Palona Cave

Palona Cave is a broad sandstone overhang above Palona Brook, with pale dripstone formations and a small waterfall just beyond it. It is a worthwhile stop if a natural cave sounds like a good payoff for a walk: the outing is about 5.3 km return, usually 1.5 to 2.5 hours with time to explore.

Start from the Lady Carrington Drive end near Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. After roughly 1.8 km, look for the signed cave spur at Palona Brook. Its last 800 m climbs on a narrow, rocky path with roots, and the turnoff can be easy to miss. Bring water and expect to share the main track with cyclists; riders are asked to give walkers way. The waterfall may be dry after a long spell without rain.

The shaded roof shelters pale, dripstone-like forms above a rough floor of boulders and a dark recess. Take care on the uneven ground. For a photo, include the broad roof, pale formations and darker hollow together; a tight shot of the rocks loses the scale of the overhang. The small waterfall sits just beyond the cave and is most likely to be flowing after rain.

Accounts describe it as both sandstone and limestone, but the main thing to notice is the pale dripstone formed where water has worked through the rock. It is a visible trace of water moving through the overhang.

Lady Carrington Drive follows the Hacking River upstream from Audley toward Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. It began as a carriage route and crosses 15 creeks; the cave detour leaves that old road at Palona Brook. The approach starts as an open rainforest track among cabbage-tree palms and mossy boulders before narrowing into the uphill spur.