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Jenolan Caves has an historical society (Jenolan Caves Historical & Preservation Society. See their website.
Jenolan Caves were known to the local Aboriginal population for many thousands of years as Binoomea, "Dark places". European involvement in the area began in 1838 with the first recorded discovery by a local pastoralist James Whalan. According to legend however, Whalan was not the first European to set eyes on the caves, with that honour going to James McKeown, an ex-convict and possibly an outlaw, reputed to have been using the caves as a hideout.
James Whalan and his brother Charles were responsible for the discovery of several openings over the succeeding years, with the Elder cave, being discovered in 1848, the first "dark cave" explored. In 1860 the Lucas cave, largest of the current show caves, was discovered by Nicholas Irwin and George Whiting. It was not until 1866 however that the caves were brought under direct government control. In 1867, Jeremiah Wilson was appointed as "Keeper" of the "Binda", or "Fish River" Caves, the Aboriginal word Jenolan ("high mountain") not being adopted until 1884.
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Despite government control, the caves initially enjoyed little protection. Visitors in the early years were free to break formations and take souvenirs from the caves; damage visible today in caves including the Elder and Lucas. It was not until 1872 that this practice became illegal, thanks largely to the efforts of John Lucas, the local member of Parliament. The Lucas Cave bears his name to commemorate his part in the preservation of this fragile and irreplaceable environment. |
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In the 1880's Jenolan began to emerge as a genuine tourist destination. Jeremiah Wilson, an extraordinary caver, had pushed to the end of the Elder Cave and in 1879 descended a shaft and rockpile to discover the Imperial Cave. This was soon followed by the discovery of the "Left Imperial" in 1880 (renamed the Chifley Cave in 1952 after Prime Minister J.B. Chifley).
Development within the caves, which included pathways and the protection of formations, began, an accommodation house was constructed and in 1887 permanent electric lighting was installed. Wilson was to continue his exploration, discovering the Jersey Cave in 1891 and the glorious Jubilee Cave in 1893. The present day Caves House was constructed in 1898 after fire partially destroyed the original buildings. |
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By the turn of the century Jenolan was a well established and thriving tourist destination, however some of the greatest discoveries were yet to come. In 1903 James Carvossa Wiburd was appointed Superintendent of Caves, initiating one of the most sustained and successful periods of exploration. Wilson had concentrated his efforts in the northern limestone, Wiburd, along with Jenolan guides Jack Edwards and Robert Bailey, were to push ever deeper into the caves south of the Grand Arch. The River and Pool of Cerberus Caves were discovered in 1903. In 1904, the Temple of Baal, Orient and Ribbon Caves. The time and energy involved in these discoveries cannot be overstated, and as had been the case with Wilson, the exploration was made solely by candlelight. The discoveries made by Wiburd truly elevated Jenolan to the status of a world class cave system with the opening of the River (1904), Temple of Baal (1909) and Orient (1917) as show caves. |
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The history of Jenolan and the exploration of the caves is, of course, far from complete. The guiding staff continued to push beyond the known boundaries of the cave system, producing such memorable discoveries as that of the Barralong Cave in 1963 by guides Ron Newbould and John Culley. In more recent years an increasing amount of exploration has been completed by registered speleological societies which included the discovery of the Spider Cave in 1975.
The often asked question "How many caves have not yet been discovered" is of course as unanswerable as ever, but the potential for further exploration is enormous.
Today Jenolan is the most popular tourist destination in country NSW, with over 250,000 visitors annually enjoying the wonders of the eleven show caves, and an ever increasing number entering into the world of adventure caving.
Work at the caves continues with major upgrading of the show cave system and the visitor precinct. Over 160 years since the first Europeans travelling the valleys stumbled upon the vast openings of the Grand Arch and the Devil's Coachhouse the magic of Jenolan is still leaving its mark on visitors as a place as timeless as it is unforgettable. |
 Jenolan Caves has an historical society (Jenolan Caves Historical & Preservation Society. See their website. |
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