Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve
Park closed for upgrades
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is closed until 30 June 2023 while we upgrade facilities in this park. Find out more about the improvements underway at Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve.
Overview
Take a guided tour of Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve’s caves. There are plenty of campsites and a couple of accommodation options – plan your weekend getaway now.
Read more about Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve
In 1865, Wombeyan became the first area in Australia to be reserved for the protection of caves and there are still structures dating from the early 1900's in some caves.
Today, Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve boasts some of NSW’s most impressive show caves, including Figtree Cave, widely regarded as one of the state’s best self-guided cave experience, and others that you can experience on a guided tour. Aside from the show caves, the reserve also has a few walks, including the Waterfall track that features scenic waterfall views and Mares Forest Creek track.
The reserve is an easy drive from Sydney, Canberra and Wollongong, so it’s a great place to escape to on a weekend getaway. You can bring your caravan, tent or motor home to camp out overnight or you can book into one of the cabins or the cosy Post Office Cottage. You might find you have some visitors to the campground; the kangaroos can be quite inquisitive.
Extra cave tours are scheduled for most public holidays and can be booked at the time of your visit.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/wombeyan-karst-conservation-reserve/local-alerts
Map
Map
Map legend
Contact
- in the Country NSW region
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Wombeyan Caves office
02 4843 5976
Contact hours: 9am to 4.30pm daily. Closed Christmas Day. - 41 Victoria Arch Drive, Wombeyan Caves NSW 2580
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Email: wombeyan.caves@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Wombeyan Caves office
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Oberon office
02 6336 6200
Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. - 38 Ross Street, Oberon NSW 2787
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Email: npws.kanangra@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Oberon office
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
From Sydney via Goulburn (3hr drive):
- Take the South Western Motorway to Goulburn
- From Goulburn, follow Tablelands Way through Taralga
- Take the Wombeyan Caves Road turnoff and drive for 23km (sealed and unsealed road)
From Sydney via Oberon (4hr drive)
- Take the M4 and Great Western Highway towards Lithgow
- Turn left onto Jenolan Caves Road, then after 23km turn right onto Duckmaloi Road
- From Oberon, follow Tablelands Way (all sealed)
- Take the Wombeyan Caves Road turnoff and drive for 23km (sealed and unsealed road)
From Canberra (2.5hr drive):
- Take the Federal Highway to Goulburn, then take Goulburn-Taralga-Oberon Road towards Taralga for about 45km
- Turn right into Wombeyan Caves Road and continue driving for 23km (sealed and unsealed road)
From Wollongong (3hr drive):
- Take the Princes Highway towards Sydney
- Turn off at the Picton Road exit and follow around 27km then take the Hume Highway towards Goulburn
- From Goulburn, follow Tablelands Way through Taralga
- 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.
Please ensure you have refuelled your vehicle as there is no petrol station at Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve.
Parking
- Kui Kiosk See on map
- Wombeyan picnic area See on map
By bike
Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.
By public transport
For information about public transport options, visit the NSW country transport info website
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
Amenities
Toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
Cafe/kiosk Show more
- Kui Kiosk
- Post Office Cottage
- Wombeyan Caves cabins
- Wombeyan Caves campground
- Wombeyan Caves dormitories
- Wombeyan picnic area
Drinking water Show more
- Kui Kiosk
- Post Office Cottage
- Wombeyan Caves cabins
- Wombeyan Caves campground
- Wombeyan Caves dormitories
- Wombeyan picnic area
Public phone Show more
- Kui Kiosk
- Post Office Cottage
- Wombeyan Caves cabins
- Wombeyan Caves campground
- Wombeyan Caves dormitories
- Wombeyan picnic area
Showers
Electric power
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
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.
Nearby towns
Taralga (26 km)
Many of Taralga's existing buildings date from the 1860s to the 1890s, and most of them consist of stone from local volcanic supplies. This has resulted in an architectural style unique to Taralga that is somewhere between Georgian and Victorian, giving the town a unique and picturesque aesthetic.
Crookwell (64 km)
Situated high on the Great Dividing Range more than 900 m above sea level, the area experiences four distinct seasons and is ideal for growing disease-free seed potatoes, making it a key supply area to Australia's potato-growing regions. Every March, the region celebrates the industry with the Crookwell Potato Festival.
Goulburn (72 km)
Named after Henry Goulburn - the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Goulburn developed into a major centre for wool, and in 1863, it became Australia's first inland city. Today, the town is a rich hub of history, discovery and natural beauty.
Learn more
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:
On show
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.
Life in the air
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.
Aboriginal connections
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.
Plants and animals you may see
Animals
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Education resources (1)
What we're doing
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents. Here is just some of the work we’re doing to conserve these values:
Understanding landscapes and geology
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve values the protection and conservation of biodiversity, land and native vegetation. Ongoing initiatives are carried out within this park, and are designed to deliver important landscape connectivity conservation outcomes.
Preserving biodiversity
Biodiversity is integral to Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, and the reserve’s native flora and fauna communities – including threatened species – are carefully protected. Pest management and weed control programs are in place in this park and are implemented with minimal disturbance to the area’s special karst environment.
Managing weeds, pest animals and other threats
Pests and weeds have a significant impact to the ecosystems within Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. NPWS carries out risk assesments for new and emerging weeds as well as wild dog control to protect biodiversity in this conservation reserve.
Developing visitor facilities and experiences
NPWS is committed to providing its visitors with clear, accurate information. The directional signage and interpretive material displayed in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is regularly reviewed, ensuring the public is aware of the unique requirements of visiting this delicate area. NPWS regularly maintains its visitor facilities, and management programs are ongoing in this reserve.
Conserving our Aboriginal culture
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve ensures all Aboriginal sites within its borders are protected and preserved. NPWS collaborates with the Pejar Local Aboriginal Land Council on Aboriginal site management and interpretation, and sites are regularly inspected and maintained. Development decisions are made with the goal of minimal impact and least proximity to Aboriginal sites. Research into Aboriginal culture is ongoing in this park.
Managing fire
NSW is one of the most bushfire prone areas in the world as a result of our climate, weather systems, vegetation and the rugged terrain. NPWS is committed to maintaining natural and cultural heritage values and minimising the likelihood and impact of bushfires via a strategic program of fire research, fire planning, hazard reduction, highly trained rapid response firefighting crews and community alerts.