Bushwalk Australia

Has anyone been there and photo'd it?
It's location on the Frenchmans Special has altered over the years. An entry in the Tahune logbook in Feb/Mar 2000 said not to worry as it's actually not worth the trouble; a pokey little crevice.
But the original story of it's discovery is tremendous, like something out of Swiss Family Robinson. Running water even. There's reference to the Tramp source in The South-West Book, in the bibliog. Very much a part of the terrifying history of approaches to Frenchmans, terrifying when they talk of mighty chasms between them and monolith and in this case, a blizzard that would've done them in but for finding the shelter. One of them was climbing a tree beside a rock face.
But it's a special place that needs preserving so no route needs advertising. Just wondered if anyone had taken a couple of snaps there.
There might be some to show of Christmas Rock in 3 months, with the old airdrop kero tins from the 50's. May have been Jessie Luckman?

Do tell us more.
ff

Flyfisher, you've got 926 posts. You know more about it than I do. But, I am a little worried to mention it as previous enquiries, as we sat around in Tahune Hut years later (Terry had come in to do some maintenance), made me think there are some places best not to ask about.
Then I thought: "Hey!" Solve that problem about ever getting there. Anyone with an interest of Tas. walking history may have actually been there and taken one or two shots of the place. No harm in asking. And it's not unknown, so there may be a general interest. Only one mention ever in the forum, suprised me a little.
But failing anything relevant, it'll just slip down the list and inexorably, towards oblivion...

Scanned from old prints so not very good quality. From memory it was north from Artichoke Valley out to Pine Knob.

Great photos Martin - will we be visiting here?
Love the outlook in photo 2 - looks like a great bivy site.
Vagrom - are you coming on our November walk to Mt Seal?
We will apparently pass by Christmas Rock & the old air drop.

stubowling wrote:Great photos Martin - will we be visiting here?

Nice photos, although at that stage of the trip it might be on my "can't be bothered, just want to get home" list.

Sounds like it's on the way out to Pine Knob Oll (1 point peak).
The point I'll be in cant be a$$ed mode will be from Vera out, we'll be weary by then

I'm heading out to Frenchmans in mid November, I'm gonna see if I can find it on my way to Pine Knob. If I find it I'll let you know how long it takes to get there

Yeah cool mate.
We'll be heading out to Pine Knob anyway so hope to see it on the way.
MJD is on our trip as well so he'll point us in the right direction

ah yes, maybe I should be waiting until you guys have gone. I'm interested to see what the scrub out towards Philps Peak and Clytemnestra is going to be like.

Scrub wont be too bad, it's the airy sections that will be a worry for some.....

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Srub wont be too bad, it's the airy sections that will be a worry for some.....

Yeeeeeeeeeessss. You may have to sedate me.

Haha, there will be appropriate gear provided, plus a bunch of guys who know the way leading.... Having said that im going to make sure I have my extra thick scruds on.

If I'm not mistaken, Davern's Cavern is not on Pine Knob but you can see it from there.

JamesMc

OK having had a closer look at the maps etc I reckon that the 100k map is correct and Daverns Cavern is out on the ridge running north east behind Sharlands Peak. The second photo looking out of the cavern is likely to be looking at Pine Knob. The open bowl area should be a bit of a give away. Anyway here are a couple of other photos: one of me having fun on a boulder in the bowl area - taken long ago before I got old and scared of heights; the other from Sharlands Peak (I think).

absolutely stunning pics

http://www.redbubble.com/people/ozecard/art/1751994-2-daverns-cavern

This is a Fine Art print by Jon Axton that I stumbled upon when I Googled Davern's Cavern.

"Located in the Frenchman’s Cap National Park in Tasmania, Davern’s Cavern, named after an early explorer, remained recorded but undiscovered for many years. It was finally located in the 1980’s by members of the Scrub Club, a Hobart bushwalking club."

Looks like an amazing place...

MJD,
Would you recommend camping in Davern's Cavern+

JamesMc

JamesMc
Unfortunately it was a long time ago and I can't really remember whether it would be worth spending a night in the Cavern. The first photo suggests that it isn't particulary big and that level ground might be at a premium. It's possible we'll go and have another look this November.
Cheers

Thanks a lot for those shots MJD. At last, no longer a complete mystery. I'm looking for a copy of A.Davern's 2 page story in Tramp #12 (1955) pp 26-27, copied in Hobart some years ago. If anyone's interested, you simply visit the State Lib. and walk into the Tasmaniana section where a person at the desk will point you just across to the bound back editions of Tramp and Skyline. The photocopier's by the desk. Title of the item is ' The Discovery of "Davern's Cavern",( from a letter to a friend, 1953)'.
"Discovered by Douglas Anderson in 1932 and named after his friend Aubrey Davern with whom he was climbing Frenchmans Cap at the time. The cave sheltered them for four days of storm. This was the first ascent of the Cap after J.E.Philp. 1910"
(South-West Nomenclature, p.279 The South-West Book).
Anyone interested in discovery of Christmas Cave and naming of Lightening Plains: Binks p.152
And of Sharland's arrival at the "terrible precipice ...500 metres below...if only they'd found the joining ridge": Binks, pp.118 and 119. I'd scan it if I could. Nick may have a copy; if you ask him.

Here's a photo we took in 2014. Yes you could camp in it quite comfortably

Trying again with downsized photo

We visited Davern's Cavern last week and found it using Chapman's notes from his Frenchman's Cap book chapter. It's located accurately on the map but figuring out exactly which rock tower is which and exactly when to go right around the first and left around the second took us a bit of time. Getting back to the track was much easier - 45 minutes - as compared to the couple of hours we took to find it in the first place.

The logbook indicates that few people visit the cave - between 1-5 parties per year on average.

The floor of the cave was pretty wet but two people could possibly/probably sleep on the rock shelves though they're not exactly flat and level. It's a great view from the cavern and I imagine sunrise and sunset could be very spectacular.