Australia 2007 - our final few days
Sunday 21st October We're off to Jenolan Caves today with Gra and Jane They are one of the finest and largest cave systems in the world. Because there are so many caves we had to choose which to go in.
We went in the Orient caves and then we went in a self guided one through the Devils Coach House. Outside the cave, the Devil's Coach House is a cavernous natural archway in the mountainside, named after the ghostly vision reported by a camper, Luke White, who claimed he had seen the devil himself charge through aboard a horse-drawn coach. The roof of the arch is 57m at its highest point.
Some of the amazing Stalactites and stalagmites we have ever seen. Although the first two caves were very different they were both amazing in their own right. It is incredible to imagine how explorers managed to find their way through the caves with only a candle for light, a rope and hobnail boots. It was very early on that the importance of these caves was recognized and sanctions were made to preserve the caves in their original state.
The caves and conservation reserve are one of the eight protected areas that was inscribed in 2000 to form part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains Area.
During lunch we were entertained by these amazing birds
We returned to site for drinks and later went into town for dinner. A very enjoyable day.
It has been great to be with Tez and John and Graham and Jane and although Tez and John are off early in the morning we are going to spend another day with Graham and Jane before heading to Penrith.
Some facts (gleaned from the internet) about the Blue Mountains:
The Blue Mountains were discovered in 1813 through a successful expedition led by Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson, and William Charles Wentworth. Early ideas of shaping the area into a national park came about in 1932, upon the proposal of conservationist Myles Dunphy. To preserve its geographical and cultural significance, the park was recognized as Australia’s 14th World Heritage Site in 2000.
Where are the Blue Mountains?
Situated in eastern Australia’s New South Wales, the range of Blue Mountains can be found approximately 80 kilometers west of state capital Sydney. The national park is a 90-minute drive from Sydney through the M4 motorway. A more scenic route can also be taken past the Hawkesbury along Bell’s Line of the Road. En route to Blue Mountains entails a leisurely drive across multiple thoroughfares, small towns, and farms. On the outskirts of the park is the town of Katoomba.
Why the Blue Mountains are blue?
he expansive eucalypt forests covering the Blue Mountains are regarded by many as the primary source of the blue haze. But contrary to popular belief, it is simply the optical phenomenon called the Rayleigh Scattering that is causing the area’s blue tinge. The phenomenon asserts that the sun’s ultraviolet rays are scattered by the particles in the atmosphere that are smaller than the wavelength of the light. This effect creates a blue-greyish color to objects at a distance, including the sky and mountains.
Monday 22nd October After lunch we all went to Kanangra- Boyd N.P and to various look outs. It was 29 km off the road down an unmade track.
The first lookout was over Kanangra Creek where you could see the top of Mount Cloud Maker and the blue Mountain Ridge and the next one we were able to see the Kanangra Deep. The vertical cliffs were the Kanangra Walls which dropped five hundred meters. Because the day wasn’t misty the views from here were brilliant.
This little fellow was in the carpark.
We walked to some caves known as the dance floor caves. This was part of the old stock route which came from the Burragorang Valley. The travelers and settlers used to gather together at this spot. It became as popular as a meeting spot that in 1891 a dance platform was erected in the cave. The timber boards have now all rotted away but it is still a favorite resting place for bush walkers.
Tuesday 23rd October Time to move on, say bye to Graham and Jane and head back toward Sydney.
Just a last few things to see in the Blue Mountains National Park, Govetts leap was first on the list. We were able to look from the lookout but unfortunately not able to walk the paths due to fire damage.
The story of Govett and his 'leap' belongs more to mythology than to fact. It is claimed that a bushranger named Govett, being chased by the police, spurred his horse on and died rather than surrender as he disappeared off the waterfall which drops 450 m into the Grose Valley. Unfortunately, even though the story deserves to become part of Australian history, it is more likely that Govett's Leap was named after William Romaine Govett, a young surveyor who arrived in Sydney in 1827, spent many years surveying the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury area, and returned to England in 1834 after the government had reduced his surveying establishment.
The evidence for the 'leap' being simply named after Govett is overwhelming. In the early 1830s the Three Sisters were known as Govett's Point, suggesting that he was well known and admired in the area. And, in 1835, Govett wrote 'The bold broken nature of the country on either side is peculiarly grand, and the streams which at first commence in swamps soon make their way into inaccessible gullies, until they arrive at the cliffs of the main channel where they fall in cascades....The most remarkable of these cascades is the one near the Weatherboarded Hut [Wentworth Falls] and that which falls into the head of the Grose River; which the surveyor general named 'Govett's leap' from the circumstance of my first having come upon the spot when surveying with Mr Rusden.'
Then for a spot of humour - don`t think this would go down too well in the UK
Actually a large and well known van hire company.
We went from here to Evans lookout. We were going to walk the Canyon walk but this was classed as difficult and a four hour walk.
Wentworth Falls was next. It was a brilliant view but the water level was almost non existent. We walked round to various vantage points. Prince's Rock lookout being the best. On return we had lunch and drove on to Penrith and the last of our camp sites. This was also the site we visited first almost a month ago! Where has the time gone?
Friday 26th October Well the holiday is over. We drove the van safely back to the depot - everything being OK. From there we caught a train to Central and then another to the airport.
Singapore Airbus 3802 on its inaugural flight to Sydney - and we were there to see it taxi in.
Our flight for home
We arrived in good time and were able to get a window seat on the flight. Unfortunately the flight was delayed by an hour as the airport closed due to severe storms. We did however see the new Airbus before it took off for its return flight to Singapore. Then it was our turn and so ended an amazing holiday in Australia.
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