Camp Cave - Wollongambe/Gooch's Crater

[squintrex]

Hello all,

Long time lurker, first time poster!

I would like to visit the camp cave in the area near Wollongambe and Gooch's craters. Is anyone able to give share a grid reference for the Wollongambe map?

We had a (very brief) look for it a few years ago, but ended up camping in the 'gambe crater. We would like to go back and find the cave!!

Cheers

w

[ribuck]

Hello squintrex,

I'm not sure whether or not Wollangambe Cave is covered by this forum's "prohibition on publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks", but the information is all over the web. For example, you could search wikiloc.com for "Bell to Wollangambe Crater" and you will find someone's GPX track which visits the main campsite, the crater campsite, and the camp cave.

The cave itself has a level sandy floor. Sleeps eight in luxury, or 30+ at a pinch. Lots of snake tracks over the sand when I was there in April this year. It's in a frost hollow and you will sleep colder than at the other nearby campsites.

For a cracking yarn about how to get there by following a double-boulder and a triple-trunked tree (provided you don't mind walking through the river at midnight and arriving at 2.45am), see this epic account by Rachel Grindlay:
http://grindlay.org/bushwalking/2003121 ... eport.html

There is also a cave near Goochs Crater (Goochs Cave), but if you ended up camping in the 'gambe crater it looks like you were trying to find Wollangambe Cave.

[Ms_Mudd]

Solid gold trip report from Rachel Grindlay. Loved it.

[michael_p]

Cough...is this one of the the places you are interested in: https://fatcanyoners.org/2013/06/22/wollangambe-crater/ ...Cough

[tom_brennan]

:lol: Solid gold trip report from Rachel Grindlay. Loved it.

Someone should marry that girl

[Ms_Mudd]

Someone should marry that girl

Clearly such a person would have impeccable taste

Heck, I am a straight married woman and after reading her witty account I nearly wanted to marry her Absolutely hilarious write-up, just brilliant!

[Lith]

Is this cave that one that a few years ago had a wooden table thing that someone had left behind?

I went to a cave like this a while ago but I completely forgot where it was (wasn't in charge of the routing whoops) and I'd like to go back and this seems very familiar.

Also had some glow worms on the lower parts of the wall

[mandragara]

That trip report makes the place look quite busy! Is it a popular place?

[ribuck]

Is it a popular place?

I've stayed there twice, and no-one else was there.

You take your chances with any camping cave. You need to be prepared to share the cave, or else have a tent with you. Fortunately, there are two excellent campsites near Wollangambe Cave (in Wollangambe Crater, and where the track to the crater crosses the Wollangambe River).

Goochs Cave, too, has been empty when I have stayed there. But I've heard several stories about people who arrived at Goochs Cave to find a couple of dozen scouts or a D of E expedition in occupation.