Five amazing caves to explore this weekend
Mankind has made some amazing structures but most pale beside the monumental splendour in limestone caves that lie right beneath our feet.Stalactites that hang down, stalagmites that grow upwards and even the more spindly helictites have a strange fascination for adults and kids alike. You don’t have to be an avid spelunker to enjoy them either; jump in the car, be prepared for plenty of stairs and give one of these a go.
Hastings Caves, Huon Valley, Tasmania
The Hastings Caves network south of Hobart in the beautiful Huon Valley has an amazing display of stalactites and stalagmites with helpful guides to show you around. The cathedral-like structures were formed in dolomite rock millions of years ago, are creatively lit and lovely to behold. As an added bonus the Hastings reserve has a thermal pool where anyone can go for a warming dip, or perhaps enjoy a barbecue picnic in the forested surrounds.
Buchan Caves, East Gippsland, Victoria
Like other limestone caves, those at Buchan were formed over many millions of years as ground water dissolved the rock and then reformed into spectacular formations drop by drop. From the Princes Highway, detour near Bairnsdale into some beautiful countryside, then take a tour of the caves to discover the Royal Cave with its calcite-rimmed underground pool, or the ethereal Fairy Cave and its towering stalagmites and stalactites. It’s a wonderful experience and the kids will love it.
Naracoorte Caves, South Australia
South Australia has just the one World Heritage Site and it’s here, at Naracoorte Caves. And while the underground rock formations are impressive, what makes these caves special is the abundance of fossils accumulated over millennia as various animals tumbled into their depths. Visit the aptly named Fossil Cave and learn about the ancient wildlife found there. There’s also a bat cave, various levels of guided tours and an excellent visitors’ centre so it makes a great day out.
Jenolan Caves, Blue Mountains, NSW
With more than 40km of caves over many levels you could spend days exploring the Jenolan network. But we’d suggest making a day of it, drive over the spectacular Blue Mountains from Sydney and take a look at arguably Australia’s most famous caves. The highlight is the 54 metre High Cathedral cavern, while the stunning light show, eerie structures and the location in the peaceful reserve itself are all reasons to jump in the car and check it all out.
Ngilgi Cave, Margaret River, Western Australia
First things first: spectacular Ngilgi Cave south of Perth is pronounced ‘Neelgee’ and the name belongs to the benevolent spirit of Aboriginal dreaming. That sense of wellbeing spills over into the cave’s wonderfully varied features: pillars of solidified carbonates, reddish paleosol soils and of course, the cooling temperature on a hot summer’s day. Explore for yourself, take a tour and visit the other caves in Margaret River’s Geographe Bay region.
Related: Five Botanic Gardens to explore this weekend
Related: Top five Australian dinosaur discovery sites to explore
Related: Auto Extras: Five nifty camping gadgets we like
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
