Jenolan Caves Is Reopening in Early 2027
Get ready Jenolan Caves, one of the oldest and most spectacular cave systems in the world, is on track to reopen in early 2027 after more than two and a half years closed.
If you did a primary school excursion there, you’ll remember the glowing chambers and the walk in single file rule. Now it’s your kids’ turn.
Why has it been closed?
Jenolan has had a rough few years. Weather events between 2021 and 2024 badly damaged the Two Mile section of Jenolan Caves Road, and the road and precinct closed to visitors in April 2024. Fires, floods, landslides and COVID mean the caves have been closed more often than open since 2020.
Transport for NSW started repairs in August 2024. Stabilisation work is done, and the next stage covers drainage, culvert replacements and rebuilding the road surface so it holds up better long term.
What’s new when it reopens
The closure hasn’t been wasted. While the road gets fixed, the Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust has been upgrading the whole precinct. That means maintenance inside the show caves, a brand-new Blue Lake Boardwalk, upgraded tracks and trails, better car parking, and works to protect the site from future fires, floods and landslides.
Caves House is getting a big refresh too, with new ensuites and air-con in guest rooms, air-con in Chisholm’s Grand Dining Room, better accessibility throughout and new heating in guest areas. Parents who have done a winter night at Jenolan will appreciate that last one.
Keep an eye on the Blue Lake. It’s one of the best spots to see a platypus, and the new boardwalk should make it easier for little legs.
There’s no booking date yet. The exact reopening date will be announced once the Reserve Trust finalises operational planning, so sign up to the Jenolan Caves newsletter to hear first. After years of pent-up demand, the first weekends and school holidays will book out fast.
The caves sit about three hours from Sydney on the western edge of the Blue Mountains, so make a weekend of it or at least pack snacks and a car sick kit. Bring layers as well – it’s cooler underground than outside, even in summer.
