Buchan Caves Reserve Guided Tours

Buchan Caves Reserve Guided Tours

Buchan Caves Reserve Guided 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.

    A guided tour is the only way to see the spectacular Buchan Caves caverns. Tours are available daily, except Christmas Day. Tickets must be purchased online 24 hours in advance, they are not available to purchase in person on the day.

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    Following an ancient watercourse, visitors can descend into the Fairy Cave and Royal Cave sections to see breathtaking caverns and remarkable limestone formations. The main difference between the two is in ease of access with Fairy Cave featuring more small passageways and more stairs to traverse.

    Due to rock movement, a section of the Fairy Cave tunnel leading to the Black Wood chamber is currently closed. While works are being carried out, an altered Fairy Cave tour is available with more time to take in visual displays not normally seen on a standard tour.

    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

    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. Enjoy a covered front deck with river views and an outdoor BBQ and fire.
    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

    Buchan Caves Reserve

    When you're there

    Single cave tour times

    Royal Cave

    • Start of September school holidays until 31 May - 10.00am, 12.45pm, and 3.15pm Monday to Friday with additional tours on Saturday and Sunday 10.30am, 11.45am, 1.15pm and 2.30pm 
    • 1 June until the start of September school holidays - 11.00am and 2.00pm

    Fairy Cave

    •  Start of September school holidays until 31 May -  11.15am and 2.00pm
    • 1 June until the start of September school holidays - 12.45pm

    Note: More tours will be made available during peak periods. 


    Limited numbers taken per tour, please pre-book all tours online prior to arrival. Visitors must arrive 30-45 minutes prior to a tour commencing to collect tickets and prepare. Late arrivals will not be able to join the tour.

    Buchan Caves Reserve is a great place to linger after seeing the caverns. A number of walking trails criss-cross the park, which is also home to a campground and Caves House accommodation. Make a weekend of it and stay over. 

    Download the Buchan Caves visitor guide before you come. 

    When to go

    The caves are an excellent place to come in the heat of summer. Escape for a couple of hours into gorgeous, refreshing 17C temperatures.

    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.

     

    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.

    • Notices Affecting Multiple Parks

      Planned deer control operations - Eastern Region

      Planned deer control operations - Eastern Region
       
      Deer control operations (ground and aerial) will be carried out across the following parks and reserves between October 2022 and June 2023. 
       
      • Alpine National Park
        • Mount Bogong & Bogong High Plains
        • Dinner Plain/Dargo High Plains
        • Feathertop
        • Foothills and Southern Alps
        • Ingeegoodbee/Tingaringy
      • Buchan Caves Reserve
      • Cabbage Tree Creek Flora Reserve
      • Cape Conran Coastal Park
      • Coopracambra NP
      • Croajingolong NP
      • Errinundra NP
      • Lake Tyers State Park
      • Baw Baw NP
      • Mount Buffalo NP
      • Snowy River NP
      • Upper Murray - Wabba Wilderness, Burrowa Pine NP, Mt Mittamitite
      • Wilsons Prom NP
       
      More information on temporary park closures for aerial shooting operations will be provided in the coming weeks
       
       For more information on deer control to protect native species visit parks.vic.gov.au.

    • Buchan Caves Day Visitor Area (Buchan (AT) Cave Reserve)

      Buchan Caves Reserve swimming pool reopening update

      Parks Victoria and GLaWAC are working with Heritage Victoria on the commitment to reopen the Buchan Caves Reserve swimming pool and the final approval processes for the permit are occurring with Heritage Victoria.

      Under the reopening, the pool will be converted from spring-fed to a closed loop filtered swimming pool and the water treated to meet water safety regulations. 

      Subject to permit approvals and any conditions, we expect the work to be completed and the pool will be able to reopen in late November 2022.

    Two hikers reach the summit of Mount Nelse at Bogong High Plains
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