\n The Jenolan Caves are around 164 kilometres from Sydney, in the
\n Blue Mountains. They are set in a valley on the far side of the
\n Great Dividing Range and 793 metres above sea level. I drove to
\n the Jenolan caves from Mt Victoria. The drive took far longer
\n than I anticipated because the road becomes increasingly windy,
\n with single lanes and passing places perilously close to sheer
\n drops. ![\"](\"\/\/globetrotters.co.uk\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/pictures\/2005\/2005-11-enews-image008.jpg\")
The drive
\n ends with a huge rock arch which you drive through, up a hill and
\n park up a hill the other side.\n <\/p>\n
\n The Jenolan Caves were known to the local Aboriginal population
\n for many thousands of years as Binoomea, meaning “Dark
\n places”. History has it that the first European to discover
\n the caves was the bushranger and escaped convict James McKeown. A
\n report in the Australian Argus newspaper sometime between 1838
\n and 1841 says: “James McKeown was an escaped convict…whose
\n presence on the main western road was for years excessively
\n irritating to the settlers, on whose stores he laid an oppressive
\n toll. Local pastor James Whalan set out to track McKeown and
\n followed him up hill and down dale for miles. ![\"](\"\/\/globetrotters.co.uk\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/pictures\/2005\/2005-11-enews-image009.jpg\")
After they
\n had covered about 20 miles the bushranger suddenly
\n disappeared…The tracks led up to a wild cavern and into
\n it…and burst again into open day, and the route lay along a
\n rugged gorge for some three miles. Here the bushranger again
\n disappeared…All about were evidences of careful cultivation,
\n the bushranger having laid out quite a nice little farm.
\n Satisfied that he had run down his bird, Whalan retraced his
\n steps…When he returned home he told his brother Charles of the
\n strange country he had wandered into. 'I have been through
\n the Devil's Coachhouse,' he said. Next day a party was
\n made up, and with the aid of troopers McKeown was captured. His
\n hiding place was a huge hole in the mountain-side, known now as
\n McKeown's Hole…McKeown lived to return from a long term of
\n exile on Norfolk Island and to re-visit the scene of his former
\n exploits.”\n <\/p>\n
\n There are 22 major caves in the Jenolan system. Of these, nine
\n are open for guided tours: the Imperial, Chifley, Jubilee, Lucas,
\n Pool of Cerberus, River, Orient, Temple of Baal and Ribbon. The
\n caves have strange features with odd names like 'Gem of the
\n West', 'Gabriel's Wing', 'Lot's Wife'
\n and the 'Bishop and Three Sisters.' You can also stay at
\n the caves, though out of the Beetle's price range, at the
\n Caves House, a really pretty looking building with cosy log
\n fires. ![\"](\"\/\/globetrotters.co.uk\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/pictures\/2005\/2005-11-enews-image010.jpg\")
\n <\/p>\n
![\"](\"\/\/globetrotters.co.uk\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/pictures\/2005\/2005-11-enews-image011.jpg\")
Jeremiah