The Borenore Caves, contained within the Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve, are a series of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

s that are located in the Central West region of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The caves are renowned for their

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

qualities, namely the numerous fossils from a long-lived reef complex from the

Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozo ...

period. Fossils include

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...

crinoid Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, which are ...

brachiopod Brachiopods (), phylum Brachiopoda, are a phylum of trochozoan animals that have hard "valves" (shells) on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, w ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

s, pentamerids, colonial tryplasmids and

trilobite Trilobites (; meaning "three lobes") are extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. Trilobites form one of the earliest-known groups of arthropods. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the At ...

s. Borenore's karst is surrounded by

igneous Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word ''ignis'' meaning fire), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or ...

rock that flowed from volcanic eruptions at nearby

Mount Canobolas Mount Canobolas, a mountain on a spur of the Great Dividing Range, is located in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. With an elevation of above sea level, Mount Canobolas, an extinct volcano, is the highest mountain i ...

. The reserve is situated west of

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

, and is registered as a natural heritage site on the

Register of the National Estate The Register of the National Estate was a heritage register that listed natural and cultural heritage places in Australia that was closed in 2007. Phasing out began in 2003, when the Australian National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritag ...

for its large diversity of karst morphological and sedimentological features. Camping in the reserve is not permitted.

Features and location

Access is self-guided and suitable for casual visitors. Entry to the reserve is free. The reserve contains over forty caves, including: * Arch Cave * Tunnel Cavea long, dark passage, about long, which emerges from the base of a large hill. The sink hole is about higher than the entrance at the bottom of the hill. The Tunnel Cave is closed from May to October each year so that a colony of Eastern bent-winged bats, which hibernate there, are left undisturbed. * Verandah Cave

Mining

The caves are also notable as a source of Borenore Red

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

early in the twentieth century, which was mined in the area until 1994. Borenore Red marble may be found in

The Strand Arcade The Strand Arcade is a heritage-listed Victorian-style retail arcade located at 195-197 Pitt Street in the heart of the Sydney central business district, between Pitt Street Mall and George Street in the City of Sydney local government area o ...

and in

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

. Around 1898, while enjoying a picnic at Borenore, Peter Rusconi and his sons

Joe Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...

and

Frank Rusconi Frank Rusconi (20 August 1874 – 21 May 1964) was, together with his brother, Joseph, quarry owner and monumental mason of Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia. He was born at Araluen near Braidwood, New South Wales, the son of a Swiss gol ...

, monumental

stonemasons Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...

from

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, recognised the rich quality of the marble on the reserve. This marble was considered to be some of the best in the world and was mined for around thirty years. Examples of the famous Borenore red marble can be seen in

Central Station Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...

, the

Sydney GPO The General Post Office (abbreviation GPO, commonly known as the Sydney GPO) is a heritage- listed landmark building located in Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The original building was constructed in two stages beginning in 1 ...

, the

Commonwealth Trading Bank Building The Commonwealth Trading Bank Building, also known as the Commonwealth Bank Building, is a historically significant building in the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia, located on the corner of Pitt Street and Martin Pl ...

in Martin Place, and

Jenolan Caves House The Jenolan Caves House is a large, heritage-listed hotel, built in stages between 1879 and 1926. It is located in the remote Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve, Blue Mountains National Park, on the western edge of the Blue Mountains UN ...

as a mantelpiece.

References

External links

Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve
– NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change
Borenore Caves Reserve and Adjacent Areas
– Aussie Heritage {{Nature reserves of New South Wales , state=autocollapse Caves of New South Wales Limestone caves Nature reserves in New South Wales Central West (New South Wales) Protected areas established in 1997 1997 establishments in Australia City of Orange

Features and location

Mining

See also

References

External links