in the area.

 

Not much caving but it was great to see another area and enjoy the walking over the area. Thanks to John and Simon who hosted us this weekend.

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