EXPERIENCES IN CAVE MANAGEMENT OF THE N.S.W. DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
From time immemorial caves have attracted man. The unusual formations, the menacing narrowness and the dim insufficient light, become through the force of imagination part of a mysterious, almost magical and sometimes sinister whole. There is a natural law in man which dictates that he should strive after knowledge, advance with inquiring mind into new territory, whether it be spiritual or material; and cave research is one element of man's desire to know and understand his environment.
Under the earth's crust there exists an enormously great world where secrets await their unveiling, and speleology is a branch of science which opens up this world to provide revelations of chronological, geological and sociological importance. These facts are well known to you here today, for as speleologists you must be aware of a sense of adventure and discovery which prompts your explorations. These underground wonders, however, belong to all men, and after the initial discovery and surveying of caves have been completed the public at large is entitled to share in the beauties below, even if only to a limited extent.
At this point I begin to involve the Department of Tourism, for I am sure that you will agree some sort of regulatory authority is required if these underground treasures are to be preserved and not defaced and if proper safety measures to visitors are to be instituted and maintained.
This authority need not, however, necessarily be the Department of Tourism and indeed, it might be that some time in the future National Parks and Wildlife Service will assume control of all caves reserves in New South Wales. But at the moment the Department of Tourism controls reserves at Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service controls and manages the limestone caves at Yarrangobilly. Other cave systems which have been developed and are open for public inspection in NSW are at Wellington, and at Wee Jasper, near Yass. These caves are controlled and managed by the local Shire Councils, namely Wellington and Goodradigbee respectively.
Today, I will be concerned mainly with the management of these three reserves, that is, Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie. However, it does seem appropriate first to touch on the legislative history of these caves.
It is interesting to note that the first government action towards the preservation of caves came in the Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861, in which 6.5 square miles of the old county of Westmoreland were reserved from sale by the Department of Lands until surveyed for the preservation of water supply or other public purposes. This also allowed for the preservation of Wombeyan Caves and Fish River Caves, as the Jenolan system was then known. The name was changed to Jenolan in 1884, as that was the district's new parish name. A further Crown Lands Act in 1884 withdrew the two reserves containing Abercrombie from annual lease for the preservation of caves. Also under this Act and the Public Trust Act of 1897 notification was made by the Department of Lands setting the Jenolan and Wombeyan Caves Reserves apart from any original conditional purchase or lease. Trustees were also appointed at this time. They took over management from the Governor. It was not until 1919 that Yarrangobilly Caves were withdrawn from a licence held by the Commercial Banking Co. of Sydney. This withdrawal again was aimed at the preservation of caves and the land became reserved from sale and exempted from licence or lease.
Two years later an additional 1,300 acres surrounding the caves at Yarrangobilly were withdrawn. Finally, in 1931 these reserves were gazetted as areas for public recreation.
This is a brief history of the legislation which set up reserves at the significant caves areas in NSW. However, the initial development of all these sites was largely of a private nature. The control of the caves at Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie has passed through various Government Departments, such as Lands, Mines and Railways; however, these caves were always administered by the Government Tourist Bureau, which itself since 1946 has formed part of the NSW Department of Tourism. Although the NSW Government Tourist Bureau, or more correctly, the Department of Tourism, is directly responsible for the operation of the caves and the improvements on the reserve, the land comprising the reserve is vested in terms of the Crown Land (Consolidation) Act in the Minister for Lands (who at the present time happens to hold the Tourism portfolio) However, the Minister for Lands at various times has arranged through Executive Council Minutes addressed to the Governor of NSW for the control and management of the reserves involved to be exercised through a Trust. This Trust comprises ex officio Trustees from the Department of Tourism nominated and approved by the Minister for Lands and appointed by the Governor. These Trustees have previously comprised the Minister for Tourism (while holding that portfolio), the Director and the Deputy Director from the Department (while holding those offices).
At the present time because the Minister for Tourism is also the Minister for Lands he is not a Trustee. The Trust is a comparatively dormant one, and the only real activity in which it becomes involved is the consideration of regulations proclaimed under the Public Trusts Act for the control, management and preservation of the limestone caves on reserves at Jenolan, Wombeyan and Abercrombie. These regulations are, of course, most important, as they prescribe what the public may or may not do while on the reserves. They also empower the Director of Tourism to fix admission times and charges for accommodation at Jenolan Caves House. A penalty is prescribed for any person found guilty of breaching the regulations. Any person committing a breach of the regulations is liable to a fine not exceeding $100.
Funds necessary for the operation and development of the reserves are provided from within the annual Departmental Consolidated Revenue and General Loan Fund Appropriations. The Minister, acting on the advice of the Director, approves fees and tariffs, etc and all revenue accruing from the caves resorts is paid into the Departmental Consolidated Revenue Collections Account and is remitted together with other Departmental earnings to the State Treasury.
For a time the Government and its resorts were operated as State Industrial Undertakings. This was from 1928 to 1936, although this type of operation conferred a great deal of autonomy it also contained the disability that the Bureau and its resorts were expected to operate and be developed from within their own financial resources. It was ultimately considered by the Government of the day that the disadvantages of such an arrangement outweighed the advantages and on the 1st of July, 1936, the Bureau and its resorts were reorganised as a sub Department under the Chief Secretary's department. They were brought under the immediate supervision of the Department of Railways on the 1st of January, 1938, and finally in 1946 - the first of July to be precise - were placed under the Department of Tourism (Tourist Activities as it was then known) under the control of a Minister.
It is the Department's policy to operate the three caves resorts to allow maximum use by the public, at the same time ensuring that a proper balance is maintained on the preservation and conservation side. At Jenolan Caves accommodation is provided for visitors who want to stay in the area. Built on generous and far-sighted lines in 1898, Caves House was extended in 1909 and again in 1918, and improvements are continually being made. It has a maximum accommodation capacity of 150 guests, and this is fully taken upon most weekends and during holiday periods. Tariffs are kept at a reasonable level. Currently they are $14 a day inclusive of all meals for rooms with private bath and shower and toilet facilities, and $10 a day for other rooms. Tariffs are of course reviewed from time to time and I should mention because of recent increases in operational costs we are currently conducting a review. But I should hasten to add whatever increases are determined will be kept as low as possible having regard to all circumstances.
For some years now, the Department has had an arrangement with the NSW Department of Education whereby school students are granted leave of absence to visit Jenolan on a two-day tour through the week. Charges for these tours are kept as low as possible, special concession rates being charged for accommodation and caves inspections. However, apart from its educational value Jenolan is attractive to many people who appreciate the quietness and serenity of Caves House and the area generally. We have had to reach a compromise between our desire to have as many school children visit the caves as possible on educational tours and our adult guest's desire to relative peace and quiet. We have therefore restricted the size of school tour parties to 50. Nevertheless, the visitation by school tour parties has been maintained at a satisfactory level. During the past 5 years it has been:
1968- 52 schools provided 2778 children: 1969- 62 schools providing 3458 children: 1970- 79 schools providing 4430 children: 1971- 79 schools providing 4366 children; and 1972- 98 schools providing 4393 children.
To date this year 1913 children from 46 schools have visited Jenolan on these tours, and a further 1884 children from 42 schools have been booked. We are still arranging bookings for 1973.
While as a matter of policy we provide hotel accommodation at Jenolan Caves we do not do so at Wombeyan or Abercrombie. In fact, there has been no real demand for such accommodation at those resorts and we have promoted their use by day visitors and by tourists who wish to pitch a tent or live in a caravan. For that reason we have developed camping and caravan areas at both places.
The department has endeavoured to maintain cave inspection fees at a reasonable level. At the present time at Jenolan we charge $1 for admission to caves where paths of access are restricted and inspections parties are limited , and we charge $0.70 for the other larger caves. At Wombeyan and Abercrombie we charge $0.70. Children visiting the caves and day visitors from schools, of as members of educational parties from welfare homes, etc, are allowed cave inspections at one quarter rates.
Visitation at all our resorts has continued to increase over the years. At Jenolan admissions to caves over the past five years have been: 1968- 172,124; 1970- 183,816; 1971- 203,257: and 1972- 212,171. In 1950 83,247 persons had cave inspections. Although our population is now greater, private cars more numerous, holidays more generous and society is more affluent the figures must express tourist satisfaction with the resort.
Visitation at Wombeyan and Abercrombies has also continued to increase. At Wombeyan in 1965 16,104 visitors were admitted to the caves; in 1972 there were 29,005. Similarly, at Abercrombie the figures were 8,414 and 9,896 respectively. At Wombeyan admittedly the access roads have been improved and a new and costly bridge erected across the river at Goodman's Ford. The bridge was erected in 1967 at an approximate cost of $95,000. But again we must be satisfied that the increase in popularity of these resorts must be largely due to the manner in which they are conducted and credit must be given to the officers in the Department concerned with their operations.
At Jenolan in particular credit is due to the Manager, Mr Onorato, and the Senior Guide, Mr Harma, who have occupied their positions since 1954 and 1955 respectively. At Wombeyan credit must be given to the Superintendent, Mr Knox who is carrying on the good work of his predecessor Mr Coops. At Jenolan tribute should also be paid to Mr Joe O'Connor who was Senior Guide from 1946 to 1955.
The growth in popularity has of course brought with it the need to improve and further increase the facilities at resorts. At Jenolan Caves, Caves House, always well maintained, underwent an overhaul during the 1950s and 1960s and this work is continuing. In 1958 a new refreshment kiosk was completed, a staff recreation hall was erected in 1962, staff quarters were improved, six new cottages were constructed. A new ticket office and Guides Office and Change Room were constructed in 1963. In the caves themselves improvements have been made to the wiring and lighting. The Jubilee Cave which had been closed for a number of years was rewired, new paths and fences were constructed and it was reopened to the public in 1971.
Carparks have been constructed, providing a total capacity of 450 cars. This latter work was not easy to undertake as it involved the concrete covering of drainage canals, filling and levelling, sealing and the construction of new toilet facilities at each park. The work on these carparks was completed in 1967 at a total cost of $140,000.
Despite the provision of these carparks, we are still confronted with traffic and parking problems several days of the year. Of course, on these same days the traffic is choking up the Newcastle Expressway and the Princes and Hume Highways, but this does not prevent people who have had difficulty finding parking at Jenolan Caves on a fine sunny Easter Sunday from writing to the Department and to the Minister complaining of the density of traffic on the Mount Victoria road or of the fully occupied car parks they found when they arrived at Jenolan. And of course, we have to do something about remedying the cause of the complaints.
Work more recently completed includes the steam cleaning of the Orient Cave, the construction of four self-contained flats for staff, and the erection of a new Post Office and female toilet block. Work planned for the near future includes the installation of an additional water pipeline to the hydroelectric generating plant and modification of the generating system, the construction of additional staff cottages, extensions to the boiler house and the acquisition of new steam raising plant and the construction of a new laundry.
At Wombeyan improvements effected in the last ten years include the reopening of Fig Tree Cave which involved complete electrical rewiring and the construction of paths and fences etc. in the caves, the construction of a new Superintendent's residence and the construction of a new caravan park complete with an amenities block of the highest standard.
During the same period at Abercrombie Caves the new toilet and shower block was constructed at the camping /picnic area, a kiosk erected, new bridges and causeways constructed to improve access to the caves.
Apart from the direct expenditure in which the Department has been involved on these and other items of work, the Government has incurred other expenditures on improvements indirectly associated with the resorts. The bridge at Goodman's Ford on the road from Mittagong to Wombeyan I have already mentioned. In 1946 the road from the Great Western Highway to Jenolan Caves was virtually unsealed. Today it is fully sealed, and in carrying out this work the Department of Main Roads, which must be commended for its efforts, had to undertake realignment and drainage work of major proportions. It was of course a costly operation. Electricity has been laid on to the three caves reserves by the Southern Mitchell County Council in the cases of Jenolan and Abercrombie and by the Southern Tablelands County Council in the case of Wombeyan.
It can be seen, therefore, that the NSW Government has invested heavily in the development of the reserves. It seems assured that their control and management will remain in the hands of Government. Of course to the Department of Tourism there does not seem to be any other alternative. At Jenolan Caves the trading results after allowing amounts for the depreciation of assets have been as follows over the past five years: 1967-68 $14,725 profit: 1969-70 $31,016 profit: 1970-71 $33,905 profit: and 1971-72 $35,771 profit. Modest enough I suppose by present day standards but satisfactory when one takes into account the standards of service provided and the tariffs and fees charged.
Jenolan Caves is practically a self-contained village. It has a total staff establishment of 87. Twenty of this total are permanent offices appointed under the Public Service Act. Accommodation has to be provided at the resort for all of these officers and employees and, in the case of some, their families. The resort has its own water and sewage supply. It generates a significant part of the electricity it uses. It produces its own steam for heating purposes and condensate for hot water. Caves House operates its own laundry. The stores it consumes must be transported by road from Mt Victoria, Lithgow or Bathurst. There are of course some major problems associated with their operation, also with the control and management of the other two reserves.
Earlier today, some of you had a talk on the steam cleaning of caves and had an inspection of the Orient Cave. I am sure Mr Newbould would have outlined the problems which were confronted and would have told you how the Department went about solving them. He would have undoubtedly told you the difficulty we had in obtaining steam cleaning plant capable of doing the job in the unusual situation, that is working within the confines of a cave. We are pleased with the results achieved and we propose to continue the work in other caves. However, the cleaning of caves is one matter, another is trying to eliminate the source of pollution. Regrettably a contributing factor appears to be the operation of the boiler plant and the emission of soot and smoke from the chimney stack. We have the Department of Public Works examining this matter for some considerable time and now finally we are satisfied that it is necessary for the boiler plant to be replaced by newer, larger plant to avoid overloading and overstocking. This raises the problem of increasing the size of the boiler house. This can be done but the total cost of the acquisition of plant and remodelling of the boiler house will be about $65,000. When one considers that our total loan allocation for improvement in any one year runs at about $100,000, $65,000 is a significant item. In order to remedy one problem quite often it becomes necessary and costly to do a number of other things.
The caves reserves are comparatively large. Jenolan is 2470 hectares, Wombeyan 526 hectares and Abercrombie 44.15 hectares. As illustrated by the cave inspection figures I mentioned earlier the reserves are used extensively by the public. It is essential that the reserves be adequately supervised to prevent vandalism and breaches of the regulations. At Jenolan Caves we have a Reserve Overseer. His duties include responsibility for enforcing regulations regarding the protection of flora and fauna on the reserve. He is required to carry out a patrol through the reserve on an organised pattern. Incidentally, the reserves are proclaimed as wildlife refuges under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. All guiding staff and at Jenolan certain other permanent officers employed under the Public Service Act hold the following appointments: Special Constable in terms of the Police Offences Act, Honorary Ranger under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, Fire Patrol Officer under the Bushfires Act.
Within the reserve and in matters which concern their duties, special constables exercise and enjoy all powers, authorities, advantages and immunities and are liable to duties and responsibilities just as any other constable duly appointed has. Appointments I have mentioned empower the officer to enforce regulations under the Act, and thus assist in the control and management of the caves and caves reserve such as the protection of property and parking and traffic control on the roads and in the parking areas within the reserves. Breaches of regulations are reported to the Director, through the Manager or Superintendent. The Director carefully examines the circumstances and decides whether the matter should proceed further. If it is decided to proceed further by way of legal action, and this is invariably the situation, the matter is referred to the Police Department with a request of a prosecution be arranged by the Police Department with one of its prosecutors handling the case. It is usual for the information to be laid by the Officer of this Department who first recorded the breach and it is a practice that the information be laid at the Court of Petty Sessions nearest to the resort; that is, Bathurst in the cases of Jenolan and Abercrombie, and Goulburn in the case of Wombeyan.
Fortunately, breaches which warrant prosecution don't occur with great frequency. We would not average more than four or five a year. It is rare for the Department to be unsuccessful in a prosecution and during the past 15 years we have lost only two cases. After each conviction we endeavour to arrange as much publicity as possible both in local papers and in the Sydney press. We of course are more concerned in deterring breaches than prosecuting.
Apart from handling on our behalf cases relating to breaches of the regulations we receive other assistance from the Police Department. The Police Traffic Branch helps us in the handling of traffic during the very busy public holiday weekends, e.g. at Christmas and Easter. The Police are also called to assist when we have serious disturbances at the caves; these do occasionally occur. For instance a short while ago a group of motorcyclists descended upon Wombeyan. They were somewhat the worse for drink and created a nuisance by not parking in the proper place. They lit a fire contrary to the regulations and they caused some alarm and inconvenience to a group of campers. The Superintendent and three guides might have taken some strong action against the motorcyclists and would have been competent to do so in their official capacity as Special Constables. However, the wisest course was for the Superintendent to ask the Police for aid and he rang the police station at Taralga. Within a short time police from Mittagong, Taralga and Crookwell arrived. They handled a difficult situation very well and escorted the motorcyclists off the reserve and we had no more bother with that group.
The Department is satisfied that its special officers holding these offices for supervisory and regulatory purposes exercise their powers in a reasonable and restrained manner, without any show of aggression and with a sense of good public relations.
Finally on this subject of regulations and control there is no doubt that tourism and caving have a certain affinity. The wonders to be seen underground are certain to become a mecca for our visitors; our cave systems in NSW are, we believe, as fine as any overseas.
It is regrettable, however, that not all of the people are content to look and admire. Unfortunately man as well as having a desire for adventure and a thirst for knowledge, has a strong compulsion to leave a record for his progress behind and all too often places of great beauty have become scarred by defacement. In several important caves abroad it has become necessary to close them to the general public in the interest of preservation. However our caves here in NSW have escaped bad damage and in this we are fortunate that men in the earlier times saw fit to make certain that they were preserved for us. We have a responsibility to those that follow us to ensure that they can freely use and enjoy the wonders of our limestone caves.
Apart from the use of the caves by the general public the Department recognises that there is a special group of people in the community should be allowed to use the caves. These people are dedicated speleologists who formed themselves into societies with the general objective of engaging in caving activities. Members of the accredited speleological societies are permitted to carry out visits to the Caves under the control of this Department. These visits are subject to the conditions to ensure the safety of members of the visiting group, the avoidance of damaging caves and the formations in them, avoidance of any interference with members of the public in their inspection of the caves and there enjoyment of the surroundings areas, and the regulation generally of the conduct of members of these parties while present on the caves reserves. The conditions include:
- As mentioned, the group should come from an accredited society, i.e. one affiliated with the Australian Speleological Federation. In that regard the department should be furnished at least on an annual basis with a list of names of members of the society indicating the various office bearers within it.
- The object of the visit must be demonstrably scientific and
- The society concerned with the trip ensures that members of the group are experienced speleologists.
In addition the department requires that:
- The maximum number of persons in any one group is 12.
- The department is furnished with a list of names of persons in the visiting party. This list might now be given to the Senior Guide or the Superintendent as the case might be upon the arrival of the party at the reserve.
- The visiting party may include a number of persons not exceeding four who are prospective members of the society.
- The party is under the leadership of a fully experienced speleologist whose responsibility will be to see that members of the party observe all tenets of cave ethics as practised by caving organisations throughout the world, and
- Applications for approval to visit the caves should be lodged with the Department at least one week in advance of the date of the trip and is to be signed by the Secretary of the society concerned. The application should indicate the purpose of the trip.
The Department receives a number of requests from individuals and organisations such as the Boy Scouts and kindred bodies for approval to visit and explore the undeveloped caves but these are refused for obvious reasons.
The Minister for Tourism, Mr Lewis, who as I mentioned earlier holds the Lands portfolio and consequently is Ministerial head of the National Parks and Wildlife Service recently carried out an inspection of Jenolan Caves. On his return to Sydney he asked the Director to examine the question of preparing a long term overall management plan for the resort. His proposal is consistent with procedures which apply to the development and management of the major National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is probable that an outside firm of consultants will be commissioned to examine, prepare and report on a management plan, and the Department is currently considering terms of reference. The Department is hopeful that the acceptance by the Government of a well conceived plan will enable improvements to be made in a proper orderly fashion at a much faster tempo than has been possible in the past and this is said without reflection on any administrative procedures which exist or have been applied in the past.
In concluding I would like to quote from Mr Bruce Dunlop's booklet, "Jenolan Caves" a former science master in State High Schools, died last year with an almost life-long association with the caves. He worked as a casual guide at Jenolan from 1921 to 1926. He visited other caves in Australia and overseas and was well equipped to tell their story. He compiled a handbook for cave guiding staff we use as training aid. No doubt it can be claimed with complete justification that Mr Dunlop was biased. However, I have no hesitation in quoting a man held in such high esteem by the department.
Mr Dunlop said in his introduction to his booklet:
"Jenolan Caves is Australia's show-place and premier tourist resort of it's kind. It is a wild, easily accessible spot in a forest and mountain reserve, and it's limestone cave scenery is the best in the country richly endowed with caves. In N.S.W., which alone has thirty other systems, only Wombeyan and the remote Yarrangobilly Caves can approach Jenolan in quality, and in other states perhaps the Margaret River and Augusta Caves of Western Australia. The praises of the caves have been sung for a century. In one of the earliest accounts they are superlatively grand ...... indescribably magnificent, a stupendous piece of nature's architecture. It is enough to say that the caves are visited each year by many thousands of tourists and have a record of steady progress in fame and popularity that can accounted for only by great merit."
I am sure that when it came time for Mr Dunlop, friend and advisor to the department, to depart he left with a conviction that the caves were being reasonably well conducted and were at the same time being preserved for the use and enjoyment by future generations. I sincerely hope that you folk have the same impression when you leave this Conference.