Rachmartee

It had been a while since Tiana and I had caught up, so we decided to try and pick an adventure between where we both live (which is 4.5 hours apart) for some much needed girl time. We were keen for a camping trip and an easy adventure, so checking out Mares Forest Creek Canyon at Wombeyan Caves was the perfect idea!

I had visited this area many years ago when I lived in Canberra, and had walked down to see the Tinted Cave and the start of Limestone Canyon (what it was called back then), but never thought to venture through the canyon.

This time would be different! I had seen on some blogs online that there was a waterfall at the end of the main canyon section, so on a warm weekend in December we were keen to go for a swim!

This is the view down the canyon from inside Tinted Cave (which is well worth the visit).

Tinted Cave is a very short track through a beautiful section of cave. It gets very dark in the centre but artificial lights light your way.

I couldn’t get over how white this rock was! The water was also tinted a beautiful shade of green from the limestone rocks.

Very shortly after getting into the water, there is this beautiful little cave you can swim into! The water is a bright and colourful green with the sun from outside the cave creating a glow through the water.

Look how green the water is!

The view from the cave mouth looking back inside the cave. It felt very eerie swimming in there the first time until you turn around and see the glow through the water.

The outside of the cave.

Looking back towards the view of the opening of tinted cave.

The reflections of the water on the limestone rock was stunning. It looked simply magical as it dances around on the rock surface.

Tiana floating down the canyon! The canyon was beautiful the whole way through.

Most of the canyon involved swimming, which was very enjoyable on a hot summers day! We were certainly not the only ones with the idea. There were only a few sections that required walking, so we were glad we brought shoes!

How insane is nature. A tree growing on a rock, with its root systems reaching down to the creek below. Wild.

After such a picturesque canyon, you are treated with a larger pool and a waterfall at the end. We sat on the rocks to warm up and soaked in these views. It was such a peaceful setting. From what we gathered, most people didn’t seem to make it all the way to the falls. There is a bit of a big rock scramble a short while before this point that most people turn around at.

There was a rope that looked like it either helped you get to the top of the waterfall to jump off the cliff back into the water or to continue up the canyon. We stopped at this point but my curiosity still wonders what lies higher up on the creek…

More water reflections! At this point getting back to camp was easy, we simply reversed back through the canyon (how terrible).

Somehow, moving in the other direction feels like you are exploring more of the canyon. It all looks a little different.

I am obsessed with this long arm looking rock covered in ferns on the end. It looks like a hand of nature reaching out?!

All too soon we are back where we started and we hiked our way along the Mares Forest Track back to camp. Although very different rock and scenery, this trip reminded me of a trip through Redbank Gorge in the NT. Very similar style with swimming through a canyon and reversing back to the start.

---