Jenolan Caves

Temple of Baal Cave

clear helictites in front of the red cave wall.

Useful Information

Location:	182 km west of Sydney
Open:	All year Mon-Fri 10:15, 16, Sat, Sun 10:15, 12:30, 14:30, 16. Additional tours during NSW school holidays and on some long weekends. [2009]
Fee:	Adults AUD 35, Children (6-12) AUD 25, Children (0-5) free, Family (2+3) AUD 80. Groups (+): Adults AUD , Children (3-18) AUD . [2009]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Electric.
Dimension:	L=20,000 m, VR=200 m, A=790 m asl, T=16 °C. L=150 m.
Guided tours:	D=90 min, L=365 m, St=288.
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: +61-63-32-5888 (office), Fax: +61-63-32-9399 Jenolan Caves, Jenolan Caves. NSW 2790, Phone: +61-63-59-3311, Fax: +61-63-59-3307.
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

1904	discovered by J. Wilburd and J. Edwards.
2006	state-of-the-art light and sound show inaugurated.

Description

clear bue helictites in front of red speleothems. huge patches of the cave wall are covered with this speleothems.

Temple of Baal Cave is a rather small cave, but it shows extraordinary helictites. Those strange speleothems are growing into all directions defying gravity. Helictites are found in this cave in both, great number and extraordinary size. Another highlight is the Angel's Wing, the largest shawl at Jenolan. Many speleothems in this cave are white, transparent, even blueish, which contrasts with the red iron-oxide rich clay which is found on all walls. It looks like pure, unspoilt crstals have grown out of the dirt.

The cave was named Temple of Baal Cave because of its overwhelming speleothems. Baal was an Canaanite fertility deity, worshiped between 3,000 and 2,000 BP. In the Bible, Baal was the Devil, and his priests were killed and his temples destroyed.

The tour has a unique highlight as the Temple of Baal, one of the largest chambers at Jenolan, is used for a sort of concert. During the tour music is played, while the visitors walk along and stop at five different points to see the cavern with the central Angel's Wing from various angles.