Beginners Handbook   What trips are on? When can I get a triplist? What do I need to bring on trips? When are the beginner's trips? Do I need training? Canyoning Equipment for caving Equipment for camping Equipment stores Food for caving trips Costs, jewellery and hair Common SUSS caving areas in NSW Common SUSS caving areas outside NSW Map of NSW - a zipped file (617KB) Map of NSW - a tif file (4.37 MB) What trips are on? Trip lists are published generally every month, with the details of our trips and who to contact. If you want to come on a trip, MAKE SURE YOU LET THE TRIPLEADER KNOW so that they can make arrangements. Particularly at the beginning of the year, some trips are very popular, and as numbers are usually limited if you do not book early you may miss out. When can I get a triplist? Triplists are given out at our meetings or go to the triplist. · GENERAL MEETINGS are held on the first Thursday of every month (except January) at 7pm (for a 7.30pm start to the formal part of the evening). They are held in the Holme Building Common Room, on the first floor of the Holme Building in Science Road at Sydney Uni (just south of the Parramatta Road Footbridge). We also show slides, and talk about what we have been doing. What do I need to bring on trips? This depends on the area you're going to. Read the section on caving equipment to find out the basic gear you need to go underground, then check out caving areas to see what other equipment you should bring in case camping is involved.. When are the beginner's trips? Unlike some clubs, we don't run beginners trips. That's because we want you to feel welcome on pretty well any of our trips. Don't be scared - on most trips we have people with little or no experience. Our tripleaders will arrange for you to do activities that should be within your level of ability. Occasionally the triplist will say that experience is required; but otherwise just book on any trip and let the tripleader know you haven't done much caving before. Bring a friend and have a ball together! Do I need training? For about 90% of trips, no training is required. Occasionally we run field days, and also during term time we meet at the Ledge, the Womens Sports Association climbing gym, at which you can find out about some of the more technical skills needed for serious caving, like abseiling. Check the triplist. But most trips don't need any of these skills, so you don't have to wait for a training day before coming on a trip. Some people cave for many years without getting into the technical side of things. Common SUSS caving areas in NSW Bungonia Bungonia may not be the prettiest caving area in NSW, but it's the most popular. If you've been caving before, chances are it's been at Bungonia. Everyone can go there, and some weekends it seems like everyone has. Despite the crowds, Bungonia still offers some good caving trips, with some of mainland Australia's deepest caves. Unfortunately, the best of them require extensive technical ropework, and so some (but not all) Bungonia trips are not suitable for beginners. Talk to the trip leader and work out if there will be any beginner activities. It is sometimes an advantage if you've been to a SUSS field day and know how to abseil and climb a ladder. There are some good bushwalks - the spectacular Bungonia Gorge is the deepest in the Southern Hemisphere. Location About 2 hours drive south of Sydney, north-west of Goulburn, near Marulan. Conditions underground The caves are generally warm, dry and dusty. Some of the caves contain high levels of CO2, which can cause breathing difficulties (don't worry - we generally steer clear of caves with this problem!). Because of the high level of traffic, many of the formations are broken, so don't expect awesome displays of natural beauty. However, there are some great sporting sections with lots of climbing, crawling, squeezing and so forth. Facilities Camping ground with hot showers, flush toilets, running water. There is a small "kitchen" building but the stoves don't work - we normally stay at the campsite to cook. Camping fees are collected. Costs · Camping fees ~ $10-$15 per person / weekend. · Petrol money ~ $15 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a tent, sleeping mat, raincoat, torch for round the campsite, cooking and eating utensils, towel, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on the campfire). SRT equipment (if you have it). Cliefden The Cliefden caves are generally not large but offer some truly spectacular formations. Located on private farmland near Orange, they provide an opportunity for a relaxing weekend away. They are mostly very easy to negotiate and would make a good introduction for beginners. Location About 3½ - 4 hours drive west from Sydney, near Mandurama, south of Orange Conditions underground HOT! Main Cave is around 20oC and is quite stuffy. The other caves are a little cooler, but not much. Because we don't normally sit still for long periods, light clothing is appropriate (eg T-shirt and shorts under overalls). Most caves are generally dry and dusty, but the floor gets quite muddy in places and so boots are probably better than sandshoes. Facilities Accommodation in old shearer's quarters (he enjoys our company) with 240V power, fireplace, 2 stoves, toaster, kettle, cooking equipment, 2 fridges, tank water, hot shower and flush toilet. There are 9 mattresses, plus room on some of the couches if the number of participants exceeds this. Hut fees are $6 per weekend plus a share of the $20 permit fee (usually $9 to $10 in total). Costs · Hut fees ~ $10 per person / weekend · Petrol money ~ $15 return More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear, PLUS a towel for the shower. Plate and cutlery are a good idea as there is a limited amount in the hut. You will be very popular if you can bring a high-clearance 4WD to save wading the icy river! Colong In this writer's opinion, Colong is the perfect beginner's cave. It's just like everyone imagines a cave would be like - lovely walk-through passages running in all directions, with some good formation. The drive is quite long, particularly if the road is obscured by fog, so we usually go up Friday night, do the cave on Saturday and drive back Sunday. The only thing to look out for is the 4km walk in, with a steep hill to climb on the return. Location About 4-5 hours drive west of Sydney, at the southern end of Kanangra Boyd National Park (south of Jenolan). Conditions underground Pretty well all warm, dry and dusty, although there are occasional wet passages. You can do the whole cave without getting wet feet. Nearly all of the cave is walk-through passage. Facilities Camping beside cars at basic campsite with pit toilet. There is a small creek but water supply is unreliable. Costs · Your share of the permit fee ~ $8 per person. · Petrol money ~ $15 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a tent, sleeping mat, raincoat, torch for round the campsite, cooking and eating utensils, toilet paper, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on the campfire). Because of the unreliable water situation the trip leader will often arrange a large container of water for communal use - but check on this. Jenolan SUSS visits Jenolan about once a month. It's almost a second home to many of us, and is the location of most of our projects. The cottage, the nearby tourist caves and range of activities available means that it is a great place for beginners. There is a great range of trips possible; some are quite challenging, others quite easy. Location About 2 - 2½ hours west from Sydney, near Oberon. Conditions underground Many of the caves at Jenolan are quite wet and muddy, particularly where we go! We recommend thermal underwear here, particularly if you're taking part in a project such as surveying which involves a lot of sitting around. Facilities Cottage with 240V power, mattresses, stove, fridge, toaster, kettle, microwave, hot shower, flush toilet, running water. Plenty of cooking utensils, plates and cutlery. Hut fees are $5 for the weekend, and $2 for each subsequent night. Costs · Hut fees ~ $5 per person / weekend. · Petrol money ~ $10 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a towel for the shower. Tuglow Tuglow is renowned as a sporty streamway cave. After descending about 50m through rubble, you arrive at the stream, which runs through a high rift for most of the cave. Great fun can be had sloshing through the stream, climbing up the waterfalls and manoeuvring around the many awkward obstacles. The nature of the cave makes a Tuglow trip more strenuous than many, but it's well within the range of most beginners. Tuglow trips involve walk-in camping - how far you have to walk depends on what vehicles we have on the trip! However, camping is beside the beautiful Kowmung River - good for a swim in summer, and you may even see the elusive Tuglow platypus. Location About 3 - 3½ hours drive west of Sydney, in Kanangra Boyd National Park (south of Jenolan). Conditions underground You WILL get wet. How wet depends exactly what you do, but at least up to the knees. For those who can abseil, abseiling the waterfall is great fun - and there's an optional swim afterwards. Thermals are definitely recommended. Facilities Zero. BYO everything. (Well, there's drinking water in the river, but bring everything else.) Costs · Your share of the permit fee ~ $7 per person. · Petrol money ~ $15 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a tent, sleeping mat, raincoat, torch for round the campsite, cooking and eating utensils, toilet paper, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on the campfire). In warmer months, a towel and swim gear are good. Check with the tripleader about where we will be camping. If there are enough 4WDs on the trip, we can drive to a site with camping a mere 300m level walk away, and caving gear can be left at the car. Otherwise, you will have to walk down a big hill with all your gear, PLUS a share of the caving equipment. Either way, try to have everything in one pack that you can carry easily. Wee Jasper Second only to Bungonia as Yobbo Caving Capital of NSW (and would probably be first if it was closer to Sydney), odds are that you've been here before with school, scouts etc. However, if you strike a less busy weekend, it can actually be quite enjoyable. The caves are generally large and spacious with some decent formations (usually the ones out of reach). The caves involve some vertical work and it helps greatly if you can abseil. Location About 3½ - 4 hours drive southwest of Sydney (55km from Yass). Conditions underground Wee Jasper is generally warm and dusty. We move around a lot so you don't need thermals (except, perhaps, on the surface!). There is the occasional muddy patch, though. Facilities Depends on where we camp. Usually, zero; although there is a camp ground nearby with running water and flush toilets (costs money to stay there, and full of scouts). Costs · Camping fees are possible ~ $15 per person / weekend. · Petrol money ~ $20 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a tent, sleeping mat, raincoat, torch for round the campsite, cooking and eating utensils, toilet paper, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on the campfire). Because there is no water at the campsite the trip leader will normally arrange a 20L container of water for communal use - but check on this. SRT equipment (if you have it - not essential). Wombeyan A lesser known tourist area, Wombeyan also has a number of interesting wild caves. We camp in the reserve where there are lots of facilities. Much of our time at Wombeyan is spent working on projects, so if you go on a trip you can expect to be given some job to do. A few of the caves require vertical work but are usually done using ladders, so anyone can take part - ask the trip leader. Location About 3 - 3½ hours drive south of Sydney. Access is through Mittagong and along a spectacular winding road through the Wollondilly River Valley. Conditions underground Fairly warm, dry and dusty; however, some of the lower level caves require wading in water (up to chest deep!). It's also a good idea to bring some warm gear if you're going to be working on a project. Facilities Camping ground with hot showers, flush toilets, running water. There is a small "kitchen" building but the stoves don't work - we normally stay at the campsite to cook. Camping fees are collected - expect to pay $5-$10 per night, but sometimes it's free! Costs · Camping fees ~ $5-$10 per person per night. · Petrol money ~ $15 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a tent, sleeping mat, raincoat, torch for round the campsite, cooking and eating utensils, towel, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on the campfire). Wyanbene Wyanbene is a very interesting streamway cave in southern NSW. We camp within sight of the cave entrance. The cave itself is quite varied, involving lots or scrambling, a little laddering, and one very annoying grovel in the stream. There are some truly spectacular features, including the magnificent Gunbarrel Aven. Location About 4 - 4½ hours drive south of Sydney, near Braidwood (east of Canberra). Conditions underground Face it - staying dry is not an option. You get wet above the knees as you enter, and while you're out of the stream most of the way (apart from the aforementioned grovel) you never get dry again. The water can be quite cold too, so wear warm clothes. Facilities Zero (well, a pit toilet). BYO everything - even firewood is in short supply. Costs · Petrol money ~ $20 return. More information about costs. What to bring All the caving gear PLUS a tent, sleeping mat, raincoat, torch for round the campsite, cooking and eating utensils, toilet paper, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on the campfire). Because there is no water at the campsite the trip leader will normally arrange a 20L container of water for communal use - but check on this. Yarrangobilly For many, there is no argument - Yarrangobilly is the best caving area in NSW. So why don't we go there more than once or twice a year? Because it's so far away! Usually the site of holiday or long weekend trips, 'Yagby' is full of large, well-decorated caves, and has heaps of potential for finding new things. It's also in a beautiful setting, with a magnificent limestone gorge and a thermal pool. Accommodation is in a historic cottage in a ghost town, and we know for a fact that it's haunted. You can't get much more atmospheric than that .. except when it snows. Location On the Snowy Mountains Highway in Kosciuszko National Park near Tumut, about 5 hours drive southwest from Sydney. Conditions underground COLD. Some of the caves have been known to sport ice formations when the temperature gets low enough! The lower section of Eagles Nest is particularly notorious for being around 5 degrees Celsius. Thermals are definitely recommended. The caves can get quite muddy too. Facilities There is a hut to sleep in, which provides a roof over your head and a floor under your feet, but nothing else. Pit toilets; no power; and water must be brought up from the creek in buckets. Until someone fixes the chimney, we can't use the fireplace, and so have to rely on small fires in the old wood-burning stove. Needless to say, it can get quite bitter at winter, so we tend to leave trips to the warmer months. Costs · Petrol money ~ $30-$40 return. More information about costs. What to bring LOTS OF WARM CLOTHES. Oh, and your caving gear. Also a torch for finding your way around the cottage in the dark, cooking and eating utensils, toilet paper, water bottle, personal stove (or cook on top of the wood-burning stove). Candles give a nice ambience in the cottage. If going in colder months (basically, any time except summer -we have seen heavy snow in April and October) you should make sure your sleeping gear in particular is warm. Some of the caves are quite pretty and require you to remove dirty clothing in places. If it a good idea to have a spare pair of clean-soled sandshoes for these sections. Lastly, don't forget your swimming gear - a daily swim in the thermal pool (and the very un-thermal river for some) has become a SUSS tradition.   Common SUSS caving areas outside NSW NSW isn't the only place in the world where there are caves! SUSS members often use their holidays to travel the world, going to the best known caves and attempting to discover unknown ones. Favourite locations include: Tasmania The home of Australia's 25 deepest caves, Tassie is the Australian centre of hard-core vertical caving. Cavers descend several hundred metres of abseils, often in freezing temperatures next to roaring waterfalls. Tassie also houses some of the country's prettiest caves. Nullarbor Plain The barren landscape of the Nullarbor hides a number of extensive cave systems, some of which are amongst the longest in the country. Caves are hot and dry, and you camp in the desert. New Zealand Almost as close as Tassie, but the caves are twice as big and twice as deep (that means it's twice as far back out in the evening!). New Zealand is still the centre of some major exploration, in which SUSS has joined with local cavers to explore systems almost a kilometre deep. Indonesia SUSS has recently joined with the Wessex Caving Club from England to look for caves on the island of Seram. A pleasant beachside village is just a short way from impressive underground rivers, huge passages and shafts hundreds of metres deep. Some SUSS cavers have explored caves in Java. Mexico Al Warild, one of Australia's top cavers, has led several trips to Mexico that have been joined by other SUSS cavers. They have discovered a number of deep caves, including one that descends over 1 kilometre. Canyoning The sandstone canyons of the Blue Mountains are a regular destination for SUSS in summer. Creeks cut deep into the rock, eroding smooth-walled, dim crevasses where light seldom penetrates, full of moss, yabbies and deep pools of cool water. Negotiating canyons can involve climbing, wading, swimming, floating on li-los, jumping and abseiling. It all depends on the canyon. Most are OK for beginners but some are quite demanding - ask the trip leader. Early in the year we usually run easy trips. What you need depends on the canyon. The basics are normal bushwalking gear. This includes: comfortable hiking shoes clothing suitable for bushwalking warm clothing (thermals or a warm jumper) in case of a weather change or benighting a torch in case of a late exit For a wet canyon you need a wetsuit to keep you warm and also thermal clothing if you are sensitive to the cold.. Generally speaking, a wet suit should be full length, and at least 3mm thick. A new wetsuit tends to be quite expensive, but second hand wetsuits are commonly available in second-hand stores and recycled recreation for less than $100. In some canyons, a li-lo (inflatable air mattress) can help you in long swims. You will also need to waterproof your pack - either buy a dry bag which cost around $50 from an outdoor store, or use multiple sealed plastic bags, one inside the other. Costs · Petrol money ~ expect to pay $10-$20 return, depending on the canyoning area visited. More information about costs. Equipment for Caving This section describes the basic equipment that we recommend you bring on any caving trip. Other suggestions are made if you want to spend more money. and this may make your trip more enjoyable. In some caving regions you may need to take camping equipment in addition to the list of caving gear. This equipment is listed in the description of each caving region. Remember, YOU ONLY NEED THE BASIC GEAR for many trips. So don't rush out and spend hundreds of dollars unnecessarily. After you've been on one or two trips and talked with more experienced members you can decide what extra gear you want. Spare torch Whilst the Society will provide a helmet and light for caving, it is essential to own a small torch for your personal use as a backup light source in a cave and for around the campsite. A small cheap handheld torch is quite adequate or something like a small Mag-light, powered by two AA batteries, is light, versatile, quite resilient against destruction and puts out a light powerful enough to navigate a cave with (costs about $35). You can attach a cord so that it can be worn around your neck. Another option is a head mountable light, such as a "Petzl Zoom, Duo or Mega", these can provide up to 17 hours of light, using a 4.5V battery, and a standard globe. Estimated cost: $5-$70. They are also generally robust enough to be used as a main light. LED lights are becoming popular because they are very efficient, giving a long term saving on batteries. A single LED light is often carried by cavers for emergencies although they are not really suitable for use around the campsite. These cost around $30. Petzel have released the Tika which has 4 LEDs and is head mountable however these cost around $100 and are not suitable as a primary caving light as they are not that robust (although they would be fine in emergencies). Overalls For virtually all NSW caves, full body covering is a must. Overalls (combination, not bib and brace) are great, and you can sometimes find them at army disposal stores or opportunity shops. If you don't want to get them immediately, we recommend full length trousers and either a full-length t-shirt or a full length jumper (that is, one that covers your arms). Caves are often quite harsh; and without adequate body protection, you increase the possibility of minor injury (e.g. grazes, bruising etc.). In general, cotton products do not offer good insulation, and absorb water. We do not suggest wearing just cotton for warmth. Since most overalls are made of cotton, you will need something warm underneath, like a woollen jumper or thermals. The number of layers of clothing you should wear depends upon the region in which you are caving. Yarrangobilly for example is very cold, and we would suggest wearing several layers of warm clothing, particularly on the torso (i.e. upper body). Other regions however (eg Cliefden) are quite warm, and you do not want to overheat (a T-shirt and shorts under the overalls is fine). Remember that cotton and denim are not very good in muddy, wet conditions. Any clothing you take caving is likely to get very dirty, and/or ripped. It is quite possible that the clothing will simply end up destroyed. Don't wear your best clothes to go caving. If you don't have any old clothing, some very cheap second hand clothes can be purchased from St Vincent de Paul or other op shops. A complete change of clothes, including shoes, is essential, to wear outside the caves. This second set of clothes can just be casual comfortable clothes (jeans etc.). The reasons for taking a second set are quite understandable; and include keeping warm/cool, general comfort and consideration for car drivers, who may not appreciate their car being dirtied. Remember, the temperature on the surface may be very different from that underground. Thermals/Woollens Thermal underwear or 'thermals' are strongly recommended, particularly for cold climates. They are like 'long-johns', but unlike the so-called 'thermals' you purchase at your local department store, the best thermals for caving are made from fabric with high insulation and fast-drying properties. Thermals for both the upper and lower body are available (as well as hands, feet and head) - however, it is most important that your torso remains near a comfortable temperature. There are two types of thermals we recommend. The type of thermal you purchase should be influenced by the caving area you intend to visit, and how easily you get cold. Polypropylene thermals have high insulation properties, and help to drain water away from your skin. Polypropylene thermals are available in at least two thickness, either summer or winter weights. Estimated cost: $20-40 for each of torso and legs. Chlorofibre thermals insulate better than polypropylene, and dry more quickly. Chlorofibre is generally not necessary for most beginner trips. Estimated cost: $50-$60 for each of torso and legs. Woollen jumpers will often suffice for warmth, as wool is a versatile and water resistant. However, woollen clothing is much more prone to destruction, and does not offer good wind protection. For those who can afford more luxurious fabrics: Polartech garments are made from Polarfleece, a good insulating material. Polartech jackets, jumpers and long pants can typically purchased in a number of weights, 100gsm, 200gsm and 300gsm; which represent successive increases in thermal insulation. A special type of polarfleece called 'Windstopper' is good for windy nights. Estimated cost: $100 - $300. Shoes or boots Sturdy and comfortable shoes, with good grip, are a must for caving. Caving often involves a lot of climbing, crawling and wriggling (not to mention walking) through passageway. Combine this with a lack of peripheral vision (due to poor light), possible slippery and muddy tracks, and uneven ground, and you can see why good grip is important. Accept it - your shoes will get very dirty. Do not wear your dress shoes underground. We recommend boots, such as old trekking boots or dairy boots (see below). You could also try using sneakers, but they are often not as good as they have a very fine grip which is likely to get quickly filled with mud. When this happens, you will lose a lot of grip. They are also slippery on wet rock. Dunlop Volleys are reasonable cheap sneakers for caving and cost around $20 at Target-type stores. Bata Superglug Dairy boots are waterproof rubber boots that stand about 15cm high. They are made of tough rubber, and have a coarse tread on the sole (which is ideal for caving). The only downside with these boots is that the eyelet holes, being made of rubber, can be ripped fairly easily. Some people put metal eyelots in to strengthen the holes. Estimated cost $20+. Contact Bata Industrial Footwear PTY LTD for a store closest to you: (02) 4773-9126 or (02) 4773-9176 Fax. Gloves Rubber gloves are not essential, but can often make a caving trip much more pleasant. Opinion is divided as to whether they improve your grip, but they will certainly keep your hands clean and dry. The better types of gloves are heavy duty rubber gloves, usually lined with cotton. These types of gloves should last several caving trips before breaking. Normal latex kitchen gloves are unlikely to last one trip. Estimated cost: $5 Technical Caving Gear Most caves in NSW require very little, if any, technical equipment (such as abseiling or climbing gear). This equipment is very expensive to buy, and we suggest beginners do not buy it unless they are certain they want to do a lot of vertical caving. Come along to a field day or to the Ledge and experiment with someone else's equipment to get an idea of what is involved. Equipment for Camping Tent You can usually 'borrow' tent space from other club members, or use one of the Club tents. If you are thinking of buying a tent, speak to some of our more experienced members for guidance. Generally, that $40 Target A-frame is fine … until it rains. Let the trip leader know if you need tent space, or want to borrow a club tent. Sleeping Bag/Mat A sleeping bag is essential for all trips in which an overnight stay is required. The warmth of the sleeping bag will depend on many factors, including the time of year, location, and the sleepers comfort zone. Generally speaking however, a warm sleeping bag is more versatile, as it can be used in a wider range of conditions (it is always possible to undo the zipper in the event that you are too hot). Unfortunately, a good warm sleeping bag (down-filled) can be very expensive, from $400 upwards. If you can't afford a warm sleeping bag, make sure you have something to wear in bed - a beanie or other soft warm hat is particularly good for preventing heat loss. An inner sheet will help protect your sleeping bag. A sleeping mat is essential to prevent heat from escaping through the ground on camping trips. Sleeping mats vary in comfort and price. At the lower end of the price and comfort range is a closed cell foam mattress, which costs around $20. Much more comfortable, but significantly more expensive (about $100) is the 'Therm-A-Rest', which is a self-inflating air mattress about 2-3cm thick, very light and quite compact. Note that a ¾ length Therm-A-Rest is really just as good as a full length one but significantly cheaper. We don't recommend air beds/li-los on their own - your body heat is sucked out to warm the air in the mattress. Always use a li-lo with a sleeping mat on top. Estimated cost: $20-$120. Raincoats Raincoats make camping in bad weather much more pleasant. For those with lots of money, Gore-Tex is excellent as it breathes well, stopping the raincoat getting damp through perspiration. Nylon is cheap but breathes poorly and can be uncomfortable for any strenuous activity. Milar is a good compromise - not as good as Gore-Tex but more breathable than nylon. Estimated cost: $50-$100 for nylon; $150-200 for Milar; $300+ for Goretex. Cooking stove When camping, it is often possible to cook over an established BBQ/campfire (note that the creation of new campfire places is an environmentally destructive activity). Rather than use a campfire, many members prefer to use a lightweight stove. There are various types of fuel cooking stove you can purchase, but they generally fall into the category of either a methylated spirits stove (eg Trangia) or a shellite/kerosene stove (eg Coleman, MSR). Estimated cost: Trangia $60-$80, shellite stove $130-$200. Trangias come with their own set of cooking gear and are a good buy. Cooking utensils When camping, or where cooking utensils are unavailable, you will have to bring your own cooking crockery and cutlery. For cooking needs, a billy and small saucepan will generally suffice (depending on the food you intend to cook). If cooking for yourself only, then the billy need be no larger than 2L, and the saucepan no larger than a small dinner plate. Also, get a set of billy tongs, which are metal tongs used to pick up hot crockery. Billys and saucepans are traditionally made of something lightweight and cheap, such as tin or aluminium. However, stainless steel sets will cook food more evenly and are more durable, but also more expensive. Estimated cost: Billy (tin) $5-$15, (stainless steel) $25-$40, saucepan $10-$30, billy tongs $5-10. Cutlery you should have includes a metal knife/fork/spoon set, bowl, plate and mug. Total estimated cost: <$20. Water bottles These can be anything from a PET bottle, through to nalgene (a heavy duty plastic) or aluminium bottles. PET bottles are by far the cheapest, as they are just empty soft-drink bottles. Nalgene or aluminium bottle will cost more, but will last longer and are less prone to destruction if you take them underground. Estimated cost: $1-$20. Pack Virtually all society trips do not involve hiking with your gear, so a pack is usually not necessary. However, packs are a good way of transporting gear to a trip. Especially if you are into bushwalking, you may want to invest in a good quality walking pack. We recommend a minimum volume of 70L. Note that some popular carry bags, such as a military duffle bag, are O.K. for general travel but very poor for walking any distance. They are also not very compact. Estimated cost: >$350. Equipment Stores The following is a list of some equipment stores in the Sydney metropolitan area specialising in outdoor equipment, and that members of SUSS have found to be good suppliers of caving equipment in the past. The list is meant to provide a starting point, and is by no means exhaustive. Kathmandu (city store), Cnr. Kent and Bathurst St. Sydney (9261 8901) Mountain Design (city store), 499 Kent St. Sydney (9267 3822) Mountain Equipment (city store), 491 Kent St. Sydney (9264 5888) On Rope, 11 Nelson Ave. Padstow (9709 6299 - technical gear) Paddy Pallin (city store), 507 Kent St. Sydney (9264 2685) Wild Sports (as part of Snowgum), 447 Kent St. Sydney (9261 3435) Food suggestions A vitally important question for anyone coming on our trips is: just what food should I bring? For many, a SUSS trip will be a first introduction to the fun of camp cooking. Hopefully we can provide some useful information to make things a little easier. Generally everyone will get their own food supplies before the trip. Sometimes, depending on where the trip is going to, shopping will be done in a supermarket on the way, but CHECK WITH YOUR TRIPLEADER to make sure this is OK. The 24 hour Coles in Katoomba is a very convenient option for Jenolan trips. They even stock a good range of rubber gloves (for the caving of course!) - an item that you will almost certainly have forgotten to pack. These days they don't even blink when groups of young students turn up at around 11pm and all buy rubber gloves. If you are in doubt, however, it is a good idea to do your shopping beforehand as you can never count on finding an open supermarket on the way, or (even more unlikely) a shop actually at the caving location. Talk to the person who will be driving and find out their plans. They may even want to share food for the trip in order to halve the preparation and cooking effort; or you can share food with a friend. What meals are required? Most of our trips run for a full weekend, so you will generally need two breakfasts and lunches, but only a single dinner for the Saturday night. For Friday nights dinner, we will generally stop off somewhere along the way, or have dinner beforehand. However you should of course check the plans of your driver before counting on this. If we leave late on Sunday afternoon, we will again often arrange a place to all meet up and eat dinner. What food is appropriate? The types of food that you will bring will depend on the facilities that are available. For example, on camping trips you will need meals that are extremely easy to prepare and cook. It is also preferable to have the use of a portable stove, as cooking on campfires rarely produces good (read 'unburnt') results (at least in my experience), and puts nasty black soot all over mum's best saucepans. You will sometimes be able to borrow a stove from other members on the night, but of course if you will be relying on it then it is worth making sure beforehand. Breakfasts Obviously breakfasts are an easy meal, that will completely depend on personal choice. If you are a cereal eater, remember that only Jenolan and Cliefden have fridges, so UHT LongLife milk would be strongly recommended for anywhere else. Jenolan and Cliefden also have kettles and toasters. In fact, our long breakfasts and multiple coffee breaks at these areas often mean that we don't get caving until after at least 11am or midday. Lunches Lunch is perhaps the meal that poses the most problem on a caving trip. Depending on the length of time you are underground in any particular cave, you may end up eating lunch whilst in the cave, or then again you may not. In any case, you definitely have to take some food with you. Caving is an extremely physical and generally rough experience. Any food that you do bring into a cave must be able to survive a significant amount of punishment before you will actually get to eat it. Generally, simple sandwiches, such as jam or tinned tuna, are a good choice for lunch. Muesli bars, chocolate bars and the like can also be good. You must also remember that anything taken into a cave must always come out again with you - so try not to drop any food scraps, and if you do take tinned tuna etc. then make sure you bring a sealable plastic bag to put the empty tins in! It is also good to eat your lunch over a plastic bag so that you do not drop crumbs in the cave, which go mouldy. When caving, many people like to carry their food inside a strong lunchbox or, it can be put in a more than one plastic lock bag. The lunchbox or package can be placed in a cave pack or in the generous pockets some overalls come with but don't expect the food to look anything like its former self. A proper lunch inside the cave is not always necessary. Some people do not even ever bother, instead relying on a variety of snacks and munchies to last them the distance. If you decide on this option, then items such as chocolate, muesli bars and those sugary snake-like things seem to be the most popular and effective energy snacks. Bring lots - remember that as a beginner you will probably underestimate just how tiring the caving experience can be. Caving is generally thirsty work, and a small but sturdy water bottle is a very good idea in most caves. A better idea still is to bring two water bottles and leave one at the cave entrance for you on your way out. These water bottles do not have to be anything more than 600ml plastic soft drink bottles. In all my time caving, I have never known one of these sturdy little things to burst. Another important thing is to keep track of who actually ends up carrying your lunch and water. Often the caving party will split up once underground and you may become separated from your food if you are not careful. Lunch box When caving, it is FAR more sensible to carry your lunch or food around inside a strong lunchbox. Do not put your lunch inside a plastic bag and expect it to look anything like its former self after an hour or two of caving - cave packs get knocked around a lot and anything inside that is easily destroyed probably will be. Secondly, if your food is squashed, apart from having a miserable lunch, you will no doubt leave crumbs everywhere. The addition of any artificial foodstuff to a cave significantly affects its ecosystem, and is very environmentally unfriendly. Estimated cost: $2-5. Dinners All too often our new members end up having their first real cooking experiences after joining our club. Sometimes the results can be good, and sometimes not, but they are almost always educational! Generally it is best to go for the simplest meal possible, as you will be fairly tired from the day's caving and won't generally feel like whipping up an entire spaghetti bolognaise or a complex curry from the basic ingredients. If however, you do want nice meals like these, then pre-cooking them in the week beforehand and then freezing a single-serve portion to take away and heat up is an excellent option. You can have a great meal this way, and the only actual preparation on the night will be cooking the spaghetti or the rice. However, this sort of forward planning tends to be rare, and our meals will often be concocted on a much more ad-hoc basis. The sort of meal that you will choose will greatly depend on the cooking equipment that you have, or the facilities that are available. For camping trips, you will generally need to bring everything: ie a saucepan, plate, cup, cutlery, access to some kind of stove (see equipment list). There will often be fireplaces, and sometimes BBQs. You can check the specifics for each location elsewhere in this guide. Fortunately, at the Jenolan and Cliefden huts things are far more civilised - there are microwaves, electric hotplates (and a griller), as well as a range of cutlery, crockery and saucepans. But because everyone will be trying to cook at once, the fewer hotplates and things you need to cook your meal the better. The simplest meals possible would have to be either cooking a steak, or getting one of those instant pasta dishes. Care must be taken with keeping meat though - sometimes an Esky is simply not enough refrigeration in hot summer weather. And as far as instant pasta goes, do not believe the quantities printed on the packet - if it says "serves 4", it should be adequate for one hungry person. Also, some of these dishes are definitely better than others - trial and error is the only way to find out which are the good ones, and which aren't. And anything fresh that you can add in to these (eg capsicum, mushrooms, fresh onion or garlic, real milk etc) will often greatly improve the meal. I'd recommend staying well clear of the 'beef-stew in-a-can' type of meals. While they may be easy, and look kind of edible from the pictures, they are not often particularly appetising when you finally meet them face-to-face. A good compromise between nice meals and the ease of preparation are pasta sauces. A wide variety of sauces (eg pesto sauces, spaghetti bolognaises, curry sauces and Chicken Tonight style things) are available. These will generally require fresh ingredients (eg. mushrooms, or capsicum, etc.) to be added, but with the right sauce and the right vegies (and possibly meats) the preparation can be kept to a minimum. Good recipe ideas for these can usually be found on the side of the jar, so you can go into the supermarket, find a sauce that sounds good, and then find the suggested bits to go with it. And of course, some of these are better than others... Trial and error is again the only way to really find out. It is always worth remembering that a good desert will always make up for an average meal. Deserts such as custard and tinned fruits, instant chocolate mousses and tinned Christmas-style puddings are all good value. Long life custard is even available when you go to the right supermarkets, so you can be camped in the middle of the wilderness, and still eat custard all week long! And a last vital piece of advice... Don't forget your can-opener!! Hacking tin cans open with items such as screwdrivers can be a dangerous pastime... Costs, jewellery and hair Costs Trips of the Society are paid for by the members. You are responsible for paying your way. Any communal costs of the trip are broken up equally between the participants. Costs you may be expected to pay on a trip are: · an equal share of the fuel bill for the trip, for the car that you are travelling in. Estimated fuel costs for the various areas have been provided above, but please remember, these are estimates only and are at the total discretion of the driver of your car. It's a good idea to ask your driver for an estimate of the cost prior to leaving Sydney, in case it turns out to be greater than you expect! · any accommodation costs, like camping fees or hut fees. Again, these have been estimated above, but these estimates are a guide only. Do not count on them being totally accurate. In addition to these costs will be: · your food costs. The amount will depend upon what you have bought and how long the stay. · café dinners/lunches. Drivers often stop during the trip for a bite to eat. Ask the trip leader before the event if they plan to stop for food anywhere. It is not wise to work out exactly how much you estimate you will need for the trip, and carry that much only. Expect the unexpected. It is always wise to budget for at least an extra $10 somewhere, as the chances are you will end up needing it. Jewellery/Watches There is a simple suggestion for jewellery, DO NOT wear it. Apart from the jewellery getting damaged and/or lost (for which the club will not be responsible), it may get caught in clothing or the cave itself. Thus, it may damage the wearer, the jewellery, or worse, others. Unless the jewellery piece has strong sentimental value, then it is in your interest, and everyone else's, to leave it at home. A watch is a useful thing to have inside a cave, so long as it is durable and at least water resistant. Still, it is unlikely that you will need to bring it along, as the trip leader will have one on his/her person. Hair People with long hair need to ensure that it does not get damaged or get in the way. Particularly when doing rope work, (such as abseiling), hair can get caught in equipment. Even when "horizontal" caving, long hair can easily get caught or tangled around cave formation, or gear. To avoid significant pain and irritation to you, (particularly if we have to disentangle your hair, or worse, cut it), tie your hair up in a bun under your helmet, or at least pull it back with bands/scrunchies. You may not think your hair looks good like that, but it is better than having someone present your hair to you as a knotted ball, having lopped it from your head.