Marked only on topographic maps – Palona Cave is located in the middle of the Royal National Park – the first Australian National Park established in 1879.

Primarily, this park is famous by its coastal views, Australian bush, rainforests,  and activities available for Sydney locals and turists – bushwalks, bike riding, camping, kayaking and etc.

To get to the cave, drive to the Lady Carrington Drive and Sir Bertram Stevens Drive intersection, and park your car near the large set of stone gates – that will be at the beginnig of the Forrest Path Track.

Follow this track for approximately 1800 meters until you reach the sign “Limestone Cave 1.6km” – you will see the back of this sign on your left. You will need to take a right turn here and walk 800 meters to the cave.

At first, this small cave looks like hundreds of other caves of this type – just a big rock platform hanging above you, but because of the limestone, it has stalactites and stalagmites like in real caves.

  

If you look carefully, you will find some stalactites and stalagmites joined into columns of differents sizes and shapes, forming some very interesting sculpures like

– banana (above)
– ribs (above)
– frozen waterfall made of limestone (below)

Those “ribs” separate a small space from the rest of the cave, creating a place that we called a bedroom, and probably, it had been used by aboriginals as a bedroom some long time ago.

While you’re there, don’t miss a small but nice waterfall – Palona Falls, it is only 20 meteres from the cave, just follow the track a little bit further.

Additional Information:
– Bushwalking notes for “Lady Carrington Drive to Palona Cave”
– Official page of the Royal National Park
– images on flickr