St Michaels Cave (Avalon Beach) Explained

St Michaels Cave
Location:	, New South Wales, Australia
Coords:	-33.6291°N 151.3392°W
Depth:	15 metres
Length:	110 metres
Geology:	Dolerite & Narrabeen Group
Hazards:	falling rocks
Access:	not allowed

Type:	protected
State:	nsw
Coordinates:	-33.6291°N 151.3392°W
Relief:	1
Managing Authorities:	Pittwater Council

St Michaels Cave is situated in the Sydney suburb of Avalon Beach. This sea-side cave is around 110 metres long, 15 metres high and 10 metres wide. The original colonial owner was a Reverend John Therry, who planned to deliver lectures within the cave and build a church above it. The cave was formed by the erosion of a jurassic dyke through triassic sedimentary rocks. The cave is known to be a breeding site for Common bent-wing bats and Large-eared pied bats.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

See also

• Sydney Basin
• Newport Formation (NSW)
• Bald Hill Claystone
• Narrabeen group

Notes and References

1. Web site: Calcite : Journal of the Highland Caving Group . PDF . Hcg.org.au . 2016-02-01.
2. Web site: Pittwater Council-Avalon Headland. nsw.gov.au.
3. Web site: 01 Sep 1937 - ST. MICHAEL'S CAVE Avalon's Map of Australia. nla.gov.au.
4. [NSW Government]
5. Web site: Triassic Paleosols in the Upper Narrabeen Group of New South Wales. Part II: Classification and Reconstruction. PDF. Gregory Retallack. Blogs.uoregon.edu. 2016-02-01.
6. Web site: Paleosols in the upper Narrabeen Group of New South Wales as evidence of Early Triassic paleoenvironments without modern analogues. 1977. 21 October 2015. blogs.uoregon.edu. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. Retallack. Greg.