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Chillagoe is dotted with thousands of limestone outcroppings like the one in the distance - most contain caves
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Gary leadin' the way
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On the way up the first hill
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Fig tree growing out of solid rock - these trees are remnants of the rainforest that was on these plains before the aboriginals started systematic burning of the land 20 000 years ago. they only grow on the outcroppings and there are a few unique species
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the aboriginals liked the overhangs but feared the evil spirits in the caves and never entered them.
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Looking across the chillagoe landscape to where an igneous intrusion and metamorphic contact zone is located
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limestone overhang with flowstone
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indiginous art
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cave art estimated to be older than the bulls at Lascaux in france - 26 000 to 28 000 years old
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An ancient arrowhead
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Hanging out where the eskimos once stood.
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According to gary it probably came up to the cave to die
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Wallaroo pelvis bones
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malachite and cuprite
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interesting web
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the beginning of the 4 ft high tunnel
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I see mineral deposits ahead
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on the way down the shaft
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Despite all my rage, I am still just a bat in a cave (ok, it's a mine, so what)
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Beautiful moth . Note eyespots
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Up close and personal with a Bat - right before he flew off'a the wall and smacked my chest. SCARY!
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The ore ( the part they left )
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Another unhappy bat - I'm sure blinded by my headlamp in the total darkness
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Cavin' steph action Figure
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so gary lifts away the rocks.....
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And then slips in between them, telling us to follow - Tyler, you in?
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Steph on her way!
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Go Steph go! Spelunk! Steph Spelunk!
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in the first room of the first cave
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The first room - you can see the blocks of native limestone and how they've been added to. ( all these cave pics look far better larger)
