Naracoorte Caves National Park (Visit this link)

As Australia broke away from the ancient landmass Gondwana, the Southern Ocean extended over 100 km inland from the current coastline.

During the Oligocene to Miocene periods (25 - 5 million years ago), a thick layer of limestone was formed, comprising of shells, bryozoa and calcareous bodies of other marine creatures.

As the sea began to retreat to its present position during the Pliocene and early Pleistocene periods, high ground water stands dissolved the limestone to form the caves at Naracoorte.

A series of marine transgressions and regressions - the sea moving in and out - formed the series of stranded dune systems we see from Naracoorte to the present day coast.

The oldest of these is the 800,000 year old Naracoorte East Range which contains the Naracoorte Caves.

There are 26 known caves at the National Park.

Many of them contain extensive speleothem development (such as stalactites and stalagmites).

They provide important habitats for bats and other cave-dwelling creatures.

The Naracoorte Caves have acted as pitfall traps and predator dens for over 500,000 years, preserving a rich fossil record of Naracoorte’s ancient fauna.

This fossil record covers several ice ages and the arrival of humans to the continent.

Palaeontologists have excavated and dated many of these fossils.

They have reconstructed the skeletons of a number of Australia's extinct megafauna, and have deduced their form and habits.

The Wonambi Fossil Centre presents a wealth of information about the excavations, and includes life-sized animated reconstructions of the extinct animals in a vegetation setting appropriate to the period.

The caves can be visited in a number of different ways.

Wet Cave can be explored without a guide, while regular guided tours of Alexandra Cave and Victoria Fossil Cave showcase beautiful limestone formations and the fossil site.

There are also a number of specialty tours. There are adventure tours to several caves, and a torchlight tour of Cathedral Cave. A palaeontologist leads the World Heritage Tour, which provides a closeup view of the Fossil Chamber and Fossil Laboratory. The Bat Tour allows visitors to see the daily activities of the colony of Southern Bentwing Bats via infrared cameras.

There are also a number of walking trails on the surface, some with interpretive signs.

The Cave Tours: There are 26 caves in the park. Not all are open for visitation as some are set aside for scientific research or for protection of the cave and its contents. There is a variety of opportunities to visit several caves though, from regular show cave tours through to long adventure caving tours.

Victoria Fossil Cave Tour: About 400 metres of this cave has a developed pathway and constructed stairs. There are about 50 steps into the cave and a steep sloping path leading out of the cave, but it is a relatively easy walk. Wheelchair access is difficult but may be achieved with prior booking.

The tour of this cave passes through several decorated chambers on the way to the Fossil Chamber. Here, your guide will provide a fascinating introduction to the fossil story and the animals identified from the fossil deposit. The talk is suitable for all ages, but does involve up to half an hour in the Fossil Chamber and may not suitable for some young energetic children.

This tour best showcases the World Heritage values of Naracoorte Caves.

Alexandra Cave Tour: One of the park's many treasures, the 30 minute tour explores three chambers of this spectacularly decorated cave. The walk is easy with plenty of opportunities to capture exceptional cave formations with your camera. This cave contains the most impressive cave decoration; with great examples of stalactites, stalagmites, helectites and columns. The cluster of stalactites reflected in a pool of water is a highlight as is the huge collection of straws.

There are 25 steps leading into the cave and 35 to exit, making it suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The short tour is particularly suitable for families and those who love a pretty cave.

Wet Cave is the only cave on park that may be visited without a guide. It has a light system activated by motion sensors as visitors explore the cave at their leisure. Entry to this cave comes with the purchase of a ticket to either Alexandra Cave or the Wonambi Fossil Centre. The robust columns and stalactites offer a wonderful contrast to the delicate formations in Alexandra Cave. About 20 steps lead down into the cave that is suitable for all ages.

The Bat Tour: As the name suggests, this tour focuses on bats. The tour incorporates two sites, the Bat Observation Centre and the Blanche Cave. In the Bat Observation Centre visitors sit in comfort watching the daily activities of the colony of Southern Bentwing Bats via infrared cameras. This world first technology is a true eco-tourism experience, further expanded during summer months when an evening tour incorporates the bats' exit flight. Many amazing sights have been witnessed on the cameras, including bats giving birth, tending to their young and even a two metre brown snake that had fallen into the cave.

The tour also incorporates a stroll through Blanche Cave, well known for its cultural events in the first chamber, but also an important bat wintering site. At times, many thousands can be observed clinging to the ceiling in a deep torpor. This tour involves about 400 metres of walking and about 30 steps into Blanche Cave. The Bat Observation Centre is wheel chair accessible.

Adventure Caving: A range of adventure caving opportunities are available. Overalls, kneepads and lights are included in the tour price; all you need is good footwear and a sense of adventure. Minimum ages apply to all tours and all participants need to have a reasonable level of fitness. Blackberry and Stick Tomato are our "novice" tours, designed for everyone while for safety reasons, Fox Cave and Starbusrt Chamber can only be undertaken once a novice tour is completed

Blackberry Cave: A section of this cave is used for 1 1/2 hour adventure tours. The cave is low with lots of good crawls and squeezes. Suitable for the energetic and those who love a challenge. A minimum age of eight applies.

Stick-Tomato Cave: This cave is the section beyond what visitors see on the Wet Cave self-guided tour. It is a great 1 1/2 hour tour for the entire family, as the squeezes and challenges are optional, allowing parents to watch the children enjoy the caving experience. A minimum age of eight applies.

Starburst Chamber: One of the extended adventure tours, this visits Starburst Chamber as well as several other spectacular chambers in Victoria Fossil Cave. A pre-requisite to undertaking this tour is either Stick-Tomato Cave or Blackberry Cave. The crawl is reasonably long, but is less strenuous than Fox Cave or Cathedral Cave. Not suitable for children under 12 years old.

Fox Cave: Undeveloped and in its natural state, Fox Cave is a three hour trip with lots of great scenes. The cave has extensive speleothem development, is an important bat wintering site, has a rare invertebrate colony and areas of fossils. All are encountered on this tour but it is not suitable for children under 12 years old.

Cathedral Cave: Cathedral Cave is one of contrasts. From the huge daylight entrance chamber, the tour progresses to a long small tunnel that emerges in a decorated chamber. Several fossil excavations have taken place here and the tour shows you were the work has been completed.

Specialty Tours: We recognise that people have many different interests and seek out different experiences. For that reason, we have developed a series of specialty tours that are more intimate and more in depth with the level of information provided. These tours are generally available by prior booking only, so please call ahead.

World Heritage Tour: A special tour that enables those with a passion and intense interest in fossils to receive more information and get a close look at where the research takes place in Victoria Fossil Cave. A palaeontologist leads a maximum of six people into the Fossil Chamber and onto the main research area and then allows visitors a close up look in the Fossil Laboratory. The tour is three hours long, is information intensive and is only available for adults.

Disabled Access: Caves, by their very nature, are difficult to provide easy access for everyone. Naracoorte Caves have several facilities accessible by wheelchairs, including the Wonambi Fossil Centre and Bat Observation Centre. The Caves Café, Wirreanda Bunkhouse and Campground all have wheelchair accessible facilities.

Victoria Fossil Cave can be accessed by wheelchairs, but this requires special attention and prior arrangement. Please contact Naracoorte Caves National Park to discuss possibilities. Tantanoola Cave, which is 110 km from Naracoorte, located between Millicent and Mount Gambier is wheelchair accessible.

Guide dogs are welcome in all of Naracoorte Caves facilities.

Naracoorte Caves National Park has a series of walking trails. The short (500 metre) walk from the Wonambi Fossil Centre to Wet Cave passes through a strip of remnant native vegetation. The signage highlights the adaptation of various floras and the change in the region's bio-diversity over time.

The World Heritage Walking Trail is 1.3 km long, taking in several features on the way from the Wonambi Fossil Centre to Victoria Fossil Cave. The focus of the signage is the World Heritage values of the Park, making it the perfect walk for schools or those who wish to learn more.

Further trails from the Victoria Fossil Cave car park lead to the Stoney Point picnic ground, taking in an ancient limestone cliff, redgum flats and the tranquil Mosquito Creek.

The Caves Café: Naracoorte Caves offers such a range of experiences; you may be looking for a snack or a meal to get you through the day. The Caves Café has a wide variety of meal options, from a sandwich through to a full sit down meal with a fine local wine.

Wirreanda Bunkhouse: The bunkhouse is ideal for schools or other groups and can sleep up to 50 people. Rooms are set up to sleep four, six or up to a maximum of eight in the larger rooms.

A fully equipped kitchen, laundry and ablution block are all close by. Pricing information (prices include GST).

Camping facilities consist of ten powered sites and a large area for tents. All power and laundry facilities as well as rainwater are available to campers

Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia's only World Heritage Site, (previously a Conservation Park) was proclaimed by the Governor of South Australia as a National Park on 18 January 2001. It is located in the Limestone Coast tourism region in the southeast of South Australia. The importance of the fossil record at Naracoorte Caves was officially recognised in 1994, when the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The park is a visitor destination in itself, with a camping ground and caravan park, dormitory accommodation for groups, picnic grounds and a licenced cafe. The range of visitor activites is extensive. Show cave tours are guided by professional interpreters through highly decorated caves with some tours visiting amazing fossil deposits. Modern technology has been utilised to show visitors the normally inaccessible interior of Bat Cave, where thousands of bats breed each year. Other opportunities include adventure caving, a selection of specialty tours and special events.

The Naracoorte Caves World Heritage inscription recognises the extensive fossil record of the park. The caves have acted as pitfall traps, collecting animals for at least 500,000 years, preserving the most complete fossil record we have for this period of time. The bones of Megafauna species such as Thylacoleo carnifex (Marsupial Lion), Thylacine, Zygomaturus and sthenurine kangaroos are found within the 20 fossil deposits found to date. Naracoorte Caves contain clues to help interpret the geological and evolutionary history of Australia.

The massive entrance chamber of Cathedral Cave
Research into the fossil material has revealed valuable information about the Megafauna, but one question remains unanswered, “why did these giant marsupials disappear?” Perhaps Naracoorte Caves hold the answer to this question.

For further information contact Naracoorte Caves National Park.

http://www.naracoortecaves.sa.gov.au