List of caves in Australia facts for kids
Australia is a land full of amazing natural wonders, and among them are thousands of caves! These underground spaces can be huge, tiny, dry, or even filled with water. Some caves are easy to visit, while others are hidden and need special skills to explore. This article will tell you about some of Australia's incredible caves.
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Show Caves: Explore with Ease
Show caves are special caves that have been made safe and easy for people to visit. They often have paths, lights, and guides to help you explore. It's a great way to see the amazing rock formations and learn about how caves are formed.
New South Wales Show Caves
New South Wales has many famous show caves.
- Jenolan Caves are some of the oldest and most beautiful show caves in the world. They have stunning limestone formations.
- Wombeyan Caves offer several different caves to explore, like the Fig Tree Cave and the Wollondilly Cave.
- Wellington Caves are also popular, known for their unique crystal formations.
- Yarrangobilly Caves are another great place to visit, especially with their thermal pool nearby.
Queensland Show Caves
Queensland's caves are often found in tropical areas.
- Capricorn Caves near Rockhampton are famous for their large chambers and even host concerts inside!
- The Chillagoe-Mungana Caves offer several show caves, including Donna Cave and Royal Arch Cave, where you can see ancient rock art.
South Australia Show Caves
South Australia has some unique caves, especially in the south-east.
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- The Naracoorte Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage site. They are famous for the many fossils of ancient animals found inside, like giant kangaroos and marsupial lions.
- Cave Gardens in Mount Gambier is a beautiful sinkhole cave right in the middle of a town.
- Engelbrecht Cave and Tantanoola Caves are also popular spots to visit.
Tasmania Show Caves
Tasmania's caves are often found in lush, green areas.
- The Mole Creek area is home to several show caves, including King Solomons Cave and Marakoopa Cave. Marakoopa is known for its amazing glow-worms!
- Gunns Plains Cave is another beautiful cave with many stalactites and stalagmites.
- Newdegate Cave at Hastings Caves is one of the largest dolomite caves open to the public in Australia.
Victoria Show Caves
Victoria has a variety of caves, from limestone to lava tubes.
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- The Buchan Caves are Victoria's largest cave system. Fairy Cave and Royal Cave are two of the most popular.
- The Princess Margaret Rose Cave is located near the Glenelg River and is known for its delicate formations.
- The Byaduk Caves are different because they are lava tubes, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.
Western Australia Show Caves
Western Australia's caves are often found in the beautiful South West region.
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- The Margaret River region is home to many show caves like Jewel Cave, Lake Cave, and Mammoth Cave. Lake Cave is famous for its "suspended table" formation.
- Ngilgi Cave (formerly Yallingup Cave) is another popular cave with a rich Aboriginal history.
Northern Territory Show Caves
- The Cutta Cutta Caves near Katherine are the only show caves in the Northern Territory. They are home to many bats.
Wild Caves: For the Adventurous
Wild caves are different from show caves because they are not set up for tourists. They don't have lights or paved paths. Exploring wild caves, also called caving or spelunking, requires special gear like helmets, headlamps, and ropes. It's a challenging but rewarding activity for experienced adventurers.
New South Wales Wild Caves
- Many of the same cave systems that have show caves also have wild sections, like Bungonia Caves and Jenolan Caves.
- The Big Hole and Marble Arch are also popular wild caving spots.
Queensland Wild Caves
- The Camooweal Caves are a group of wild caves known for their large chambers.
- The Undara Lava Tubes are a unique system of wild caves formed by ancient lava flows.
- Mount Etna Caves National Park also has many wild caves, some of which are important bat habitats.
South Australia Wild Caves
- The Flinders Ranges have wild caves like Mairs Cave.
- The Lower South-East region, near Mount Gambier, has many wild caves and sinkholes, including Fossil Cave.
- Koonalda Cave in the Nullarbor Plain is a very important archaeological site with ancient Aboriginal rock art.
Tasmania Wild Caves
- Exit Cave near Ida Bay is one of Australia's longest cave systems and is a popular spot for wild caving.
- The Mole Creek Caves also have many wild sections, including the famous Khubla Khan.
Victoria Wild Caves
- The Britannia Creek Caves are a system of wild caves.
- The Buchan area also has many wild caves for experienced cavers.
Western Australia Wild Caves
- The Kimberly region has fascinating wild caves like Tunnel Creek, which is a natural tunnel through a range.
- The Nullarbor Plain is famous for its huge, flat landscape and massive wild caves, including Abrakurrie Cave and Cocklebiddy Cave. These are some of the largest cave chambers in the world.
- The South West region also has many wild caves, like Devils Lair, which is important for archaeological discoveries.
Australian Territories Wild Caves
- Christmas Island has unique lava tubes that are wild caves.
Northern Territory Wild Caves
- Bullita Cave is a significant wild cave in the Northern Territory.
Underwater Caves: Diving into the Deep
Underwater caves are caves that are completely or partly filled with water. Exploring these caves, known as cave diving, is a very specialized and dangerous activity that only highly trained divers should attempt. These caves often have crystal-clear water and amazing underwater formations.
New South Wales Underwater Caves
- Parts of the Jenolan Caves system, like the Imperial Cave and Pool of Cerberus Cave, have underwater sections.
- The Wellington Caves also have underwater areas, such as the Anticline (Water) Cave.
Queensland Underwater Caves
- Some of the Camooweal Caves, like Great Nowranie Cave, have underwater segments.
South Australia Underwater Caves
- The Mount Gambier region is world-famous for its many underwater caves and sinkholes.
- Kilsbys Sinkhole and Piccaninnie Ponds Cave are well-known for their incredibly clear water, attracting divers from all over the world.
- Engelbrecht Cave also has underwater sections that are popular for diving.
- Tank Cave is another very long and complex underwater cave system.
Tasmania Underwater Caves
- The Mole Creek caves, including Khubla Khan, have underwater parts.
- The Junee Florentine Caves also have significant underwater sections like Growling Swallet.
Victoria Underwater Caves
- The Murrindal Caves have underwater sections, including Dalleys Sinkhole.
Western Australia Underwater Caves
- The Nullarbor Karst region has some of the longest and most challenging underwater cave systems in the world, such as Cocklebiddy Cave and Weebubbie Cave.
- The Cape Range Karst also has underwater sinkholes like Bundera Sinkhole.
Australian Territories Underwater Caves
- Christmas Island has underwater caves like Thundercliff Cave.
Northern Territory Underwater Caves
- The Katherine Hot Springs area has underwater cave systems.
See also
- List of caves (Global)
- Speleology (The study of caves)
- Cave diving
- Caving (Also known as Spelunking or Potholing)
- Karst (A type of landscape where caves are common)
- Cave diving regions of the world
