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Before the birth of man, in fact back in the Cambrian era about 500 Million years ago, rare sinkhole caves were formed in the district. The Camooweal Caves are extensive cavern systems developed beneath the flat surface of the Barkly Tableland.
The dolomite, composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, is like limestone soluble in natural waters, and this has led to cave formation along bedding and joint (fracture) planes. Despite the lesser solubility of dolomite in comparison to limestone, and the low rainfall and the subdued relief of the tableland, the density of caves is relatively high, at least in the Camooweal area
Basically the caves are large, twisting subhorizontal caverns, often of ‘railway tunnel’ dimensions, with vertical connections or shafts between levels, and vertical access to the surface through collapsed portions of the roofs (sinkholes or dolines). One known cave has been explored for over 3km of passageways and may extend downwards to permanent lakes at the watertable at about 73m below ground surface.
Because of the lesser solubility of dolomite, the arid climate and destructive seasonal flash flooding, decoration of the caves in the form of stalactites, shawls etc is rare or lacking. A study of air photographs of the Queensland part of the Barkly Tableland in the 1970s revealed 80 definite and 67 possible sinkholes, with the largest concentration near Camooweal.
Camooweal Caves National Park contains four species of conservation significance. The seasonal waterholes attract waterbirds including spoonbills, cormorants, herons and ducks. The freckled duck Stictonetta naevosa is a threatened wetland species that prefers quiet freshwater lagoons, and swampy grassland.
Ghost bats Macroderma gigas, orange leaf-nosed bats Rhinonicteris aurantia and other insect-eating bats roost in the caves. Owls also roost in these caves feeding on small nocturnal mammals like the long-haired rat Rattus villosissimus. The eastern edge of the orange leaf-nosed bat distribution extends into the Camooweal area.
The traditional country of the Indjalandji-Dhidhanu People includes the Camooweal Caves National Park and the Georgina River’s eastern tributaries including Nowranie Creek. Native Title was determined for the Indjalandji Dhidhanu People at a Federal Court hearing in Camooweal in December 2012.
Camooweal Caves National Park is associated with, and traversed by, a number of Aboriginal Dreamings that are actively respected by the Indjalandji-Dhidhanu People. Wiliyan-ngurru Dreaming is the “main Dreaming” for the park, where the rough-tailed goanna is considered to be the ‘boss’ for the Camooweal Caves.
Many of these sites have formally been recorded with consulting anthropologists and archaeologists over the past two decades. The majority of these sites have, to date, not been recorded on Queensland or Federal cultural heritage databases or registers, and are not widely known.
The limestone caves (sinkholes) within the park, including Little and Great Nowranie Caves and a number of other larger and smaller sinkholes are important Aboriginal sites of significance. The cave located within Nowranie Creek itself (Spinifex Cave) is a sacred site of high importance to the Indjalandji-Dhidhanu People.
The two semi-permanent waterholes that form part of Nowranie Creek (one located at the current camping ground, the other just east of the location at which the Urandangi Road crosses Nowranie Creek) are significant sites in this dry and often harsh environment. Aboriginal burial sites, camping sites, quarries and artefact distribution sites are known to be present on this park.
The first colonial explorer officially to record the Georgina River at Camooweal was William Landsborough who, during his search for Burke and Wills in 1861, named Lakes Mary, Francis and Kenellan (now spelt as ‘Canellan’).
The first settler to the area was John Sutherland, who took up the Rockland's lease in 1865. Camooweal Caves National Park was once part of Rocklands Pastoral Holding and is now a neighbour. When the then owners of Rocklands transferred the Camooweal Caves National Park section of the pastoral holding, it retained the rights to continue grazing the property under a 30-year lease agreement with the State (due to expire October 2020).
The old Nowranie homestead was located on the park at the south-west boundary on Nowranie Creek.
The Great Nowrani Cave is located 21km by road south of the town of Camooweal.
Your parking coordinates are:
S20 03.091 E138 11.004
From here you are required to walk to:
S20 03.075 E138 11.082
Q1. Aprox. how deep is the Sink Hole.
Q2. Which direction does the fault run.
Now it‘s time to look closely at some rock at:
S20 03.075 E138 11.064
Q3. What type of rock are you examining.
Q4. Describe 3 different types of rock surfaces visible to you.
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Well done pmt123 FTF