Destinations > Black Mountain NP

Last time I visited the area we heard that a tourist staying at nearby Mungumby Lodge, just at the south-east base of the mountain saw a yowie. The lodge offers a real means of getting into the Black Mountain country and many people stay there to explore the region. And despite being warned about the danger, people have and still climb the mountain. Some have vanished forever, while climbing or exploring one of the many caves. There are tales of whole tribes vanishing into the mountain while being pursued by Native Police Troopers.

Even better are yarns of entire cattle herds disappearing into one of the small valleys. These tales come from the old days and modern versions differ somewhat. In fact in recent years we have heard of no one vanishing in the area. People have explored many of the caves and have found nothing or have just given up.

In fact these caves are not really caves at all but crevasses, holes and deep drop-offs formed by the uneven round boulders laying on top of each other. Some people who have climbed the mountain reckon that the boulders on the top are the most unstable and will wobble if stood upon. One climber reckoned that some can easily be tipped over and pushed into any of the myriad deep cracks between the boulders and they don't stop until the slide ends deep down in the bowels of the earth. Stones dropped down one of these crevasses echo on for ever as the sound of them clinking against rocks on the way down just slowly vanishes into the depths like the hooves of a galloping horse vanishing into the night.

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Climbers have reached a point where retreat or advance is impossible. A wrong step, a slip from a damp rock, and you will fall into your very own hell. Rescue would be impossible because there is no way of marking the spot where you went down by anyone watching from a distance. Only a well equipped party with ropes should attempt to climb the mountain if safety is the first consideration. It looks very nice from ground level, as do the entrances of the caves.

In one I walked into I got the impression that if I shifted one small rock the whole mountain would come down on top of me. An icy cold wind blew down from all directions. If a mountain could groan, this one was doing so as the weight of the top mass pressed down on the stones on ground level. I have been in mine tunnels subjected to intense pressure and the sound, if it can be described as such, is the same. The passage was smooth, heading down, until some 20 metres in, it suddenly narrowed. I could have gone farther by squeezing between some rocks but the air didn't appear to be that good and I wisely decided to retreat back to where the welcome beam of light beckoned. Besides, the eerie sound of the wind pushing its way trough the rock did sound a bit like a huge python sliding towards me.

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