Cathedral Caves facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral Caves
Inside the Cathedral Cave
Location in New Zealand
Coordinates	46°36′30.40″S 169°22′52.56″E / 46.6084444°S 169.3812667°E / -46.6084444; 169.3812667
Geology	Sandstone
Age	160 mya
Operator	Kāi Tahu
Website	https://www.cathedralcaves.co.nz/

The Cathedral Caves are amazing sea caves found on Waipati Beach in New Zealand. They are on the beautiful Catlins Coast, which is in the southeast part of New Zealand's South Island. These caves are special because they are two separate caves that join together inside a big cliff, creating one huge space!

Exploring the Cathedral Caves

The Cathedral Caves are a pair of connected sea caves. They are found on Waipati Beach, about 15 kilometers south of a town called Papatowai. The two main entrances meet up inside the cliff. This forms one very large cave. One part of the cave has a ceiling that is 30 meters high. That's like a ten-story building!

Sometimes, you might see blue penguins coming out of the darker parts of the cave. Occasionally, a sealion might also be resting nearby. The cave is 199 meters long, which is almost two football fields!

How Were the Caves Formed?

The rock that makes up the cave is very old sandstone. This sandstone formed about 160 million years ago, during the Jurassic period. Even though the rock is ancient, the caves themselves are much younger. They started forming tens of thousands of years ago, or even hundreds of thousands of years ago. Sea caves like these are created over a very long time. Powerful ocean waves slowly wear away the softer parts of the rock.

Who Named the Caves?

The caves were named by a person called Thomas Hocken. He noticed how sounds echoed inside the caves. He also thought they looked like the grand, old cathedrals found in Europe. That's how they got their special name.

Visiting the Caves

The Cathedral Caves are open during the summer months. This is usually from about mid-October to mid-April. However, they are only open when it is safe to visit. This means checking the tides and weather. You can find the exact opening times on the Cathedral Caves website.

The caves are looked after by the descendants of the Kāi Tahu people. They are the local Māori iwi (tribe). There is a small fee to enter the caves. You can pay this charge using a card.

See also