122 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



leaders. However, on getting to Redfern (Sydney) Railway 

 Station shortly before nine on the morning of Friday, 31st August, 

 I was much disappointed to find only two other gentlemen 

 intended venturing on the trip, one of them being Mr. S. E. 

 Wills, a fellow-member of our club, our companion being a 

 gentleman from Scotland. 



There are three ways of reaching the caves, which are situated, 

 as the crow flies, about 70 miles due west of Sydney. Firstly, 

 by railway to Katoomba, 66 miles, and thence 27 miles on horse- 

 back. Secondly, by railway to Mount Victoria, 77 miles, and 

 coach thence 36 miles. Thirdly, by railway to Tarana, formerly 

 called Fish River, 120 miles, and coach via Oberon, 35 miles. 



Our route was planned out for us by the Association to go via 

 Tarana, and return via Mount Victoria, which 1 certainly think is 

 a very interesting one, as it embraces some of the finest scenery 

 in New South Wales. 



We left Sydney at 9 a.m. on a very warm morning, and as we 

 passed through Parramatta a regular hot wind was blowing. How- 

 ever, the air became cooler as we ascended the Blue Mountains ; 

 but our views of the country, as we travelled along, were greatly 

 spoiled by the dry appearance of the vegetation, owing to the long- 

 continued drought, from which almost every part of New South 

 Wales was suffering. Several pretty wild flowers were growing 

 alongside the line. Acacia discolor, Boronia pinnata, and several 

 others, being conspicuous by their yellow, pink, and white flowers. 

 Soon after leaving Wentworth Falls, the traveller begins to get 

 ghmpses of the great perpendicular sandstone cliffs so character- 

 istic of the Blue Mountains. Passing through the Clarence 

 Tunnel, where the train was travelling at a height above the sea 

 level of 3,600 ft., equal to the top of our Mount Macedon, the 

 great Zigzag at Lithgow Valley, the termination of the Blue 

 Mountains was reached in due course. From here the ordinary 

 tourist usually returns by rail to Mount Victoria ; but if the drive 

 via Bowenfels and Hartley to the mount be taken, some mag- 

 nificent scenery is passed through. Our destination was Tarana, 

 some twenty-five miles further. Before reaching this we crossed 

 the main dividing range, near Rydal, at about 3,220 ft., and entered 

 the watershed of the rivers flowing into the Darling, and were 

 now on the edge of the famous Bathurst Plains. 



On arrival at Tarana, about 4 p.m., we found vehicles waiting 

 to convey our supposed party of nine to Oberon (eighteen miles) ; 

 but as only three had come up we were not crowded. The road takes 

 a southerly direction, up and down some rather steep hills, passing 

 chiefly through sheep stations. Evan's Crown, some remarkable 

 bosses of granite on the top of a hill away to our left, the crossing 

 of the Fish River near Mutton's Falls, and the Dog Rocks, also 

 of granitic formation — close by which we passed — were almost 



