Hampton to Jenolan Caves
158km to 181km from Sydney

Shortly after Hartley Historic Village - as you start to ascend River Lett Hill - turn left off the highway for a pleasant journey through rolling countryside to the national treasure of Jenolan Caves and beyond to the desolate Kanangra Walls.

After the picturesque hamlet of Hampton, there are some splendid views of the Blue Mountains escarpment to your left, before you start driving into the Jenolan State Forest and down through hairpin bends.

The hills on your left are called ‘Murdering Range’ (athletes in the annual Six Foot Track Marathon who cross these hills agree).

Now comes the famous Blue Pool, Grand Arch and Carlotta’s Arch - all guarding the entrance to the Jenolan Caves and grand old Jenolan Caves House.

Discovered by a convict bushranger in 1838, the caves have been a spell-binding part of the ‘Blue Mountains Experience’ for almost 160 years. The Aboriginal name for them was ‘Binoomea’ or ‘holes in the cliff’.

Around 450 million years ago when Australia’s eastern coastline was further inland, coral atolls developed around a series of partially submerged volcanoes. The coral became compressed and developed into Australia’s most spectacular limestone caves.

It wasn’t until 1867 that the Government appointed the now legendary Jeremiah Wilson as ‘Keeper of the Binda Caves’, later changed to Jenolan, which is Aboriginal for ‘high mountain’.

Please select to see what's close by
view accommodation
view restaurants & dining
view other business

 

Blue Mountains Grand Circular Drive
Penrith/Emu Plains to Lapstone ~ Glenbrook to Blaxland ~ Springwood & Valley Heights ~ Faulconbridge
Linden to Woodford ~ Hazelbrook/Lawson/Bullaburra ~ Wentworth Falls ~ Leura ~ Katoomba
Medlow Bath ~ Blackheath ~ Megalong Valley ~ Mount Victoria ~ Hartley & Hartley Historic Village
Hampton to Jenolan Caves ~ Oberon ~ Lithgow ~ Mount Wilson ~ Bells Line of Road
The Hawkesbury Richmond/Windsor ~ Bathurst/Mudgee & Beyond The Blue Mountains