Buchan Caves Reserves Cave Tours

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Buchan Caves Guided Tours

Experience the extraordinary underworld of Buchan Caves on a guided tour of Fairy Cave and Royal Cave. It's amazing to think that the elaborate limestone sculptures, calcite-rimmed pools and baroque stalactites and stalagmites have all formed through natural processes over thousands of years.

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Step inside Fairy Cave or Royal Cave and discover exquisite limestone decorations that come straight out of a fantasy film set.

A guided tour is the only way to see the awesome caverns of Buchan Caves. Tours are available everyday, except Christmas Day. Tickets can be purchased online 24 hours in advance or in person on the day at the Visitor Centre within the reserve.

Which cave should you choose? One cave is not better than the other; they are just different. It's like asking what is the best food on a menu.

If you have two hours, you should visit both caves, but if you must choose one, the main difference between the two is in the ease of access. Fairy Cave requires a lot more bending down and has approximately 100 more stairs than the Royal Cave.

Things to do in the area

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

There are cabins in the reserve which are fully self-contained and sleep up to five people. The cabins are not accessible for wheelchairs but may be suitable for visitors who have some limited mobility. Access to the cabins is via a ramp and each cabin has an outside deck that is easy to get to.

A three year old boy leads his mum and younger brother through the forest near Grants Picnic Ground.

Family activities

Stash some supplies into a back pack and take the family out for a day trip and in only a short drive from Melbourne you can be surrounded by nature.

How to get there

Buchan Caves Guided Tours

When you're there

Cave tour times:

Royal Cave: start of September school holidays until 30 April - 10.00am, 1.00pm and 3.30pm
Fairy Cave: start of September school hoildays until 30 April - 11.00am and 3.00pm
Royal Cave: 1 May until the start of September school holidays - 11.00am and 3.00pm
Fairy Cave: 1 May until the start of September school holidays - 1.00pm

During peak periods tours will run approximately every half hour.

Limited numbers taken per tour. It is recommended that visitors arrive 30-45 minutes prior to a tour commencing to secure a place.

Buchan Caves Reserve is a great place to linger after seeing the caverns. A number of walking trails criss-cross the park and a spring-fed swimming pool is a refreshing option for hot summer days. The park is also home to a campground, cabins and other accommodation options. Make a weekend of it and stay over.

Download the Buchan Caves visitor guide before you come.

Buchan Caves Visitor Guide

Royal Cave (Buchan (AT) Cave Reserve)

When to go

Summer

The caves are an excellent place to come in the heat of summer. Escape for a couple of hours into gorgeous, refreshing 17C temperatures. When your tour is over, you can get even more refreshed in the chill waters of the spring-fed swimming pool.

Guided Cave Tours

Guided tours are conducted daily in Royal Cave and Fairy Cave. Both caves are lit and have concrete pathways.

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Need to know

Buchan Caves Guided Tours

Accessibility

Both Fairy Cave and Royal Cave have many steps, narrow passageways and uneven ground making general cave access for visitors with significant mobility limitations not possible. However, the end section of Fairy Cave can be accessed by children and adults weighing less than 60kg with mobility limitations using an electric Stairclimber. This equipment enables visitors to experience one of the most spectacular viewing areas of Fairy Cave.

All abilities access