So, you’ve stumbled across the group grinning weirdoes at Market Day, and they’ve told you that this activity called caving is totally awesome, and that you should totally do it. Some eager committee member may have even have shoved a brochure or membership form into your hand, regardless of whether you wanted it or not. What on earth are they on about?
Caving is the activity of going underground into limestone caverns and having a great time. These caves are formed by water dissolving the limestone bedrock over thousands through millions of years, and come in a dazzling array of form. Some are large and walkable, others require crawling, some have free-climbing, and yet others need technical ropework to access. NUCC visits them all.
What all these caves have in common is that they require enthusiasm, energy and dedication to visit. These aren’t the tourist caves that you might have visited at Wombeyan or Jenolan, these are the wild caves that are one of the last frontiers of exploration on this planet. They will challenge you as you walk, crawl, climb and swim your way through them. But the reward is absolutely worth it.
The reward for this is seeing fragile calcite grottoes of cave formations that so very few people have ever, or will ever set their eyes upon. You will get to explore and understand an activity and environment that is totally unlike anything that exists above the surface of this planet. This will happen in the company of a great bunch of people who you can relax around the campfire with afterwards. To cap all this off, these amazing caves are set in the Australian bush, which is one of the most unique and diverse landscapes above the surface of this planet.
Caving is a fantastic and dynamic activity, so come and give it a go with NUCC!
