The Jenolan Caves, which are regarded as the oldest open cave in the world, have been closed to the public due to the damage they sustained following floods, fires, and storms. The only road to the site has been damaged for over a year due to the heavy rain.
The caves have been closed several times due to the damage caused by natural disasters.
The road to the site has also been damaged, making it unsafe for drivers. Andrew Le Lievre, the acting director of the trust that manages the site, noted that nature always affected the caves.
Before the bushfires in 2019, about 230,000 people visited the caves and nearby areas.
The incident destroyed about 80% of the region’s heritage. A study conducted by the University of Sydney revealed that the bushfires affected the tourism industry in Australia, which generated around $2.8 billion in lost economic activity.
Due to the ongoing roadworks, the entire Jenolan Caves region has been temporarily closed to the public.
This is the latest in a series of weather-related disasters that have affected the region’s tourism industry. Richard Mackay, who used to be the trust’s chair, noted that the caves have been hit by multiple disasters in the past.
According to Le Lievre, the bushfires destroyed the surrounding bushlands, which also rendered the caves and nearby roads vulnerable to future floods.
In NSW national parks, almost 30% of the walking trails were inaccessible due to the flooding and heavy rainfall that occurred during the La Nia event in early 2023.
The tourism industry in far north Queensland was also hit by the floods and heavy rains in December, which cost the region’s businesses around $60 million.
It is believed that the damage caused by the floods and bushfires was consistent with the predictions made by scientists regarding the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Australia.
In March, Gary Dunnett, the executive officer of NSW’s National Parks Association, warned that the country’s natural attractions could be in danger due to the effects of climate change.
After the caves were temporarily closed due to the bushfires and the floods, Le Lievre noted that the trust would take advantage of the situation to carry out various repairs and maintenance on the site.
He said that it was inevitable that natural disasters would happen, but the trust would also look into how it could design the structures to work with the natural environment.