Wolgan Vista - Lithgow

The Tablelands Way experience travels up the western side of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area , which incorporates over 1,000,000 hectares including 550,000 hectares of wilderness. National Parks within the World Heritage Areas include the southern sector of Blue Mountains National Park, Gardens of Stone, Kanangra-Boyd, Wollemi and Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve. The Greater Blue Mountains received world heritage status on 29 November 2000 for its diversity of eucalypts and refugia of ancient plant communities including the Wollemi Pine. The area is also noted for its superlative beauty characterised by the blue haze of eucalypts set against the dramatic contrast of the world's finest display of sandstone plateaus, which tell the story of all aspects of the earth’s evolution. As a temperate environment, with easy access to wilderness areas, it is world famous for bushwalking and nature based recreation. Rich in cultural heritage, the area is the birthplace of the conservation movement in Australia and the traditional land of 6 aboriginal language groups.

For more information on this wonderful natural Australian asset visit:
http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/blue-mountains/index.html

 Limestone Caves

Broken Column Jenolan Caves

Jenolan Caves

 Jenolan is one of Australia's oldest tourist attractions, and one of its most cherished. At approximately 340 million years old, Jenolan is significantly older than any other open cave system in the world. There are 350 recorded entrances to the caves at Jenolan. It is believed that the complex is largely an interconnected system with different chambers, each one linked to another. Not all of the connections have been located, and caves and passageways continue to be discovered. 11 spectacular show caves, pure underground rivers and beautiful limestone formations give visitors a wonderful glimpse of this beautiful underground landscape. Follow this link for more information on Jenolan Caves:

http://www.jenolancaves.org.au

 Bungonia Caves

Bungonia State Recreation Area includes the spectacular limestone landscape of Bungonia Creek. The caves lie in steep cliffs and can be explored by well equipped and experienced cavers only. The Bungonia caves are among the deepest in Australia.

Wombeyan Caves

The Wombeyan caves date back from the Silurian period. An intrusion of igneous rock into the limestone, from which the caves are formed, metamorphosed into marble. This occurred in the late Devonian period (approximately 380 million years ago). This metamorphosis into marble is a significant difference from the better known Jenolan Caves. 400 cave entrances have been recorded at Wombeyan. The surrounding area is home to a 1.5km long limestone canyon. This canyon is actually a collapsed giant cave. It contains 8 spring water pools, one of which is 60m long and between 1m and 2.5m deep. In amongst the pools are big limestone boulders, which were formerly the roof of the cave. Local aborigines believed the caves were formed during a contest between a mythical being (part fish and part reptile) and a tiger cat.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHome.aspx?id=N0352

Abercrombie Caves

The Abercrombie Caves are made of Silurian limestone. They are the most accessible of the caves. The complex includes the popular Bushrangers Cave where the “Ribbon Gang” was captured. Grove Creek runs through the caves to form a 70m high waterfall a few kilometres downstream.

www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHome.aspx

Colong Caves

The Colong Caves lie within a magnificent outcrop of limestone on the Oberon Stock Route, on the road to Yerranderie. They were formed during the Silurian period. Environmentalists fought to protect the caves from mining in the 1960s. Today the caves are protected, and a permit to visit them is required by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

 The Greater Blue Mountains Drive

The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area has many different places that can be experienced in many different ways and the Greater Blue Mountains Drive is a great place to start. It comprises a core route that follows the arterial roads encircling the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

The Tablelands region shares many of the roads and experiences on offer throughout the Greater Blue Mountains Drive, while presenting a different perspective from which to connect with these. It is this diversity of experience - the way the same country can be appreciated from different points of view - that enriches any journey across the Australian landscape.

Branching off from The Tablelands Way experience are eight of the 18 Greater Blue Mountains Drive Discovery Trails:

• Wombeyan: a winding dramatic drive to the limestone caves and underground tours as well as camping at Wombeyan Caves.
• Yerranderie: visit this restored historic mining town and travel through some fine bushland areas.
• Jenolan/Kanangra: go underground on a guided tour at Jenolan Caves and then enjoy the Kanangra Walls on the brink of the wilderness.
• O’Connell/Tarana: beautiful highland countryside, where you can stop in at historic villages, country pubs and go boating at Lake Lyell.
• Wolgan Valley: travel down the mighty cliff bound Wolgan Valley to historic Newnes on the Wolgan River.
• Dunns/Capertee: an outback ‘big sky’ atmosphere with the weathered escarpments of Wollemi National Park and Gardens of Stone National Park winding around the rim of the valley.
• Mudgee: enjoy a drive through the open farmlands interspersed with forest and visit the wineries of Mudgee.
• Goulburn River: a circuit of the spectacular Goulburn River Country, on the southern edge of the Hunter Valley.

Follow this link to obtain more information on the Greater Blue Mountains Drive:

http://www.greaterbluemountainsdrive.com.au