Buchan Caves Reserve

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Buchan Caves Reserve

Buchan Caves Reserve is one of the jointly managed parks within Gippsland. The Joint Management agreement recognises the fact that the Gunaikurnai people hold Aboriginal Title and maintain a strong connection to Country. As custodians of the land, they are the rightful people who speak for their Country. These parks and reserves are cultural landscapes that continue to be part of Gunaikurnai living culture. For more information on Joint Management, please visit the Gunaikurnai Traditional Owner Land Management Board and the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation.

Buchan Caves Reserve on Krauatungalung Country, is highly significant to Gunaikurnai Traditional Owners due to its remarkable Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Discover a honeycomb of spectacular limestone formations carved by an underground river almost 400 million years ago at Buchan Caves. Tour the largest cave system in Victoria, enjoy a picnic in the scenic heritage-listed landscape or camp a night under the stars.

Join a tour of Fairy Cave or Royal Cave, or both and marvel at the magnificent stalactite and stalagmite forms, pillars, shawls and rim pools, as well as cave sediment and a flowing stream.

Come with a picnic basket in tow and enjoy a picnic among friends and family in the scenic Buchan Caves Reserve.

Keep an eye out for native wildlife who frequent the reserve. Kangaroos lay about the campground and visitor centre while native birds such as the Bell Miner, Powerful Owl, Superb Lyrebird and Pied Currawong can be seen perched among the trees.

Stay a night at Buchan Caves and choose from powered/unpowered campsites or Caves House.

Things to do in the area

Mother and young daughter look at the rock formations in the Fairy Cave at Buchan Caves Reserve.

Cave tours

Take a tour and explore elaborate stalactites and stalagmites, and beautiful calcite-rimmed pools of the Royal and Fairy Caves.

Family kicking a football outside their tent

Buchan Caves Reserve Campground

There are a range of powered campsites that are located on flat ground and generally close to the public amenities block. The sites allow vehicles to be parked within a few metres of each site. Campsites generally have a lawn surface and most sides have shade from trees.

A mother sits at a table with her younger daughter and watches her older daughter doing a cartwheel on the lawn of the residence at Buchan Caves Park.

Buchan Caves Reserve Accommodation

Caves House is a fully self contained house which can sleep up to eight people. There are three bedrooms with a queen bed in each room and an ante room with two single beds. Features include kitchen, dining area, lounge room, toilets, shower, heating and cooling, covered front deck with river views and an outdoor BBQ and fire. All linen is provided.

Wildlife

This area is well known for its wildlife. Keep an eye out for:

Echidnas

Kangaroos

Lyrebirds

Platypus

Wallabies

Wombats

Tours in the area

Bushwalking, four-wheel driving, horse riding, kayaking, rock climbing and mountain biking are just some of the many activities you can experience in Victoria's parks.

If you want to try something new or meet some like-minded people on your next visit to a park, contact a licensed tour operator.

Parks Victoria licenses tour operators who are experts in these activities and more. They will help you get the most out of your visit.

View all local tours

How to get there

Buchan Caves Reserve

When you're there

Download the Buchan Caves Reserve visitor guide for more information about the park and the plethora of experiences to be had in the area.

Buchan Caves Reserve Visitor Guide

Need to know

Buchan Caves Reserve

Accessibility

Visiting a park can be more of a challenge for people with disabilities, however in Victoria there are a wide range of facilities to help people of all abilities enjoy our wonderful parks around the state.

Parks Victoria's social script resources for children on the autism spectrum, have been developed with the professional assistance of AMAZE to increase the accessibility of its parks for people on the autism spectrum.

Assistance dogs are welcome in Parks Victoria parks and reserves. Entry requirements apply for parks and reserves that are usually dog prohibited, such as national parks.

Safety in nature

You can benefit both mind and body when you get outdoors to explore and experience Victoria's natural places. Before you go, take a look at our safety tips and check our changed conditions and closures information for a great visit.

Change of Conditions

Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.

Spring Creek Walk (Buchan (AT) Cave Reserve)

Buchan Caves Reserve partial closures due to fire

The following severely fire effected areas remain closed within the reserve for safety reasons;

· Caves Reserve walking track

· Spring Creek walking track - Kanooka Track is open, Tea Tree Track remains closed
Notices Affecting Multiple Parks

Buchan Caves Reserve Bridge closure

There is no vehicle access to Buchan Caves Reserve past Moon Hill from Saturday 8 May 2021. Due to significant structural damage to Bridge 2 it is now closed and restricted to pedestrian access only. The bridge is part of the main access road into the Buchan Caves Visitor Centre, Caves, picnic areas, walking tracks and campground.
Cave tours are still available, visitors will need to park vehicles prior to the closed bridge and walk 300m to the Visitor Centre. The campground is closed.

How we keep it special

Buchan Caves Reserve is on the Country of the Krauatungalung clan. Buchan Caves were traditionally an important meeting place for Gunaikurnai people and there is evidence going back more than 18 000 years of the important role they played. The Gunaikurnai and Victorian Government Joint Management Plan provides a description of joint management strategies and actions that are specific to Buchan Caves Reserve.

Bushfire recovery

Buchan Caves Reserve was affected by last summer’s bushfires. Go behind the scenes with our rangers to find out more about the recovery process.