Tuesday 21/10/2025 Borenore Access Road – Veranda Cave Track – Boree Creek – Tunnel Cave – Verandah Cave – Borenore Picnic Area – Arch Loop Track – The Arch
Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve
Orange, NSW
Wiradjuri Country (Wiradjuri people)
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)
We aimed for an early start for this walk with forecast high temperatures for the day. It was a 25-minute drive from Orange, and we arrived just after 8:00am to a locked gate! After a quick search of the website and a call to NPWS, it was clear that the gate would be open at 9:00am. We decided to walk the 1.2km to the start of the walk. It would be too hot to wait until 9:00am to start.
Max elevation: 752 m
Total climbing: 216 m
Total descent: -205 m
Average speed: 4.85 km/h
Total time: 03:54:19
It was a pleasant walk along the forested and partially shady dirt road. The birds were chirping, the kookaburras seemingly laughing at us, and the weather was looking sunny and warm. We took the Boree Creek Trail, which followed the creek for several kilometres. The gravel trail gave way to a wide mown path, which made for easy walking. We soon reached some rocky outcrops and then crossed the creek via a bridge. We followed the signs to Tunnell Creek. The signage indicated not to enter the caves between May and the end of October due to the winter roosting of the endangered Bent-wing Bats in this cave. We just had a look at the entrance and photographed some of the formations.
It was getting warmer as we climbed up towards Verandah Cave. This was quite a different cave and aptly named, as there was a wide flat platform with a large limestone overhang and pool underneath. Some thick limestone columns looked like supports for the roof. The remains of a dead kangaroo were on the floor. It was well worth the short walk in.
Boree Creek under Verandah Cave
On the walk out, there was one angry magpie dad who was determined to make his presence felt. We were followed and swooped multiple times!
On our return, I could see on the map that there was an arch loop walk off the picnic area. We had a drink and a snack there on the lush green grass before doing The Arch Walk as a loop. We should have started before our snack, as two busloads of students started just before us. We decided to walk the loop first and come back via the cave.
The Arch was certainly impressive and much larger than the other caves. The trail headed into the cave, and a section is quite dark; a torch is recommended. The views on the other side were also impressive.
We then walked the last 1.2km back to the car. This was an enjoyable and surprisingly good walk and well worth spending a few hours in this small reserve.
Amongst other photographically recorded observations during this walk we were able to confirm sightings of each of the following species: Inkcaps (Genus Coprinopsis), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)
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A detailed, searchable trip list with links to reports, photo galleries
Information on Parks signage along the way
Welcome to Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve
Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve brings together a rich mix of spectacular limestone landscape, Aboriginal history and endangered bushland.
Wiradyuri Country
Wiradyuri Aboriginal people have lived around Borenore for many thousands of years.
“Borenore is believed to be based on two Wiradyuri words: bord’ which means ceremony land also relates to Boree Creek) and ‘nora nord’, meaning shelf or overhanging rock.
The permanent flow of Boree Creek and the reliable shelter of the caves makes it very attractive.
Archaeological evidence shows that Arch Cave has been used for many thousands of years.
Similar caves around Australia were used as birthing sites and the Arch Cave is significant to the local Wiradyuri women.
Protecting karst in New South Wales (NSW)
In NSW there are more than 400 areas of limestone with karst features.
Many areas are protected in reserves, including renowned tourist caves such as Jenolan.
Wombeyan, Abercrombie and Yarrangobilly.
The karst environments of NSW are amongst the oldest and most complex in the world. They are places where researchers can study geological processes, ancient climates, fossils, rare organisms and many other subjects.
Caves have always fascinated people with their mystery and beauty, but in karst, the underground world is closely linked to what happens above the ground.
Karst environments are complex and vulnerable to human impacts such as changes to vegetation and water quality. They need to be carefully managed to protect their special values.
Cave dwellers
Caves can be home to amazing and specially adapted animals. In the dark, some species of fish, spiders, crickets and other insects no longer need eyes, or skin pigment.
Pale and blind creatures that live all their lives in the darkness are known as troglobites.
Some owls and bats use caves for shelter but feed outside.
The local landscape features, geology, scenic highlights, flora, fauna, Indigenous history, white history and other nearby walks in the area (Perplexity AI Model)
Landscape Features and Geology
Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve is defined by extensive karst landforms created from Silurian limestone, dating back approximately 400 million years. This ancient limestone began as limey mud and coral reef, later metamorphosed into marble by lava flows from nearby Mount Canobolas some 12 million years ago. The reserve’s landscape displays classic karst features: caves (including Tunnel Cave, Verandah Cave, and Arch Cave), natural bridges (The Arch), blind valleys, dolines, swallets, and steepheads. Fossils of corals, crinoids, brachiopods, and trilobites are abundant in the exposed limestone and marble. Boree Creek, supplied by permanent springs, meanders through the reserve, contributing to both above-ground and subterranean drainage and traversing several of the major caves.
Scenic Highlights
The reserve features scenic cave entrances, sweeping limestone cliffs, and numerous speleothems such as stalactites and stalagmites within Arch Cave and Tunnel Cave. Verandah Cave offers a large limestone overhang sheltering tranquil pools and lush cave flora. The Arch Loop Track provides access to dramatic rock windows and columns, while the picnic area is a base for exploration. Seasonal contrasts, from mossy cave interiors and dripping springs to sunlit cliffs, enhance the aesthetic appeal.
Local Flora
The area conserves diverse vegetation, including the endangered box gum woodland and open woodlands with Eucalyptus species such as yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora) and Blakely’s red gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi). Riparian habitats along Boree Creek support river bottlebrush (Callistemon sieberi), acacias, tea trees, native grasses, and herbs. Mosses, ferns, and liverworts flourish in the moist cave entrances and shaded gullies. The karst soils—terra rossa, krasnozem, and black structured earths—support a rare and varied plant assemblage adapted to rocky, alkaline conditions.
Local Fauna
Borenore is recognised as a haven for native birds like thornbills, honeyeaters, kookaburras, treecreepers, magpies, and weebills. The caves are an important roost for the threatened eastern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis), which hibernates in Tunnel Cave over winter. Diverse reptiles, frogs, and other bat species also inhabit the area, with creeklines supporting aquatic life. Possums and gliders can occasionally be seen in woodland stretches.
Indigenous History
Borenore lies within Wiradjuri Country and holds enduring cultural significance. Reliable water from Boree Creek and the natural shelter of caves made this area a valuable resource for thousands of years. The site’s name is derived from Wiradjuri words: “bora” (ceremony) and “nora nora” (shelf or overhang). Arch Cave is especially significant as a women’s maternity site, and several caves and overhangs in the reserve remain important cultural places today. Archaeological evidence, oral history, and ongoing community stewardship reflect the strong Wiradjuri connection to country.
White History
The reserve was documented by European explorers as early as 1830 and visited by Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell in 1836. Small-scale marble quarries operated in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, using “Borenore Red” marble in buildings such as Transport House in Sydney. The natural values of the caves, together with their recreational and scientific appeal, led to conservation efforts, picnic area construction, and the reserve’s formal establishment. Today, Borenore continues to attract visitors interested in geology, speleology, Aboriginal heritage, and bushland recreation.
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A detailed, searchable trip list with links to reports, photo galleries
