LIMESTONE CAVES OF NSW

  ASHFORD CA VES From the Ashford Tourism website The Ashford limestone caves are located about 20km north-west of the town of Ashford, between Inverell and the Queensland border. What was once a crown reserve (set apart in 1915) is now part of the  Kwiambal National Park (pronounced Kiamble), best known for the spectacular  MacIntyre Falls , near which is a delightful camping area at Lemon Tree Flat. Picnic and toilet facilities are also provided at the caves. These caves are not in the same league as the well-known show caves at Jenolan, Wombeyan and Yarrangobilly, in fact there are very few speleothems  (decorations) to be found. What you will find is bats, guano (bat droppings) and a sense  of adventure as you explore the unknown (to you) cave system. If you would like to read a fascinating account of “ An Excursion to the Severn River and the Wallangra Caves ” dating from 1892 ( here ) you will appreciate that some things have not changed, but others have c...

ABERCROMBIE CAVES Image from NPWS The Abercrombie Caves are located about  70  km south of Bathurst. They lie on  Grove Creek,  a tributary  of the Abercrombie River.    The dominant feature is the archway through which Grove Creek passes. The Limestone Deposits of NSW (Lishmund et al) has this to say about the  geology of the area.   "The Abercrombie Caves limestone deposit is part of the Kildrummie Formation which here consists of quartz-rich slate and chert, thick limestone units, and thin horizons of  basic volcanics. The limestone is thickest near the arch at Abercrombie Caves where it is about 300 m thick. North and  south of the caves it decreases quite rapidly. "  F ossils within these strata date from the late Silurian period. As with most of the Lachlan fold belt, the folded strata and volcanics crop out in zones which run generally north-south. History of the area . The local indigenous people no doubt used the arc...

 2. LIMEKILNS NEAR BATHURST I have selected Limekilns for the first blog entry, as this appears to be the first place in NSW where a limestone cave was reported and explored (1821) . Previously,  explorer George Evans had observed and recorded the presence of limestone in several places near Canowindra (1816). The discovery of limestone was  significant because of its use in making mortar and for agricultural purposes. Previously, sea shells had been gathered in large quantities around Sydney and Newcastle, including from aboriginal middens, and roasted to make quicklime which was then "slaked" by  adding water  to produce slaked lime, usually referred to as lime. Limestone is essentially calcium carbonate and it is commonly derived from marine shellfish.  Fossils of these are frequently  found in limestone and associated sedimentary rocks. A little chemistry:   calcium carbonate  (calcite)  CaCO 3;   calcium ...