Mon, 15th Dec, 2014 Wet Caves Reserve, Caveside

Overcast at 8am but by 9 the sky had cleared and the sun was warm and drying my washing. Relaxing outside with a cuppa, a little echidna wandered up from the creek and towards to truck heading under the washing and up the hill. So cute.

Clean up day ready to head into Deloraine tomorrow. Cleaned up Steve’s detecting fortune, $3.15. That should get us along way!!

Quiet day reading and going through the brochures I picked up at Deloraine. Steve reading Gem & Treasure and dreaming!!

What a beautiful day to get the washing done.

In the afternoon we put on our boots and were going to climb the hill to see if we can see the sink hole we had climbed through to the other day. A Victorian couple pulled in so we gave them a tour of the caves. Then another older couple came – busy times chatting!!!

Up the hill we went and found the sink hole.

Looking down at where we stood the other day.

The top was exposed rock formations.

Back down again. Look up at the path we took.

We followed the path around the base of the hill.

NPWS have done some tree planting here. There are heaps of sink hole indents in the farmer’s property next door. Suppose they could have been like that for the past 100 or 1000 years.

Found another deep opening that runs along in a straight line. Looks like cavers climb down but we won’t.

Further round and up the hill a bit on to a ridge between the long deep opening and a big crater area.

We could hear the river running beneath us. We are down about 30 feet from the surface.

 Looking further down into the crater.

Climbing down we looked in various openings. Didn’t bring our torch so the camera couldn’t get enough light in some areas.

Walked down further into an opening under the hill into the end of the long straight opening we saw from above before.

Steve said check this out. The opening continues into a very narrow crevice.

Straight ahead again and into another cavern where we could see through to light on the other side. Looks like it is well used by cavers.

Lovely and cold too – made our breath steamy. Did that the other day too but I forgot to say that so it is probably the standard 11 degrees.

Walked up the open crevice area.

Narrow crevices going off everywhere.

Peering through to light at the other end.

Back to where we had been standing before looking down. We can hear the river roaring down there somewhere. Looks like cavers climb down here too.

Steve peering into a crevice that runs from the other side right across to some light further in.

Looking from the outside at all the openings leading into the narrow crevices.

Back at the central opening looking back to the area of the big crater.

Decided to try my flash. Looking down into the crevices that go in all directions.

Looks like a lovely place for a picnic!!

Looking back into the opening – you can see the levels on the rock as the water slowly ate its way through this area. Wonder how many thousands of years ago it was.

Steve decided to peer into the first narrow crevice. It dropped down steeply and was too dark to see the bottom. Can’t hear the water this side.

Back out to the big crater and around the corner was another cave area. Could just hear the water here as it roars under the other side of the crater. Very fascinating. There are over 200 hundred caves around here but I don’t think we want to go into too many deep ones.

The other chap said there is a lady who takes people deep deep down that you need breathing equipment etc and this caving system runs all the way to Mt Field National Park.  So glad we decided to overnight here, it certainly has been a lovely spot and with the sun out again it is even better.

Turned on the TV to hear the news and sad to hear about the siege in Sydney.

Got some more firewood to have our last fire here before heading off tomorrow.  A couple in a lovely VW Combi joined us. They are from Hobart so enjoyed chatting with them about places to see etc.

Headed into the van about 9.30 and checked the thermometer as outside had gotten very cool with the lovely clear sky. It was 11 degrees, no wonder I was trying to crawl into the fire.

Took a photo of my fairy lights as it takes so long for the sun to set for my lights to come on.

Just as we were getting into bed, feeling safe in the farm land area, we heard gun shots. Steve said they were .22 and he said probably a farmer rabbit shooting but it was unnerving hearing about 10 shots ring out especially after hearing the news!! Shots stopped and we are ok.