TIMOR, NSW – 18-19 May 2024 – I hadn’t planned to do Jim’s Timor trip, but with only two going, I decided to be supportive and tag along. As always Timor did not disappoint, whilst the caves aren’t “fabulous”, the shearer’s quarters and the company were well worth the trip.
Jim and John picked me up around 4.30pm and we had an uneventful trip up, stopping along the way for dinner at Musswellbrook. We arrived at the shearer’s quarters at 8.30pm and Rod drove in almost at the same time. Daniel was there to settle us in, and we made an early night of it, I have to say though that it wasn’t very warm in my room, despite having all my thermals on.
It was bloody freezing when we got up next morning as we headed out to do TR15, Glen Dhu, a mere 50m from the hut, over a dodgy style but still on private property (being with NHVSS, we had obtained permission to do these private property caves).
Me going down the ladder after negotiating the historic gate (it would have been put in last century some time). I hate ladders, even metal ones (photo John Gray).
TR15 Glen Dhu, TR4 Helictite, TR2 Belfry.
It wasn’t much warmer when we exited the cave but thankfully Jodie and her husband arrived and had started a nice campfire, so we all crowded around it to warm up and have lunch. By then Murray had arrived and as the weather looked threatening, and there were enough to do the cave, I decided not to go over to the reserve to do TR4 Helictite and TR2 Belfry and had plans to stay at the shearer’s quarters to clean some windows and one of the venetian blinds!
The others got back around 4.30pm, so we all had dinner and without a fireplace in the living area (the wood burning stove is yet to be installed), it was a little chilly so I made myself a hot water bottle (after being so cold last night) and headed off to bed.
Looking down to the hut (Photo: John)
Next morning we headed out to do TR30, Moores Lake, a mere 500m down the road (also on private property).
There’s an old metal gate on this cave, and it’s really, really difficult to open. We used a star picket to pry the gate open, and then had to use a rope to pull it fully open, hard work. (Photo: John Gray)
There is a lake in Moores Lake cave, but it involves walking through a lot of water to get to it. We went in as far as we could without getting wet, and were able to see the water ahead of us, but decided that was enough so turned around to exit.
After dropping Rod off at the hut we headed over to the Timor Reserve to do TR84 BBQ Pitch, TR86 Not Our Cave, and TR1 Main.
Me entering either BBQ Pitch or Not My Cave (not sure which). John didn’t like the look of this entrance, being quite narrow. It was easy going down, gravity helped with that, but coming out was another matter entirely. Photo John
Jim and Daniel went down the down-climb, they put a hand line up for me as I don’t like down-climbs at the best of time, and I’m so thankful that they did. I just went to the bottom, then Jim and Daniel both agreed that there was CO² further down so we headed back out. You know, if I don’t like a down climb, I’m definitely not going to like the climb out! It was quite tricky for me, and then I got to the crawl out and that was shear hell. The good news is that I didn’t have to ask to be dragged aout, so that’s something.
We then headed over to the next cave, but that looked dodgy so I didn’t go into it, John went down with Jim and Daniel and it was another climb to get out, so I’m doubly thankful that I didn’t go down that one!
Next we headed over to Main Cave, whilst I’ve been there before, neither Jim nor John had so it was be good for them to go into a big Timor cave.
Yep, another ladder, this one totally vertical, held on by some dodgy ropes. I’m sure it’s ok though. (Photo John)
The cave is really impressive although as it’s on the reserve, it’s quite trashed. Countless thousands of scouts have trampled through the cave, not to mention the untold number of locals. There’s graffiti all over the walls, actually quite sad. Photo John
One of the main chambers. Photo John
Me at the top of a muddy bank that I had to climb and they said “you just have to cross over to there” through another muddy bank, I did it, but I wasn’t happy. (Photo Jim)
This was a joke shot, Daniel (in the red suit) amazingly is claustrophobic, but there was this little teeny tiny hole that we decided someone should go through so Daniel took one for the team, he did get his arms and head through the hole and we all agreed that if he got his head through, he’d officially “done the squeeze”. My foot pretending to push him through. (photo: Jim)
Jim got up to this level in the cave, it was pretty dodgy to get there so I declined (along with everyone else). Photo: John
Not sure where this was, or even who’s in the photo, but a good shot down (photo Jim).
It was a really easy walk down the hill back to our vehicles, then a 15 minute drive back to the hut and lunch. We all pitched in to clean it up and were ready to leave by around 2.30pm. Home in daylight! a bonus!
Big thanks to Jim for putting the trip on and doing all the driving and many thanks to Daniel and Murray showing us through the caves! Plenty of ideas being thrown around now for our next trip back!