Jenolan Caves

Cerberus Cave

Pool of Cerberus Cave

Useful Information

Location:	182 km west of Sydney. Right side of Grand Archway.
Open:	All year Sat 10:45. [2009]
Fee:	Adults AUD 40. [2009]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Electric.
Dimension:	L=20,000 m, VR=200 m, A=790 m asl, T=16 °C.
Guided tours:	D=90 min, L=1,017 m, St=722.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust, P.O.Box 1495, Bathurst. NSW 2795. Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust, Littlebourne St, Kelso (Bathurst) NSW 2795, Tel: (063) 32 5888 (office), Fax: (063) 32 9399 Jenolan Caves, Jenolan Caves. NSW 2790, Phone: (063) 59 3311, Fax: (063) 59 3307
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1903	discovered by James Carvosso Wiburd and J. Edwards.

Description

Cerberus Cave is one of the long tours and with more than 700 steps a little strenuous. The cave is very well decorated and thus a highlight for the connoisseur.

The cave is entered from Lucas Cave, through a river cave section called River Styx. The cave river was named by James Carvosso Wiburd, a former keeper of this cave, obviously inspired by Greek mythology. The low passage shows the remains of floods, which happen here regularly. The Main Chamber of the Cerberus Cave contains the two highlight of the tour. The Bath of Venus is a small pool of water with a solitary stalagmite on one side, resembling Boticelli's famous painting. The Pool of Cerberus is a large underground lake, illuminated from below it shows the typical green glow of carbon rich water.

The tour continues through the Low Tunnel, full of delicate formations including helictites and aragonite. The narrow passage allows a close up inspection of the speleothems. At the end of the passage is a display of a wallaby skeleton. It shows that this part of the cave once had a connection to the surface. There is a blocked passage leading to the Grand Arch.