4WD off-road camping adventure in Wombeyan Caves, NSW

From Bulli to Wombeyan Caves

We start from the south of Sydney, driving two hours to the improperly named Southern Highlands (because they are neither very south, nor very high, but I suppose that's a matter of perspective). Even though there's rain threatening, we're hoping to make it at least to our first campsite before the deluge.

Coming from Sydney, we pass through Mittagong, which is the best place to stock up on all those things you forgot to buy near home because you only remembered you needed them on the way down. It's also the last place to get fuel for the next 140km of this trip. You've been warned.

We're headed for Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve along the winding, often narrow, and alarmingly precipitous, Wombeyan Caves Road.

We're headed for Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, which is most well-known for its concentration of large limestone caves. But first we've got to get there, and that means driving the winding, often narrow, and alarmingly precipitous, Wombeyan Caves Road.

It starts innocently enough. From Mittagong, we follow the bitumen for around 26km through High Range, a sleepy farming area that for all its seeming flatness, makes you forget we're nearly a kilometre above sea level. As soon as the road turns to gravel, though, it starts to get interesting. We're going to descend from around 800 meters to around 300 meters of elevation in less than 24 kilometres – which makes for a steep and winding drive with plenty to see on the way.

Although the road is unsealed, it is rarely rough and more than suitable for any two-wheel drive SUV.

Wombeyan Caves Road was built by gangs of men in 1898 and '99 to connect the townships of the Southern Highlands with the, even then, popular tourist attraction. Typical of government road-works, the road was supposed to be finished by Easter of 89, but by July of that year, costs had blown out, work was stopped and it wasn't finished until the first January of the 20th Century. Some things obviously never change...

Although the road is unsealed, it is rarely rough and more than suitable for any two-wheel drive SUV. A common feature of the road is fallen rocks strewn across it, so unless you're keen on getting out to move most of them out of your way, don't drive a low-clearance vehicle along this track. The Mitsubishi Outlander we're testing takes it all in without any hassle, although it has a tendency to understeer on loose gravelly corners, while some of the rougher sections cause a bit of bump-steer.

At the lowest point of the road, we cross the Wollondilly River at the low weir.

One of the most significant landmarks along this route is the 22-meter-long Bullio Tunnel which has been carved out of the solid sandstone reef that inconveniently formed right where a road wanted to go. There is a plaque on it stating the road was originally name Duprez Road, in honour of the gent who 'was the driving force behind its completion' but, interestingly, all of the newspaper clipping from that time refer to it as Wombeyan Caves Road. Still, the tunnel is a great place to stop for a photo and consider what it must have taken to build.

From here until Wombeyan Caves, the road is narrow and blind corners are common, as are wombats, eastern grey kangaroos, wallaroos and brush tailed rock wallabies. We come across them all but, thankfully, they all seem to realise the dangers of hopping in front of an SUV, so do their best to avoid us. However, there's plenty of evidence to suggest not all the wildlife is so fortunate, so take care along the road.

A few times we come across kangaroos which feel they have no option but to hop along the road in front of us until there's a safe place to exit.

At the lowest point of the road, we cross the Wollondilly River at the low weir. To either sides is Wollondilly River Station, which for years has been a favourite camping spot, close to Sydney, for people looking for a quiet weekend by the water. With very limited facilities, but a sensational outlook, it's popular for canoeing, fishing, swimming and relaxing in a valley that doesn't get any mobile phone reception. Although it's normally the place we'd stay, we've decided to change things up and continue on to Wombeyan Caves, and camp in the campground there (because it has hot showers and toilets, mainly).

The road up the other side of the valley is potentially narrower and more winding than what we've just taken, and a few times we come across kangaroos which feel they have no option but to hop along the road in front of us until there's a safe place to exit. Signs regularly compel us to 'Sound horn at blind curves', but the roos don't care, they're usually waiting for us anyway.

The Wombeyan Caves campground is simple, but very pleasant.

The Wombeyan Caves campground is simple, but very pleasant. Sites aren't formally marked, but there are fire rings and taps scattered around, loosely dictating where people should camp. Maybe it's because of the forecasted weather, but there's only one other camper set-up when we arrive, so we give him his privacy and set up on our own chosen plot next to a pile of someone's left-over firewood. Thank you, anonymous firewood gifter.

Powered and unpowered sites are available here, and the campsite also has good amenities, a communal camp kitchen and some barbecues. It costs $15 per person, per night, or $35 for the powered site with two people.

Robertson for a pie - again - and back to Bulli 

Nothing too stressful for our last day - unless you call another leisurely dip in the pool and another Robertson Pie Shop visit stressful. Then we took an unhurried drive back home via Macquarie Pass. We even stopped off at one of the beaches north of Wollongong, just because we could.

Note: Always travel in a group if possible. Always take vehicle-recovery equipment. Our track ratings apply to travel during dry weather only; track conditions will change in wet weather.

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