Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation.And Conservation Project 1998-1999 - Final Report (Jone 2002)

Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation.and Conservation Project 1998-1999 - Final Report (Jone 2002)

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) ~ TRUST

Australian Speleological Federation Inc. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation and Conservation Project

1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.

Environmental TRUST

Prepared by: Chris Dunne with contributions from: Chris Bradley, John Dunkley, Peter Dykes, Bruce Howlett and Denis Marsh

for the Australian Speleological Federation Inc. (ASF) - PO Box 388, Broadway NSW 2007

The project was funded in part by a grant in 1998 by the NSW Environmental Trust's Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation Trust. (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl). The grant was received in May 1998 and was one of 25 Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation Trust grants totalling $850,000 for 1997. The NSW Environmental Trust's total grants for 1997 amounted to $4.2rnillion covering 91 projects.

The contribution of many interested speleologists and others, both financially and in effort, is acknowledged, particularly members of Orange Speleological Society. This project is also indebted to the contributions and patronage of Anthony and Rosalyn Dunhill, owners of Boondaroo property, Mandurama, NSW. The Island at Cliefden Caves is located on the Dunhill property.

Contents:

1. Summary 3 2. Background 3 3. Karst and Vegetation 4 4. Objectives 5 5. ASF and NSWSC 6 6. Acknowledgements - People 6 7. Project Works 7 8. Difficulties, Delays and Critiques, Value and Effectiveness 8 9. Timetable, Modifications and Evaluation 9 10. Longer Term 10 11. Documentation, Media Coverage and Promotion 11 12. References 12 13. Photos 13 Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 3 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

1. Summary

Cliefden Caves is a significant area of cavernous karst outcropping along the Belubula River, east of Mandurama in the Central West of New South Wales. All of the karst is on private land of which the property Boonderoo contains the bulk of the surface karst.

The project re-erected sections of an old fence line to supplement existing fences and so fully enclose The Island, a large limestone hill of approximately 15 hectares containing karst features and important vegetation remnants. Major fencing was completed in late 1998-early 1999. Some revegetation of the hill with native tree and shrub species occurred in May 1999 and further plantings were also planned.

Both fencing and planting were undertaken with volunteer labour by members of several NSW Speleological Council member societies and several others. Installation of fence-posts had been the contribution of the owner, Anthony Dunhill. The grant money was spent exclusively on fencing materials, tree guards, stakes and seedlings. All seedlings were sourced locally, most from seed collected on site earlier in the project and propagated off site.

A fairly comprehensive interim report was contained in the paper Cliefden Karst Revegetation Project by Chris Dunne and Bruce Howlett presented at ASF' s 22nd Biennial Conference in Yeppoon, Queensland, in January 1999. The project work was essentially completed and all money spent by mid 1999.

Several outcomes were achieved: • re-fencing of The Island • major planting of over 1,000 trees and shrubs by speleos • raised awareness among the participants of vegetation communities endemic to karst

Delay in submitting this final report has allowed us to include developments in the period 2000-2002.

2. Background

The earliest recorded discovery of limestone in NSW was in 1813 by Surveyor George Evans along Limestone Creek at Cliefden. Although his visit coincided with a drought, he described the tree cover in the vicinity as park-like (ie. scattered woodland). The district was settled from the 1820s, with grazing of sheep, cattle, horse and goats being the main land use since that time.

The karst area known as Cliefden Caves is located along the Belubula River and its southern tributary, Limestone Creek, about 15km west of the town of Mandurama in the Central West of NSW and about 250km southwest from Sydney. The Belubula is a tributary of the Lachlan River within the Murray Darling Basin.

The name Cliefden derives from the name of the original much larger property in the district. During the late 1800s, the caves at Cliefden were a popular destination for the more adventurous in the region. As a result, some caves suffered severe impacts.

By the 1950s, when the area became popular with speleological groups, the caves were now spread across five separate properties of which the principal is Boonderoo. To alleviate problems between visiting groups, the then property owner Bruce Dunhill (Anthony's father) asked Orange Speleological Society (OSS) to instigate a system to control cavers and their access to the caves. This control evolved into the present system of permits and gated caves which has succeeded both in protecting the caves and in promoting good relations with all five property owners at Cliefden.

Speleos and others had been involved in several earlier tree planting endeavours in previous years. Over Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOO1) Page 4 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

1,000 trees and shrubs had been planted in co-operation with Boonderoo owner, Anthony Dunhill. Prior to this project, the most recent was 300 plantings in August 1997. These gave the initial idea for enclosing and planting of a limestone outcrop known as The Island, however this project was on a significantly larger scale and had specifically karst related outcomes in mind.

3. Karst and Vegetation

Karst - Karst is the name given to landforms in soluble rocks such as limestone and dolomite, characterised by closed depressions, subterranean drainage, caves and other voids. It is significant for the management of groundwater, for geo-conservation and for providing important habitat for plant and animal biodiversity - it is more vulnerable than most other landscapes.

The Cliefden karst is formed in a large deposit, by NSW standards, of Ordovician limestone and lies within the Lachlan Karst Region as defined in the ASF' s national Karst Index Database. The limestone outcrops in broadly folded deposits of relatively low relief, ie. of less than 100 metres.

It is one of the relatively few areas in NSW formed on late Ordovician limestone. The limestone contains a rich and diverse fossil assemblage, including significant trilobite fossils. About 130 karst features are documented, including a number of very large and important caves, which together with some other unique features make the area an important karst area for NSW.

The limestone hill known as The Island is about 15 hectares in area and is significant within the Cliefden karst. It is distinctive in that it is bounded on one side by the Belubula River and on three other sides by an alluvial flood plain. It is plainly a cut-off spur from a former river meander. The river has long since retreated from this former meander and its channel on the west has cut several metres deeper so that the former river bed is now merely a flood-plain skirting The Island east, south, then west.

Island Cave is located at the foot of a steep bluff in the southwest comer of the outcrop nearer the river. It has four entrances and is usually very dry and dusty, but becomes active following major rain events. There are several minor caves and karst features in the outcrop. Much of the rest of the hill comprising The Island is characterised by thin soils and grassy tops and slopes.

Vegetation - In common with most other karsts of the Central West, the Cliefden karst has suffered degradation from clearing of native vegetation, farming impacts and associated changes to groundwater. Grazing pressure and other human activity over 175 years have had profound impacts on the endemic flora of the region, especially the karst specific species and communities at Cliefden, which remain poorly conserved.

The existing vegetation on The Island consisted of several kurrajongs and acacias in the southwest of the outcrop, native groundcovers and ferns amongst the rocky sites, and is otherwise dominated by briar, thistles and other introduced weed and grasses.

The special characteristics of karst (topography, soils, etc.) lead to unique vegetation associations at the micro level which are often irreplaceable. Such unique, rare and endemic karst vegetation is often, of its nature confined to karst outcrops and should be given priority management to maintain biodiversity by conserving and preserving remaining remnants on karst areas.

The project aimed to build on the findings of a study of different flora communities within the area by Goldney et al. Discussion paper for developing a long term revegetation strategy for the Walli Limestone Landcare Catchment area ( I995), by rehabilitating important native remnants in the catchment. We would attempt to recreate a natural ecosystem by removing grazing stock from The Island and reintroducing and protecting a poorly conserved locally endemic karst specific flora, recreating as closely as possible the natural plant community. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 5 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

The natural community consists of scattered White Box and Kurrajong on the limestone itself, some Yellow Box on the margins and on the alluvium, and also occasional Cyprus Pine elsewhere on the karst. Whilst several species could be found in different communities, the study found there existed a karst specific community. The major component of the karst specific community is the shrubs. Hop Bush (Dodoneae) and Quondong (Santalum) dominate. One species of Acacia is only found on The Island. Other species include: Clematis, Indigofera, Westringia, Cassia, Eremophilla and Hardenbergia (some species of which are locally and regionally rare).

Fortunately, there are several small but significant remnant vegetation sites at Cliefden. These occur where the karst is steep and rugged so that they have been inaccessible to stock. The only other reasonably intact, karst specific flora communities in this region are thought to be those at Borenore Caves and a smaller site on a reserve adjoining the limestone quarry at Molong. However, these are both many kilometres to the north of Cliefden, and the species which make up those communities are somewhat different.

Similar to findings elsewhere in the karsts of the Central West of NSW, the original vegetation community is considered to have been a subset of Grassy White Box Woodland termed Limestone Shrubland from which the shrub structural component has been removed. Degradation occurs from pressures of grazing by stock and associated clearing and weed infestation.

Following from Goldney, the restoration strategy for conserving and rehabilitating vegetation on karst areas is to fence out stock, instigate recovery of denuded areas, encourage regrowth of remaining native plant species and control weed species. The fencing out of stock also reduces damage around cave entrances and other karst features, as well avoiding the need for the erection of unsightly barriers to stop stock falling into shafts and caves. Selected planting of trees and shrubs will then enhance and compliment existing native remnants which have been found to occur particularly on the less accessible limestone outcrops.

By revegetating in this manner, it is intended to recreate several natural processes, which may all interact and are not mutually exclusive:

• The increase in canopy and litter cover will reduce erosion and soil desiccation (ie. drying out), leading to an increase in soil moisture retention, and an increase in the amount and quality of water infiltrating the limestone.

• The increase in the amount of organic matter in the soil will enhance the C02 cycle so important to karst processes.

• The exclusion of stock will reduce (and even reverse) soil compaction, which, together with improved soil structure from increased organic matter in the soil, may reopen former infiltration channels into the karst.

If these processes can be successfully recreated, then it may be inferred that there will be positive effects flowing through to any underlying caves, such as rejuvenation of speleothems and the like. To this end, a monitoring program within Island Cave will assess likely effects over time.

4. Objectives

The project aimed to re-erect sections of an old fence line so as to fully enclose a large limestone hill of approximately 15 hectares containing karst features and important vegetation remnants. Some revegetation of the hill with native tree and shrub species was also planned.

The maps accompanying our application showed the location of Boonderoo property and the project Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997 /RR/GOOO l) Page 6 1998-l 999 - Final Report (June 2002) location within the property, as well as existing fences and the proposed new fence.

The project had three main objectives:

1. To conserve and rehabilitate important karst vegetation remnants in the Cliefden Caves area by fencing off a large karst outcrop from grazing by stock.

2. To protect and conserve important caves and karst features, as well as fossil sites from the damaging effects of stock grazing.

3. To provide a focus point to which the local landcare group, The Walli Limestone Landcare Group and the main outdoor user group, cavers and speleologists from member clubs of the NSW Speleological Council can interact and establish long term relationships and networks.

5. ASF and NSWSC

The Australian Speleological Federation Inc. (ASF) was formed in 1956 and has as its first aims:

(a) to safeguard and protect the natural environment, specifically the cave and karst environment of Australia; (b) to gather and disseminate information, develop and promote policies, foster and publish research, and provide education and advice to the Australian community on conserving Australia's karst resources.

The Federation is registered by the Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra, as an Environmental Organisation.

The Federation has developed protocols and codes on cave conservation, minimal impact caving, karst and cave numbering, karst documentation and data storage. ASF maintains the only national database of karst features in Australia, with over 10,000 records. Documentation and conservation of Australia's karst heritage has been a major activity of the Federation for almost half a century. About 130 karst features are recorded for Cliefden.

The NSW Speleological Council co-ordinates the activities of the Federation within NSW and the ACT. The Council co-sponsored the Cliefden project and co-ordinated participation by the many ASF members contributing to the effort. The Council has put forward a number of applications for funding from both the NSW Environmental Trusts and the Federal government's Natural Heritage Trust.

6. Acknowledgements - People

Members of member societies of the ASF and NSWSC: Canberra Troglodytes CT Central West Caving Group CWCG Highland Caving Group HCG National University Caving Club NUCC Newcastle and Hunter Valley Speleological Society NHVSS Orange Speleological Society oss Rover Speleological Society RSS Sydney University Speleological Society suss

Anthony and Rosalyn Dunhill, Chris Dunne (HCG); Peter Dykes (CWCG); Bruce Howlett, Greg Lee and Denis Marsh (OSS); Angus Macoun (RSS); and Chris Norton (SUSS). Special mention of members of OSS. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOO1) Page 7 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Whilst visiting Cliefden in connection with several quite separate karst chemistry projects of their own, a number of staff and students from Newcastle University's School of Geosciences also participated in some of the planting weekends: Karen Carthew, Russell Drysdale, Laurie Henderson, Steve Lucas, Denise McDonald, Ian Richardson, Janece Slavek.

7. Project Works

Planning for the project had allowed for 600 man-hours labour (10 people over 6 weekends of 10 hours) undertaken by members of several NSW Speleological Council member societies - this included fence removal, new fencing and planting. There was then the additional contribution to fencing provided by Anthony Dunhill. These contributions were reckoned to cost $7,000 in total and the whole of the grant money of $5,000 was earmarked for materials - either fencing materials, tree guards or seedlings.

Fencing - The former perimeter fence around The Island was to be reinstated so as to preclude stock. Only half of the 1,500 metre perimeter fence remained in good condition. The remainder was in derelict condition largely flood damaged and lying on the ground or partially buried as a result of soil erosion from the slopes above.

Removal of this old fence was the first task and was completed by speleos on two one-day work trips in June and July 1998. Old fencing materials were disposed of to the local tip. New fencing materials were also purchased in August, and new fence-posts and strainers erected in October.

Subsequent heavy rain in spring and the planting of a luceme crop in the adjoining paddock over summer precluded further access till early February 1999, when a two-day work trip by speleos erected 750 metres of new fence comprising hinged joint fence with two strands of barbed wire. This task was assisted by Anthony's fencing contractor while Anthony provided much of the necessary fencing equipment and tools. Some 25 speleos representing seven NSWSC clubs participated.

Seed Collection and Planting - Field survey of the native vegetation was undertaken by Peter Dykes, Bruce Howlett and Greg Lee in August and September. Building on the earlier work of Goldney et al., vegetation ecology specialist Peter Dykes developed a vegetation model as a guide to our intended planting, ie. what species to place where, numbers and ratios of species, etc. OSS member and horticulturist Greg Lee made several visits to identify suitable seed for collection.

Seeds sourced from the property were collected by Bruce Howlett and Greg Lee in December 1998 and seedlings propagated off site over the summer months to produce tube-stock for later planting. Species included: White Box, Yellow Box, Kurrajong, Acacia, Hop Bush, Clematis, Hardenbergia, Westringia and others. Seasonal conditions dictated that the optimal planting time would be in May 1999.

Tree planting occurred in the autumn in three days of work trips during May 1999. All seedlings were sourced locally, most from seed collected on site earlier in the project and propagated off site. Planting of local native tree and shrub species at selected sites over the project area was to complement existing remnant vegetation. Our initial seedlings were supplemented with further seedlings of the same locally endemic species sourced from two local nurseries within 15 kilometres of Cliefden. Over the two weekends nine speleos from four clubs and 14 from two clubs planted about 900 seedlings.

Although the planting marked the formal conclusion of the project works in terms of the grant, it was intended that additional plantings would be carried out over several years by which time we anticipated that earlier plantings would be regenerating naturally. There was some additional planting in late 1999. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 8 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

8. Difficulties, Delays and Critiques, Value and Effectiveness

In our application we indicated that progress of the project was to be measured by our adherence to the project timetable. Short-term and long-term results and strategies for continuing maintenance were to be measured by ongoing liaison with the land owner and monitoring in conjunction with regular caving visits by speleos.

Delays - Due to initial delays and seasonal considerations it was necessary to run to a revised timetable a year later than proposed in our application. The project ran to this revised schedule throughout and both the groundwork and expenditure was achieved within the extended deadline of June 1999.

Derelict fencing was removed, new fence-posts placed and new fencing materials purchased in late 1998, but rain and the planting of a crop in the adjoining paddock precluded access so that the new fencing was not completed till early 1999. Seeds were collected in late 1998 and seedlings propagated over the summer months. Seasonal conditions dictated that the optimal planting time was May 1999. In our application we had nominated March to November 1998, subject to suitable weather conditions.

Fence Integrity and Use of Tree Guards - Despite our good intentions, there were some shortcomings in the project outcomes:

Whilst up to a thousand seedlings were planted, only about 850 tree guards were used. For budgetary reasons we chose to spend the last of the grant money on additional seedlings rather than guards. The fencing proved vulnerable to ingress and browsing by wildlife, chiefly wallabies, who seemed to favour those seedlings protected by tree guards.

The incorporation of a significant section of existing fence-line (at least half of the total perimeter fence) meant that some sections of fence were accessible to stock and/or wildlife (chiefly wallabies) so that many seedlings were eaten in the weeks after planting. This had not generally occurred on the several earlier plantings on Boonderoo - these were on smaller enclosures of 100 to 300 plantings with new fencing and greater care given to the integrity of existing fences.

The fencing at the western end of The Island, near the Belubula River, included a small section of track and two gates which gave access between the two paddocks north and south of The Island. It would have been better to completely fence out this track to isolate it from The Island.

Planting was generally at three to five metre spacings with the use of stakes and plastic tree guards to protect against wind and frost. However, the use of plastic tree guards seemed to attract the wildlife! Although guards have generally been used to protect young seedlings, one view is that, as The Island is more elevated than the surrounding alluvial lowland, it might have been better to not use guards. Further trees/shrubs planted later in 1999 without guards seem to have survived better.

The thousand or so seedlings planted by late 1999 were distributed fairly evenly over most of the 15 hectares comprising The Island. It may have been better to concentrate planting in the more rocky, and thus better protected western end of the area, nearer to Island Cave. This was done in the case of the additional planting in late 1999, with better results. Nevertheless, the project outcomes cited in our proposal were more likely to have been achieved had there been 2-4,000 seedlings planted and more attention given to fence integrity.

Diversions - Also mentioned in our January 1999 paper was the role as a demonstration site that the Cliefden site might have filled had we been successful in a Natural Heritage Trust grant application for karst documentation in the Lachlan Karst Region. We did obtain such a grant in the Macquarie Karst Region and a site was successfully revegetated on Canobla property west of Stuart Town [not at Bakers Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOO1) Page 9 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Swamp as stated in our paper]. Refer to the Federation's report Karst of the Central West Catchment - Resources, Impacts and Management Strategies which is applicable to Cliefden as to anywhere else in the reg10n.

Wider karst documentation in the Macquarie and Lithgow-Mudgee regions associated with that NHT grant drew our attention away from Cliefden for a time and this no doubt further contributed to the less close monitoring of Cliefden so that the fencing/wallaby problem was not averted.

Wider Consultation - In the early stages of the project, there was consultation with Andy Spate, Karst Investigation Officer with the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and with Ernst Holland, Karst Resource Manager with the Jenolan Caves Trust. There was also some consultation with Walli Limestone Landcare Group of which Anthony Dunhill is a member. The landcare group was to be invited to inspect the site giving us the opportunity to raise its member's awareness of karst vegetation issues and the unique attributes of the karst environment.

Such consultation was not sufficiently pursued.

9. Timetable, Modifications and Evaluation

Timetable (1) - Our grant had a nominal completion date of 28th February 1999 pursuant to condition 3. However, it was necessary to run to a revised timetable a year later than originally proposed. The project then ran to this schedule throughout and the groundwork and expenditure was achieved within the extended deadline of 30th June 1999.

Proposed Actual

- Remove old fencing December 1997 to January 1998 June and July 1998

- Field survey of species August and September 1998

- Seed collection December 1998

- Erect new fencing February to April 1998 October 1998 and February 1999

- Plant seedlings March to November 1998 May 1999

Evaluation - The main aims were substantially achieved - fencing and planting to the revised timetable:

• Fencing achieved the removal of domestic stock, but failed - at least initially - to preclude browsing by wildlife. Retention of a large section of old fence (more than half of the total perimeter) which proved to be stock-proof, but not wallaby-proof!

• Rehabilitation was commenced and is ongoing - fencing out was the principal first stage m achieving this objective.

• The project promoted the networking and interaction of speleos through their participation, but failed to engage speleos with the local landcare group, although the property owner is a member of Walli Limestone Landcare Group.

Reporting - No progress report was required pursuant to condition 8, however, copy of the January 1999 paper was supplied as an interim report in April 1999. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 10 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Supply of a Final Report by 30th April 1999, per condition 12, was extended to 31st August 1999. This was not complied with. The present report is dated 30th June 2002.

Our only variations to the project were in respect of the original timeline and supply this Final Report.

Ongoing work is discussed under item 10. Longer Term below.

10. Longer Term

Although not within the scope of the original grant, it was always intended that there would be follow-up monitoring and further plantings over several years. Orange Speleological Society has been particularly active in pursuing this work.

Timetable (2) - Delay in submitting this final report has allowed us to include developments in the period 2000-2002.

Proposed Actual

- Follow-up evaluation October 2000

- Further seed collection December 2000 and January 2001

- Supplementary planting September 2001

- Stock take of survivors winter 2002

The follow-up evaluation in October 2000 found that a large number of the seedlings planted in 1999 had been grazed by wallabies. Many had been pulled out roots and all by the wallabies, although some that had the tops chewed off, managed to survive.

Subsequently, OSS approached Greening Australia (NSW) Inc., for advice and assistance regarding new plantings and to achieve improved survival of plantings. Greening Australia offered to fund this advice and provide some of the seed and seedlings through Bushcare.

A two-pronged plan was proposed. Firstly, about 500 more seedlings would be planted, but without tree guards, as it was considered that these were just advertising good tucker for wallabies. Secondly, a large amount of seed will be direct seeded - this involves scratching up an area of soil and scattering some seed by hand.

OSS members collected approximately two kilos of White Box seed and further seed collection of other species took place in late 2000. These were to be used for seedling propagation or for establishment through direct sowing. Bruce Howlett assisted members of Greening Australia to collect native seed stock over the summer, some of which would be used to supplement the earlier plantings funded through the Environmental Rehabilitation and Restoration Trust

In September 2001, six members of OSS, together with two v1s1tors from Newcastle University, participated in direct sowing of some 2kg. of mostly White Box seed stock and in the planting of several hundred additional native seedlings on Boonderoo property over one weekend. This time no tree guards were used in an effort not to bring their presence to the notice of any hungry wallabies.

The majority of the seedlings were planted on The Island. A further 50-60 were planted on Dunhill Bluff Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 11 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002) on the other side of the flood-plain east of The Island. The area known as Dunhill Bluff had been fenced off by Anthony Dunhill about two years earlier in an effort to allow regeneration of some natural remnant vegetation species still evident in this area.

A stock take of surviving seedlings will be carried out during winter 2002, while the grasses and weeds are at their lowest, to determine survival rates and check on the results of the direct seeding.

Voluntary Conservation Agreement - Condition 6 of the grant required that we investigate with the property owner and National Parks and Wildlife Service covering the site with a Voluntary Conservation Agreement under the National Parks and Wildlife Act for long term protection of the site. This has not been pursued at this stage, but is still a possibility.

11. Documentation, Media Coverage and Promotion

Initial documentation was for the project to be written up in speleological journals (both of individual clubs and nationally). Some trip reports were written up for club journals, but these have limited circulation.

Copy of a paper Cliefden Caves Revegetation Project, delivered at the Federation's Cave Queensland Biennial Conference at Yeppoon Central Queensland in January 1999, was supplied to the Environmental Trusts in April 1999 by way of a progress report. The paper was published as part of the Proceedings of that Conference. Some of its content is incorporated into this Final Report which is the most comprehensive documentation of the whole project thus far.

An attempt to have the then Minister for the Environment, Pam Allen, hand over the cheque on site or at Parliament House in early June 1998 did not eventuate. We supplied a draft press Release as below, but this was not used.

PRESS RELEASE

Cavers Help Land Owner to Preserve Caves

Cavers from around the state gathered at Cliefden last weekend to erect a fence around The Island as part of a conservation project.

Members of caving clubs from Newcastle, Canberra and Sydney joined Orange Speleological Society and Central West Caving Group for a productive and enjoyable weekend isolating this significant limestone hill from grazing stock.

Now that the fence is up, the next stage of the job is to propagate trees native to the area and then plant them. By revegetating the land above the caves, it is expected that conditions underground will return to the state they were in prior to clearing. This may also allow the growth of calcite decorations (called speleothems) such as stalactites and stalagmites in the caves under the trees.

A grant from the NSW Environmental Trust has allowed the project to go ahead on the property Boonderoo.

The work is supported by the property owner, Anthony Dunhill who has contributed resources to the project. Anthony has long supported the efforts of the local and NSW cavers to preserve caves on his property. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOI) Page 12 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

"This is not our first tree planting at Cliefden, but the grant has allowed us to undertake a revegetation project on a much larger scale than possible from our own or the landowners resources," said Chris Dunne, the NSW Speleological Council President.

**The project is also supported by the Walli Limestone Landcare Group and the Lachlan Catchment Management Committee.

The NSW Speleological Council is the representative body of the 18 speleological clubs in the state which are members of the Australian Speleological Federation (ASF).

If you are interested in caving, contact the ASF Membership Secretary, Angus Macoun on (02) 9416-2588 or at PO Box 388, Broadway, NSW 2007.

12. References

Dunne, C & Howlett, B ( 1999) Cliefden Caves Revegetation Project - paper given at the ASF 22nd Biennial Conference, Yeppoon, QLD, January 1999

Dunkley, J & Dykes, P (2000) Karst of the Central West Catchment, NSW - Resources, Impacts and management Strategies - report prepared with the assistance of the Natural Heritage Trust. Sydney: Australian Speleological Federation Inc.

Dykes, PR ( 1992) Draft Area Nomenclature for Limestone Cave Areas in the Lachlan Karst Region - unpublished report by the Cave Numbering & Documentation Committee for the NSW Speleological Council

Goldney, D, Stone, B, Windsor, D & Bryant, A (1995) Stage 1 - Discussion Paper for developing a long term revegetation strategy for the Walli Limestone Landcare Catchment Area - a report by the Environmental Studies Unit, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst

Goldney, D et al. (199 5) Native Flora of the Walli/Limestone Landcare Area - (5pp) unpublished abstract taken from Goldney, Stone, Windsor & Bryant [above]

Matthews, PG (Ed) (1985) Australian Karst Index 1985. Australian Speleological Federation Inc. Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 13 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

13. Photos

Cover Photo: The Island and surrounding floodplain with Belubula River at left at the time of the planting in May 1999. Aerial Photograph at 1:5,000 scale taken 28/05/99 ©State of NSW. The several hundred seedlings planted on 15-16 May are not discernable at this scale.

Photo 1: Fencing along eastern boundary of The Island with the eastern end of The Island at left (February 1999). Photos by Bruce Howlett (OSS) Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl) Page 14 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Photo 2: Fencing along eastern boundary of The Island with the eastern end of The Island at left (February 1999). Photos by Bruce Howlett (OSS) Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOO1) Page 15 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Photos 3 and 4: Fencing along southern boundary of The Island (February 1999) - tensioning, tying and rollout of hinge-joint. Photos by Bruce Howlett (OSS) Cliefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RRJGOOO1) Page 16 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Photos 5 and 6: Fencing along southern boundary of The Island with the bluff containing Island Cave behind (February 1999). Photos by Bruce Howlett (OSS) <

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'"" Photos 8 and 9: Tree planting on The Island - view looking south above the bluff containing Island Cave (left), and showing 00 staking of plastic tree guard (May 1999). Photos by J anece McDonald (NU) C!iefden Caves Vegetation Rehabilitation & Conservation Project (Grant 1997/RR/GOOOl ) Page 19 1998-1999 - Final Report (June 2002)

Photo 10: Tree planting on The Island above the bluff containing Island Cave - view looking west from the eastern end of The Island (May 1999). Photo by Janece McDonald (NU)