If all the eating and drinking in Orange has you craving a bit of a leg stretch, then heading out to Verandah Cave is a great choice. The trail is almost entirely flat and takes you to not one, but two fun caves. You’re free to explore the caves (there are no barriers or railings) and you’re very likely to have them all to yourself.
Although there isn’t much in the way of elaborate rock formations, Verandah Cave has beautiful blue water running through it and both caves are good for a paddle if you’re visiting in the warmer months.
Here’s everything you need to know about Verandah Cave, one of our favourite places to visit in Orange.
The Verandah Cave Walk
The stats
Distance: 6.5km return
Elevation gain: 100m
Difficulty: Easy
Summary: The walk to both Tunnel Cave and Verandah Cave is easy and almost entirely flat. The path is either grass or dirt track and only one very short section takes you uphill and has a few stones.
Getting down into Tunnel Cave involves negotiating a few steps which are a bit slippery as the ‘track’ is a mix of loose soil and mud, but it literally is three steps.
Accessing Verandah Cave is very easy and not slippery (when dry).
Starting the trail
From the parking area (details below) you’ll continue up the Veranda Cave Track, past the gate and onto the fire trail.
After 200m you’ll come to a junction and head right, though the junction is not signposted, a few seconds later you will see a sign for Verandah Cave.
There’s a short section of dirt track and then you’ll head along a grassy path. Although the trail does head ever so slightly downhill, it’s so gentle that it pretty much feels flat.
As you walk through the bush you’re constantly serenaded by the resident birdlife, we saw so many rosellas on this track, both crimson and green.
It’s really peaceful, especially because the path is so good that you don’t have to watch your footing and there is rarely anyone else on the trail.
After 850m (from the car park) you need to keep following the creek when you get to the junction.
After 1km you’ll start to see some rocky outcrops and it feels more like there could be some caves out there. If you’re walking early or late in the day you’re likely to spot a kangaroo or two.
As we were walking in the middle of the day we only saw evidence of them being around, but not the roos themselves.
As most of the trail is exposed, I wouldn’t recommend walking in the middle of the day if it’s really hot - speaking from experience!
To Tunnel Cave
Just 150m past the first rocky outcrops there’s a tiny little track heading right towards the cliffs. We thought it might be another cave, but it’s just a small opening in the cliff face, it’s only a few steps off the trail if you want to see it.
Back on the main trail and at the 1.5km mark there’s another fork and you need to keep beside the creek once again.
Verandah Cave isn’t usually signposted, but if you keep beside the creek you can’t go wrong (the track is usually signposted as the Boree Creek Trail).
There are a couple of very tiny undulations, but for the most part the whole route to Tunnel Cave is flat.
You’ll cross a small wooden bridge at the 2.3km mark and from here it’s 150m to the turnoff for Tunnel Cave, which is 50m off the main trail and signposted.
As the cave is a winter roosting site for the threatened Bentwing Bats, access is not permitted between the 1st May and the 31st October.
Outside of these times you can visit, but if you do spot a bat, you are requested not to shine light on them.
Exploring Tunnel Cave
The 50m bush track to the cave entrance is still on a good path. However, the final few steps into the cave are a little steep and on a mix of loose soil and mud. It is literally only a couple of steps, but just watch out as it is a bit slippery.
It would be more so if it’s been very wet, and on that note if there has been recent heavy rain or rain forecast, access to the cave is not permitted due to the risk of flash flooding.
Once inside the cave you can explore two chambers. One goes a few metres around the corner from the entrance and has a few cave formations.
You could then climb up through the cave opening in the left wall to the upper chamber (or just climb up from the main entrance).
It’s not an enclosed chamber, but has a few little arches you can get up close to. There is a small creek running through the cave and it forms a tiny stream where you could paddle your feet on a hot day.
The water is a beautiful shade of blue, which was really surprising and didn’t match the colour of the main creek you walk along.
When you’re ready to leave Tunnel Cave you retrace your steps to the junction and then take the path leading steeply uphill.
To Verandah Cave
The uphill climb lasts for 50m, so it’s only a few minutes and then after a brief flat stretch the track will head downhill.
It’s a good easy path right up until 100m before the cave when it suddenly becomes really overgrown.
It wasn’t like this the first time we walked this track, so it may be tamed in time, but for the moment the grass is almost as tall as me. And it is a bit scratchy, so bare legs will suffer here!
After wading through the tall grass you’ll arrive at the entrance for Verandah Cave. Unlike Tunnel Cave there are no slippery bits (unless it’s been wet).
Exploring Verandah Cave
Verandah Cave is the much bigger of the two caves and is an impressive limestone overhang with gorgeous blue water running all the way through it.
It’s a cool shady environment and there’s plenty of room to sit and relax. You could walk down into the creek and take a look around the back of the cave, though on this occasion we decided to keep our boots dry!
It’s a beautiful spot in a pretty patch of bush and completely silent but for the sound of the running creek.
When you’re ready to leave the cave, you simply retrace your steps back to the car park. If you have time, we would highly recommend driving the couple of minutes to the trailhead for Arch Cave. Though we loved exploring all three caves in the area, Arch Cave is our favourite.
Getting to Verandah Cave and opening hours
The walk to Verandah Cave begins just before the gate on the Veranda Cave Track in the Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve, just 18km and less than a 20 minute drive from Orange.
To get to the Veranda Cave Track, take the Borenore access road and turn right just a short distance before the Borenore picnic area, which is where the trail to Arch Cave begins. The final part of the road is unsealed, but suitable for any cars at time of writing.
The Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve is open from 9am to 7pm every day.
Where to stay in Orange
Mayfield Vineyard
Mayfield Vineyard offers that quintessential Orange experience - a beautiful setting, traditional rural cottages and (of course) a vineyard! All of the accommodation options here have their own private kitchen and living areas, so it’s perfect if you don’t want to eat out for every meal.
It’s a great rural setting but just a short drive from Orange.
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West End Motor Lodge
The West End Motor Lodge is the best budget option in Orange, with clean and comfortable rooms, a great location and even an indoor pool. If you’re looking to spend most of your time in the vineyards or exploring the local area, the West End Motor Lodge is a great place to stay without having to splurge.
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