Adventures of The Tablelands Way experience

Adventures are the best way to encounter the natural beauty of The Tablelands region. They take you deep into beautiful natural settings, such as karst caves, forests, iconic walking trails, rivers, fire trails, canyons and gorges. Tablelands adventures range from adrenaline packed canyoning to leisurely strolls to its many lookouts.

Mountain bikes are an ideal way to experience the Tablelands region. There are thousands of kilometres of fire trails in the national parks of The Tablelands Way experience, as well as forests open to mountain bikes. The Bicentennial National Trail, perfect for mountain bikes, can take you on an alternative off road journey, through forests and farmland from the northern to the southern tip of your Tablelands journey.

The beauty encountered by adventurers in the Tablelands region is world famous. Sweeping panoramic views, towering sandstone cliffs, valleys soaked in mist, cascading waterfalls, remnant rainforests, fern gullies and the diversity of eucalypt forest reward those who venture in. Lyrebirds, kangaroos and beautiful flowers are often spotted by bushwalkers. Those who camp in the bush overnight are likely to encounter the possums and gliders in the treetops.

The Tablelands region is a canyonists paradise. Canyoning involves a combination of abseiling, swimming, rock climbing, liloing, navigation, bushwalking and sometimes even mountain biking. There are a range of canyons to suit all ages and levels of fitness and expertise. Canyons can be found in Wollemi National ParkKanangra-Boyd National Park, Blue Mountains National Park, Gardens of Stone National Park, Bungonia State Conservation Area and Newnes State Forest.

Unless the area is familiar to you, we recommend that you plan your adventures with the help of one of The Tablelands region’s Visitor Information Centres

Mudgee Adventures

Canoeing at Dunns Swamp

Just outside of Mudgee, in Wollemi National Parklies Dunns Swamp. It is one of the most popular bush camping spots in the region. Dunns Swamp is ideal for families, and is a great spot for bushwalking, swimming, canoeing, camping, liloing, bird watching, fishing and picnicking. The area is surrounded by stone pagodas and is inhabited by platypuses and kangaroos. Just a short walk away is an aboriginal site, which features hand stencils dating back 7,000 years.
 

Lithgow Adventures

Slot canyons

Slot canyons have deep, dark and moist sections with widths as narrow as 1m. For those who venture in there are water jumps, tunnel swims, and abseils of around 20m. The slot canyons in the Tablelands area run in a band, 30km east to west and 100km south to north. The majority of these canyons are in the Wollemi wilderness and are difficult to access. Only a limited area has been extensively canyoned.
 

The main areas for canyoning inside Wollemi are downstream from Newnesand Glen Davis, and on the surrounding tops. Many other easily accessible canyons lie in the Newnes State Forest area.

Mountain bike riding

The Glow Worm Tunnel to the <Wolgan Valley AT-A2> provides one of The Tablelands Way experience’s best mountain bike rides. You begin the ride by exiting the campground, heading to the Glow Worm Tunnel and then following the old railway line. It is a day ride, and there is the option of detouring to the Lost City, a collections of dramatic stone pagodas which look like the relics of an ancient civilization.
 

Visting the glow worms

The Glow Worm Tunnel is an abandoned railway tunnel. Glow worms thrive in dark damp places. The degree of darkness makes this tunnel one of the best places to see them. The glow worms spin snares of threads to trap insects which have been attracted to their blue glow. The walk along the railway formation to the <Glow Worm Tunnel> reveals a wonderful display of large tree ferns and creepers.
 

Oberon Adventures

Mountain bike ride

The 3 day ride from Kanangra Walls to Mittagong is one of the iconic mountain bike trips of The Tablelands Way experience. It is a spectacular journey through Blue Mountains wilderness.
 

Lookouts

The lookout at Kanangra Walls is one of the great views of The Tablelands Way experience. The ‘walls’ are orange-grey sandstone cliffs, which look down on Kanangra Creek below. Waterfalls cascade from nearby plateaux. Kanangra Walls is the starting point for many walks including the Lookout Walk, Plateau Walk and Waterfall Walk, all with spectacular views.
 

Bushwalks

Many of the key bushwalks in Kanangra also start from the Kanangra Walls. Routes lead out along the Gangerang Range to Mount Cloudmaker. This is the starting point for the Kanangra to Katoomba bushwalk, one of The Tablelands Way experience’s ‘must do’ walks. On this walk you will encounter many waterfalls, follow the up and downs of Rip, Rack, Roar and Rumble peaks, and see the red glow of Thurat Spires in the morning light. When you reach Mount Cloudmaker you will find a log book on top of the summit cairn to record your visit.
 

Waterfall canyoning

Open canyons are typically found in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park. They often include abseils (up to 60m), climb downs and water jumps. Kalang Falls and Kanangra Falls are two of the most popular waterfall canyons and are only a short distance from Kanangra Walls.
 

Jenolan Caves Adventures

Show caves

Just descending into the inky depths of a cave is adventure enough for a lot of people. Jenolan Caves are the oldest open caves in the world and are considered by many to be the most beautiful. Crystal chandelier formations and gothic spires of stalagmites and stalactites combine with aqua blue rivers and underground streams so pure they appear invisible, to create an underground world where nature is stranger than fiction. Visit the Temple of Baal and the Orient cave to see the magnificence of nature, 350 million years in the making.
 

Adventure Caving

Sliding through s-bends and crawling through ancient pathways provide more adrenaline packed ways to experience the caves. Armed with headlamps and protected by overalls, knee pads and a helmet, you will discover an array of chambers, formations and colours. Abseil down onto cave floors and challenge yourself in some extraordinary squeezes and contortions to manoeuvre your way through the underground world.
 

Upper Lachlan Adventures

Wombeyan Caves

Bush camping

Wombeyan Caves differ from Jenolan Caves, in that much of the limestone landscape has metamorphosed into marble. Wombeyan Caves are set in a nature reserve, and the area is a haven for bush campers. Wombeyan is an ideal base for bushwalks, and in warmer months a spectacular limestone canyon is the perfect spot for swimming. At dusk you may encounter a rock-wallaby, as it comes out to feed.
 

Caving

The Wollondilly Cave is arguably the best of the 5 open caves at Wombeyan. The Kooringa Cave, with its outstanding collection of shawls and stalagmites, is also interesting. The guided ‘Heritage Tour’ offers visitors the chance to reconstruct the experiences of the early explorers, using torches rather than lights to see the caves.

Goulburn Adventures

Lookouts

Bungonia State Conservation Area is a perfect for those who love their adventures to come with a beautiful backdrop. Adams Lookout, which is accessible to people with disabilities, and Jerrara Lookout provide views over Bungonia Creek. It is also worth visiting The Lookdown, which provides a dramatic view of the gorge winding towards the Shoalhaven River.
 

Bushwalks

A two hour return walk to Jerrara and Bungonia Falls passes Bungonia Creek. The walk into the gorge, which includes fording streams, is more challenging. It is a 5 hour return journey and is suitable for people with high levels of physical fitness. There is also a more strenuous walk into the Shaolhaven River, which should only be undertaken by the most experienced walkers. If you venture into the Shoalhaven River you must check its ever changing water levels. High water levels may block your passage out of the gorge. Experienced cavers can enjoy the 190 caves in Bungonia. These caves are not managed by rangers and guides and only independent and highly competent cavers should venture within.
 

Country roads are often narrow and winding.
Bends and curves are often dangerous due to a build up loose dirt and stones.
Be prepared for changing road conditions and surfaces in wet weather.
Always drive to the conditions, which is not necessarily the posted speed limit.

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