Jenolan Caves

Lucas Cave

Useful Information

photography — Exhibition Chambers, Lucas Cave, Jenolan Caves, Australia. Public Domain.

Location:	4655 Jenolan Caves Road, Jenolan Caves NSW 2790. 182 km west of Sydney. Right side of Grand Archway. (-33.8194320, 150.0236098)
Open:	See mandatory online booking. [2023]
Fee:	Adults AUD 52, Children (4-15) AUD 37, Children (0-3) free, Family (2+2) AUD 160. [2023]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	LED
Dimension:	L=20,000 m, VR=200 m, A=790 m asl, T=16 °C. L=528 m.
Guided tours:	D=90 min, L=900 m, St=1,028, Max=60.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Jenolan Caves, 4655 Jenolan Caves Road, Jenolan Caves NSW 2790, Tel: +61-2-6359-3911, Tel: 1300-76-33-11. E-mail:
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

1860	discovered by Nicholas Irvin and George Whiting and named New Cave.
1860	opened to the public.
1866	Jenolan area declared a reserve to protect the caves, due to the efforts of politician John Lucas.
1892	passage from Grand Arch to Lucas Balcony discovered by F. Wilson.
1894	electric light.
1897	passage from Grand Arch to Lucas Balcony used as new entrance.
1901	short tunnel cut from Lucas Cave to Balcony.
SEP-2004	new light systems with energy-saving lamps.

Description

Lucas Cave is the most interesting cave at Jenolan. It is recommended to visit this cave if you do not have more time or do not want to visit more than one cave. It offers the biggest chamber of all Jenolan caves and a wider range of different speleothems. All in all a worthwhile visit of 90 minutes.

The tour starts with a 252-step stair climb, from the road through Grand Arch up to the cave entrance. In other words, half of the steps are actually outside the show cave. Nevertheless, this is a rather strenuous tour with many steps, but its definitely worth the effort.

The Cathedral is the highest chamber of this tour, and also the highest chamber of all Jenolan caves, 54 m high. It is sometimes used for weddings and for concerts, for example, by the Australian-born coloratura soprano Dame Joan Sutherland or the Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys Choir). The dates of the infrequent concerts are published on the official website of Jenolan. It was used for such purposes from the very beginning, so it has actually 160 years of history. Its acoustics is famous.

In the next chamber, the Exhibition Chamber, the most famous speleothem of the cave is located. It is just a common pillar or column, where stalactite and stalagmite have grown until they joined and formed a column from the ceiling to the floor. But this one is special as it is broken into two parts, with a rather wide gap in between, that’s why it is called Broken Column. The reason for the crack is most likely a movement in the debris it has grown on.

Lucas Cave was named after John Lucas. He was a local parliamentarian and was responsible for having a reserve declared in 1866 for the protection of the caves. The cave was named the Lucas Cave in recognition of his contribution.

The Jenolan cave system has a lowest level with a cave river, this section is called Underground River or Showcave River Cave. Here at Lucas was the only possibility to get a glimpse of this underground river. The blue-green water flows 20 m below the tour path, the gorge is crossed on a bridge. In the early days it was possible to make an underground boat ride. It seems this part of the cave is also connected to Imperial Cave, and it is now part of that tour.