Winter days in the south-west corner of Western Australia don’t always start with crisp mornings which warm to mild, sunny afternoons. They can also be very cold and very wet. When the wind is blowing a gale and the freezing rain is horizontal, outdoor activities aren’t really an option and going underground on a caving adventure is a great way to fill in the day.
In the Margaret River region more than 100 caves have formed in the limestone karst system of the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge. In geological terms the limestone is young; it’s only 1 million years old. There are four caves open to the public, and even though there are stalactites and stalagmites, helictites, shawls and flowstones in all of them, each cave is different and has its own story to tell.
Jewel Cave is the largest of the four show caves and whether you visit in summer when the outside temperatures are high or, like we do, in winter when it’s freezing outside, the temperature inside the cave is a constant 16 °. The cave entrance is just outside the visitor centre. A concrete walkway leads to 500 steps which descend 42 metres to the floor of the cave.
The massive chamber is richly decorated with limestone formations, including one of the longest straw stalactites in the world. Our guide Crusty illuminates each different formation as he explains how they are created.
Neroli is our guide when we visit Lake Cave, the deepest of the show caves at 62 metres. This time the entrance is much more dramatic, at the bottom of a massive crater known as a doline. A narrow, twisting staircase winds down from the edge of the doline to the cave entrance.
The surface of the lake which gives the cave its name is absolutely still and the perfect reflections are magical. Water droplets sparkle in the artificial light and the glittering, white limestone formations resemble a fairy tale city.
At Mammoth Cave a tour guide isn’t necessary; an audio player directs visitors on a self-guided tour through this massive cave. Enter Mammoth Cave and you enter a vast, silent underworld of giant stalagmites and stalactites and colossal balancing boulders.
There’s no need to hurry here, although it’s easy to imagine how fast we would go if we met one of the megafauna which roamed this area more than 50 000 years ago. More than 10 000 fossils have been discovered in the cave and the jawbone of one enormous creature is still embedded in the wall of the cave.
For the ultimate caving experience we venture into the most fascinating of all the caves – Moondyne. We put on overalls, gloves and hardhats before climbing down a steep ladder into this pristine cave.
Our guide on this specialty tour is Matt and there are no paths, boardwalks or platforms in Moondyne Cave. We climb over rocks, slide on our bottoms and scramble on all fours through narrow tunnels with only the light from the torches on our helmets to show the way forward.
There’s evidence on the walls that we’re not the first visitors here. Graffiti is pencilled on the limestone, dated 20/8/99. 1899, that is!
At a depth of 28 metres, in the deepest part of the cave, we sit on a narrow ledge and turn off our torches. The light from a single candle hardly stops the darkness from enveloping us and the absolute silence is almost overwhelming.
As he turns his torch back on, Matt says: “Every time I go down this cave, I see something new. It’s a privilege to work here.” Just like Matt, it’s been a privilege for us to explore each of these remarkable caves too.
Our visit to the caves of the Margaret River region was hosted by Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association. www.margaretriver.com
Amazing
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The caves were amazing and they were all different.
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You were brave to do the last cave.
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I was very excited that I managed to do it but it was mostly easy. It was a case of watching where my feet were going. It was worth the effort for sure.
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What an amazing place! We’ll be sure to visit when we go to the beautiful Margaret River district.
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You would enjoy it here Maree.
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I am yet to get to WA. Will have to holiday there sometime soon I think.
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You definitely should. There is a lot to see without needing to drive far, once you get there of course. We flew from Brisbane to Perth this time but we would like to do the big drive one day.
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It’s crazy how it’s more expensive than flying somewhere like NZ though lol
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Well it is two hours further to Perth from Brisbane than it is to Christchurch. We were lucky and used some expiring flight miles for our flights this time.
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I love caves – although probably couldn’t bring myself to wriggle through the really small spaces. Wee Jasper in NSW also has an impressive set of caves. Your photos really make me want to visit – thanks for sharing!
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I love seeing them too. I don’t think I’ve been to the ones at Wee Jasper. We did Wellington Caves a few years ago and they are amazing too. I was determined to do everything all the men did in Moondyne, including the wriggling parts!
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You are so brave. We have the Crystal Cave in the Sequoia National Park, which is beautiful. The idea of doing all that without the amenities of railings and lighting would make me feel claustrophobic. I’d panic before I got started. Good for you to explore! 🙂
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It was great fun.
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The caves are amazing – I love all the stalactites and stalagmites, and I’ve been to a few caves along those lines in the south west of England and also Spain. I’m not so sure about the Moondyne one – I’ve never been a fan of the small, narrow cave entrances and tunnels.
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It was great…the tunnels were half the fun!
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Rather you than me. 🙂
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Waw! In Belgium, in the Ardennes, there are massive caves like that too! I also love the speologie there! Glorious breath taking photos,…so cool & so interesting too!
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Thanks Sophie. We went to a huge cave like these in Austria too. I love caves.
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Me too! x
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