9. KYBEAN CAVES


In 1890 the NSW Geological Survey appointed one of its geologists as "Inspector of Caves". This position lasted until 1914; the two men who filled it were WS Leigh and then Oliver Trickett. This was an active period or cave investigation, with new discoveries in the well known Jenolan, Wombeyan and Yarrangobilly cave systems. It was realised that cave tourism had become an important source of revenue.
Leigh and fellow geologist Robert Etheridge began to visit other places where caves had been reported to check out their potential. Amongst these were Belubula, Bendethera, Bungonia and Kybean.
Located in the far south east of NSW Kybean was a place hardly known at the time. Not much has changed and it is still off the beaten track.
This geological map comes from the 1892 report. You can find it in DIGS by searching for "Kybean Caves". Caves are shown by small circles and all are in the  northern part of the outcrops.
I was unable to locate and published images of the outcrops or the contents of the caves,
From the Annual Report of the Department of Mines and Agriculture 1891 page 281 by WS Leigh.
"Kybean Caves
After thoroughly exploring these caves, and obtaining a collection of fossil bones therefrom, it was thought advisable on account of their small extent to remove the man placed temporarily in charge. An
area of land embracing the limestone has been reserved."

From the Records of the Geological Survey of NSW Vol 3 1892-93 p 21


From a report on the limestone at Kybean by Dickson and Dawood (1969)
"The limestone is not very extensive but it has an extremely high calcium carbonate percentage. It's remote location and small size precludes mining at this time.
The rock is poorly fossiliferous, crinoid stem fragments being the most abundant. It has not been possible to adequately date the formation of the rock, all that has been concluded is that it probably formed between late Ordovician and lower Devonian time."

Song Studies. Bible studies based on hymns and songs
Shoalhaven District Geology.








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5. ROSEBROOK CAVES

Image
  ROSEBROOK CAVES                             The Rosebrook Caves have been formed in an extensive belt of limestone (the Bunyan Limestone) a few km north-west of Cooma in southern NSW. The caves described below are located in the northern part of the outcrop. Some of karst features in the limestone appear to be quite ancient. Fossils are relatively rare. The first mention of Rosebrook Caves that I have found was in the DailyTelegraph (Sydney) Tuesday 26th January 1892. " CAVES DISCOVERED NEAR COOMA , Monday.  Last week a few persons descended a hole on Rosebrook Station, six miles from Cooma, From Carne & Jones. The cave is under the M of "Woolumla" which has been known for years,in the hope of finding a cave. After descending about 60ft. they came to a chamber 30ft. high by 20ft. wide by 40ft. long. The cave was surrounded by splendid formations of stalagmites and stalactites, many of which were accidentally broken off. There is a considerable draught in the chamb
Read more

2 LIMEKILNS NEAR BATHURST

Image
 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 oxide (quicklime) CaO; calcium hydroxide   (slaked lime or simpl
Read more

3. ABERCROMBIE CAVES

Image
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 archway for protection against the weather and proba
Read more