Post Office Cottage

Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve

Affected by closures, check current alerts 

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Overview

Take a weekend getaway to Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. The park’s cosy heritage accommodation, Post Office Cottage is the perfect base for exploring the caves.

Accommodation Details
Accommodation type Cottage
Where 42 Victoria Arch Drive, Wombeyan Caves, NSW, 2580 - in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve
Bedrooms 3
Maximum guests 6
Facilities Barbecue facilities, cafe/kiosk, drinking water, public phone, showers, toilets
What to bring Bed sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases, towels, shampoo and soap
Bookings Book online or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757.
Please note
Book now

Book yourself into Post Office Cottage in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve for your own taste of Australian heritage. This cosy cottage is a great place for a weekend getaway exploring the caves and landscape of the park.

After a day of exploring the park in winter, you can warm up in front of the wood combustion heater or if you’re staying in summer, be sure to bring plenty of tasty supplies for a barbecue dinner in the garden.

Nature is all around you and the city is ages away, so kick back and relax with the animals and landscape of this special place.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Map


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Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

Local alerts

For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/accommodation/post-office-cottage/local-alerts

Bookings

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about Post Office Cottage.

Getting there and parking

The cottage is located in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, on Wombeyan Caves Road. If you're towing caravans or camper trailers or travelling via bus it's best to approach from Goulburn or Oberon.

An access code will be provided in your booking confirmation email. Use the code to open the key deposit box located at the cottage. Please return the keys to the deposit box on check out. Fees may apply for lost keys.

To get there from Goulburn (1hr drive):

  • Follow Tablelands Way through Taralga
  • Take the Wombeyan Caves Road turnoff and drive for 23km (sealed and unsealed road)

To get there from Oberon (1.5hr drive):

  • Follow Tablelands Way from Oberon (all sealed)
  • Take the Wombeyan Caves Road turnoff and drive for 23km (sealed and unsealed road)

Wombeyan Caves Road access via Mittagong is closed until further notice due to landslide damage.

Road quality

  • Mixture of sealed and unsealed roads

Vehicle access

  • 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

  • All weather

Parking

Guests must park in the office carpark, about 30m from the cottage. There is a foot access bridge to the cottage.

Best times to visit

There are lots of great things waiting for you in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Here are some of the highlights.

Spring

While the caves can be visited all year round, a trip to Wombeyan in spring is well timed to catch wildflowers in full bloom.

Summer

A great time for a weekend camping trip - pitch your tent, enjoy breakfast cooked on the barbecue and beat the heat with a dip in a natural swimming hole.

Winter

Take advantage of the cooler weather and book a weekend getaway at the historic Post Office Cottage. The wood heater will keep you warm all night.

Weather, temperature and rainfall

Summer temperature

Average

13°C and 26°C

Highest recorded

38.8°C

Winter temperature

Average

1°C and 11°C

Lowest recorded

-9.6°C

Rainfall

Wettest month

June

Driest month

April

The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day

174.2mm

Facilities

  • The cottage is self contained and fully furnished with 3 bedrooms, a kitchen/dining area, living room, indoor combustion heater, bathroom with shower and external toilet and laundry.
  • Bedding configuration: 1 double bed, 2 single beds and 1 single bunk bed.
  • Toilet paper is provided.
  • The kitchen includes gas stove, oven, full size fridge/freezer, electric kettle, toaster, microwave oven and all cooking and eating utensils.
  • There's a television and DVD player however there is no television reception. The laundry includes a twin tub washing machine and dryer.
  • Outside is a wood barbecue, picnic table and clothes line. Firewood is supplied over the winter months.
  • Please leave the cottage clean and tidy with all kitchen items washed up and put away. Additional fees may be charged if any unreasonable cleaning is required or for missing or broken items.
  • A rubbish bin is provided in the cottage kitchen and at the back door of the cottage for food scraps and general waste only.
  • There are no recycling facilities at Wombeyan Caves. Please take your recyclables home with you.

Toilets

  • Flush toilets

Barbecue facilities

  • Wood barbecues (firewood supplied)

Cafe/kiosk

You can buy basic food supplies at the kiosk. 

Drinking water

Public phone

  • There's a public phone next to the onsite office. The phone accepts both coins and phone cards.
  • There's no mobile phone reception in Wombeyan Caves but you might get mobile service about 2km away at the Goulburn exit.

Showers

  • Hot showers

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

Mobile safety

Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

Accessibility

Disability access level - no wheelchair access

Permitted

Generators

Please be considerate of your fellow campers if you're operating a generator. Please note that use is limited to between 8am to 10pm.

Prohibited

  • Noise limits apply from 10pm. Park Management reserves the right to insist that offensive or excessively loud music is turned off at any time if it's causing distress to other visitors.
  • You can only enter caves if you have a valid ticket or token and cave entry is not allowed outside normal business hours, 9am to 4pm. Entry to all wild caves (unmodified) is strictly prohibited unless you have an approved permit.

Camp fires and solid fuel burners

Fires are permitted in the indoor combustion heater or outdoor wood barbecue only. The construction of stone rings for fire places is prohibited.

Camping

Camping is permitted in the campground only, not beside the cottage.

Gathering firewood

Firewood may not be collected from the park, so you’ll need to bring your own supply. Some firewood is provided between April and October.

Pets

Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.

Smoking

NSW national parks are no smoking areas.

Learn more

Post Office Cottage is in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

Aboriginal connections

Rocky cliffs of Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Photo: Kevin McGrath

Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is located within the traditional land of the Gundungurra People, with the word Wombeyan coming from local language meaning 'grassy valley between mountains'. It's believed that Wombeyan Caves were part of an Aboriginal travel route that coincided with seasonal availability of food and the caves may have provided reliable shelter. The Dreamtime myth of Gurrangatch relates to the forming of Wombeyan and Jenolan Caves. The caves are said to have been formed during a contest between Gurangatch, a mythical being that was part fish and part reptile, and Mirragan, a legendary tiger cat.

Life in the air

The mountains and forests of Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Photo: Stephen Babbka

Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve plays a special role in the conservation of some of Australia's precious native flora and fauna. The moist forest that surrounds the park's creeks are home to superb lyrebirds, the eastern whipbirds and flycatchers; look for lyrebird scratches around on the forest floor. Keep your eyes in the sky around the park's rocky outcrops for birds of prey, including brown goshawks and wedge tailed eagles. You'll have to look particularly carefully to see a tawny frogmouth; their camouflage is excellent- staying very still and upright- you might mistake them as part of the branch.

  • Mares Forest Creek walking track Tracking through a marble karst area along a stream, Mares Forest Creek walking track in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Area takes you to Tinted Cave.
  • Victoria Arch walking track A short walk on Victoria Arch walking track, in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, takes visitors through the bush to a remarkable natural formation.

On show

Reflected waters of Coronation cave, Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Photo: Steve Babka

The limestone caves of Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve are between 400 and 430 million years old. The geological processes that have created the magnificent cave system you see today continue to work their magic; you'll notice the impressive cave decorations including stalactites and stalagmites that are created by the infiltration of water into the caves. Take a guided Discovery tour to find out more about the history and geology of the caves.

  • Dennings Labyrinth Explore Dennings Labyrinth in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve on this thrilling guided tour of the spectacular underground cave system.
  • Fig Tree Cave Be sure to take the self-guided tour of the impressive Fig Tree Cave while you’re at Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. The cave decorations are a sight to see.
  • Victoria Arch walking track A short walk on Victoria Arch walking track, in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, takes visitors through the bush to a remarkable natural formation.

Plants and animals you may see

Animals

  • Eastern bentwing bat. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Eastern bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis)

    In colonies numbering up to 150,000, eastern bentwing-bats congregate in caves across the east and north-west coasts of Australia. These small Australian animals weigh around 13-17g and can reach speeds of up to 50km per hour. Eastern bentwing-bats use both sight and echolocation to catch small insects mid-air.

  • Bare-nosed wombat. Photo: Keith Gillett

    Bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

    A large, squat marsupial, the Australian bare-nosed wombat is a burrowing mammal found in coastal forests and mountain ranges across NSW and Victoria. The only other remaining species of wombat in NSW, the endangered southern hairy-nosed wombat, was considered extinct until relatively recently.

  • Brush tail possum. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

    One of the most widespread of Australian tree-dwelling marsupials, the common brushtail possum is found across most of NSW in woodlands, rainforests and urban areas. With strong claws, a prehensile tail and opposable digits, these native Australian animals are well-adapted for life amongst the trees.

  • Eastern common ringtail possum. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)

    Commonly found in forests, woodlands and leafy gardens across eastern NSW, the Australian ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial. With a powerful tail perfectly adapted to grasp objects, it forages in trees for eucalypt leaves, flowers and fruit.

Environments in this park

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