Cave Stream Reserve Closure
From April 28th 2008 Cave Stream Reserve will be closed while extensive work to upgrade the Cave Stream Reserve visitor facilities takes place. The reserve will be closed for 10 weeks for health and safety reasons. Click here for more information. |
| Introduction |
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The Cave Stream Scenic Reserve
sits among spectacular
limestone outcrops, with views
of the Craigieburn and
Torlesse Ranges.
A 362 metre long cave within
the reserve is one of the most
outstanding natural features
in the Canterbury region. The open country is ideal for
picnicking and gentle short
walks.
Please note: Camping is prohibited within
the reserve. The closest
campsite is in the Craigieburn
Forest Park at the Craigieburn
Picnic Area, 5 km towards
Arthur’s Pass.
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Private transport:
The reserve is on State
Highway 73, between the Broken
River road bridge and
Craigieburn Forest Park
entrance.
Public transport:
At least two minibus companies
service Highway 73 from
Christchurch and Greymouth.
Pick-ups and drop-offs must be
pre-arranged. |
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From the carpark two tracks
lead to the cave entrances. A
short trail goes north to the
upstream entrance, through a
diverse karst (limestone)
landscape of solution holes,
rillenkarren (water grooved
rocks) and sculptured rock
formations. The other track
leads to the edge of a terrace
overlooking the outflow
entrance of the cave. It
continues down the face of the
terrace to the junction of
Cave Stream and Broken River.
Two short walks lead to each
end of the cave. From the
carpark go north to the inlet.
The south track leads to the
edge of a terrace overlooking
the outlet, then continues
down to the junction of Cave
Stream and Broken River. |
The hills behind the reserve
are great for bouldering and
rock climbing but this is
private land and permission is
needed from Flock Hill
Station. Go to http://www.mojozone.co.nz/climbing-location/flock-hill and www.flockhill.info for further information.
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The cave passage meanders and
twists in pitch darkness for
362 metres between the two
entrances. The cave ends in a
deep pool with a 3-metre high
waterfall. A ladder of iron
rungs in the rock climbs up
beside the waterfall and a
chain and step help the crawl
along the overhang ledge to
the exit. If care is taken,
fit, inexperienced cavers can
go through. |
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You need to take...
- One torch per person, plus
spare batteries. You may
want to tie it around your
neck so your hands are
free.
- Warm tops (wool or
propylene is best).
- Shorts or long-johns (wool
or propylene). Jeans are
dangerous!
- Strong, secure footwear.
Running shoes are good.
- Have clothing to change
into when you finish.
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Before you enter the
cave...
- Check the weather
forecast. Do not enter the
cave during heavy rain.
Look for signs of
flooding: discoloured or
foaming water, debris in
water, sounds of rocks
rolling.
- Check the water levels. In
normal flow, the deep pool
at the first turn from the
outlet end is waist-deep
on an adult. Check the
water level on your group
here.
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WARNING:
Do not attempt to enter if the
stream is high, with the water
discoloured or
foaming. |
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Going through the
cave...
- Enter at the outlet end of
the cave and walk against
the flow of the stream. It
is easier and safer.
- The cave twists and turns
in total darkness and is
rough underfoot. You may
need to help members of
your group to climb
several small waterfalls.
- To assist climbing out the
inlet end of the cave, a
rung ladder ascends beside
the waterfall. A chain and
step help to get along the
overhang ledge to the
exit.
- Allow one hour to walk
through the cave.
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Enlarge |
Cave Stream
Abandoned
Stream
Bed |
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The reserve is in Castle
Hill Basin - a low
depression bounded by
fault-lines along the
Craigieburn and Torlesse
mountain ranges. The name
“Castle Hill” comes from the
castle-like forms of the
prominent limestone outcrops.
Karst topography is the name
given to a limestone
landscape. Rain water combines
with soil elements (primarily
carbon dioxide) to produce a
weak acid, which over time
trickles into joints and
cracks, dissolving the
limestone. The cave has formed with the
limestone dissolving over
time, diverting Cave Stream
from its original surface
channel. The abandoned channel
is left as a dry valley near
the upstream end of the cave. |
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Enlarge |
Broken
River near the
Cave
Outlet |
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The form of the limestone
bluffs is characteristic of
solution weathering of
limestone. Depressions in the
ground’s surface, or
sinkholes, can be seen from
the carpark. They are typical
in a karst region.
A line of three sinkholes can
be seen on the river terrace
near the carpark immediately
above the cave. These have let
water in to enlarge a joint
that runs down the cave’s
length, and are responsible
for some of the vertical
development of the present
cave.
The terraces upstream of the
cave inlet were formed many
thousands of years ago by a
glacial fed river. |
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Broken
River below
the
Cave |
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The vegetation of the reserve
has been greatly modified.
Original plant life would have
been low forest of totara,
broadleaf/kapuka, kowhai and
other small leafed shrubs.
Burning, oversowing with
introduced grass species and
grazing has left introduced
grasses as the main
vegetation.
The only remaining areas of
original vegetation are an
assortment of native species
in the limestone bluffs and
crannies. Large shrubs found
here include matagouri,
mountain wineberry/makomako, Coprosma propinqua, a
few Hebe cupressoides, Helichrysum
intermedium, and Melicytus alpinus (porcupine shrub).
There are also a few ferns and
smaller shrubs including the
characteristic limestone fern Asplenium lyallii, the
fern Cystopteris
tasmanica and a threatened
native forget-me-not Myosotis colensoi. |
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There is an abundance of
invertebrate fauna in and
around the limestone reserve.
In the “dark zone” of the
cave, a rare species of
arachnid (spider), the cave
harvestman, is found. This
feeds on insects and other
small cave creatures. It is
known to live only in this
cave and one other on the West
Coast.
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'Gorge of
Sandstone and
Limestone on
River Porter
near Woolshed'
by Charles
Enys (1865),
National
Library of
Australia |
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Evidence of Maori occupation
in the Cave Stream area
includes rock-art, artefacts
and signs of seasonal camps.
On the ridge above the reserve
an old Maori backpack was
found in a small rock shelter.
It is made from flax, with a
wooden frame, and has broad
straps. Intricately woven flax
over the frame could stretch
in both directions to
accommodate the pack’s
contents. Finding this pack
confirmed traditional
knowledge that Maori used
packs, similar to the modern
day pack, for carrying loads.
The pack is estimated to be
500 years old and can be seen
in the Canterbury Museum.
The first European to explore
the area was Joseph Pearson,
in 1857. Pearson was
commissioned to select land
for Joseph Hawdon, who took up
the original Craigieburn
(including Flock Hill) and
Grasmere runs. Hawdon was also
responsible for the naming of
many local features. |
Castle Hill Run was taken up
by the Porter Brothers in
1858. Their homestead was near
the quarry on the Porter
Heights skifield road. In 1864
Porters sold to Charles and
John Enys and Edward Curry.
John Enys was one of the
earliest authorities on New
Zealand moths and butterflies
while Charles
Enys was a talented
watercolour painter.
In the coaching era Castle
Hill Hotel was a popular
tourist destination until it
burnt down in 1904. |
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For walking advice, maps,
weather information and
informative displays:
Arthur's Pass
Visitor
Information
Centre
Department of
Conservation,
Waimakariri
Field Centre
PO Box 8
Arthur's Pass
Phone (03)
318-9211, fax
(03) 318-9271
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Department of Conservation
Website: www.doc.govt.nz
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