Awesome natural cave formations. What I consider a must see area in Australia.
For Part 2 see this link: • Australia - Jenolan Ca...
Very peaceful and tranquil. Stay still long enough and the small wild life will surprise you when you least expect it. We had just missed the little Platypus when we got there... all we saw were little air bubbles as it swam away. :)
My favourite site was the River Walk, very relaxing and quiet. Lots of various cave tours and natural formations to see. You can also go spelunking on some of the tighter cave tours or take a leisurely stroll around the area, exploring on your own.
enjoy.
Rob
PS. Thanks to our terrific Aussie friends, Dave Simmons for letting us know about the area and taking us up there ! and Sandi & Tony Whalan for filling us in on the history of the area.
(Tony is related to one of the original explorers who found the Jenolan area. The "lan" in the last part of the name "Whalan" is used in the naming of the area: Jeno-lan.)
(Note: This video is not to be used for any Commercial purposes unless permission is given by me.)
Part 1 of 2
Part 2 will take a look at inside some of the Caves and rock formations.
We stayed at the Mountain Lodge for a couple nights - but in hindsight we should have spent at least another day there. There is a lot to see and do. Here is the link to the accommodations: www.jenolancaves.org.au/accomm...
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Brief History of the area see the following link:
monumentaustralia.org.au/theme...
"For thousands of years, the Jenolan area has been part of the culture of local indigenous peoples. The area holds significance to the Gundungurra people, who knew it as 'Binomil' or 'Bin-oo-mur'. In approximately 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.
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. The name "Jenolan" comes from the Gundungurra word, "Genowlan", for a "high place shaped like a foot"."
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Words on the Commemorative Metal Tablet at approx. 3:06 in the video:
JENOLAN CAVES
KNOWN TO THE ABORIGINES AS BINOMEA
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED TO COMMEMORATE THE DISCOVERY
OF THE MORE IMPORTANT CAVERNS AND AS A PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE WORK OF THE PIONEERS WHO BOUGHT TO LIGHT THE HIDDEN BEAUTIES OF THESE WONDERFUL CAVES
- NAMELY -
GRAND ARCHWAY. J WHALEN. 1841.
LUCAS CAVE.N.WILSON. G WHALAN. G.FALLS 1858.
IMPERIAL CAVES. J.WILSON 1879.
ALADDIN CAVE.F.J.WILSON. 1897.
TEMPLE OF BAAL. J.C.WIBURD & J. EDWARDS.1903.
ORIENT CAVE. J.C.WIBURD. & J.EDWARDS. 1904.
- AND TO -
OLIVER TRICKETT.L.S.M.S. WHOSE SURVEYS
AND PLANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO
THEIR DEVELOPMENT .
UNVEILED BY
PROFESSOR SIR EDGEWORTH DAVID.K.B.E.,D.S.O.
ON 23RD FEBRUARY 1929
T.R.BAVIN
PREMIER AND CHIEF SECRETARY
15 янв 2014
