Jenolan’s Nettle Cave re-opens after 74 years
For the last 74 years Nettle Cave at Jenolan Caves in NSW has remained behind closed doors. But now Nettle Cave has re-opened to the public with a new digital audio tour that allows visitors the opportunity to explore this cave on a self-guided basis.
This marks the first cave opening at Jenolan Caves since 1931 when the Ribbon Cave was opened. Together with the adjoining Devil’s Coach House, the Nettle Cave has been incorporated into a trail that can be followed using a digital handset. The handset allows visitors to hear explanations of geological features and historic aspects while exploring at their own pace.
The Nettle Cave features formations like stalactites and stalagmites and is home to wildlife including sooty owls. The cave is also one of just a few sites in the world where stromatolites grow. Shaped like the tail of a crayfish and named ‘craybacks’ by early visitors, the stromatolites are among the most ancient life-forms on earth, formed by colonies of cyanobacteria bonded with layers of calcite crystal.
For more information about visiting Nettle Cave at Jenolan Caves go to the Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust website.