A Caves & Sinkholes Day
Descend into the Limestone Coast's karst country
The plan
The Limestone Coast sits on a vast slab of ancient sea-floor limestone, and rainwater has been dissolving it for millennia. The result is one of the world's great karst landscapes: collapsed sinkholes in the middle of town, World Heritage fossil caves, and water-filled chambers prized by cave divers.
Start in Mount Gambier itself, where two spectacular sinkholes lie within the city. Move out to the dolomite caverns at the edge of town, then make the run north to the Naracoorte Caves, the only World Heritage site in South Australia. It is a full day of going underground, so pack a torch, sensible shoes and a sense of wonder.
Morning
Begin at the Cave Garden in the heart of Mount Gambier, then walk or drive to the Umpherston Sinkhole, the famous sunken garden draped in ivy. From there head to the Engelbrecht Cave, which tunnels right under the city streets and is a favourite training ground for cave divers.
Afternoon
Drive north to Naracoorte for the headline act. Tour the Victoria Fossil Cave, where ice-age megafauna bones lie in the active dig that earned the site its World Heritage listing, then bring the fossils to life at the Wonambi Fossil Centre. Finish with the grand chambers of Blanche Cave.
Day 1
6 stops-
1Mount Gambier
Cave Garden (Thugi)
A dramatic limestone sinkhole and waterfall in the heart of Mount Gambier, of deep cultural significance to the Boandik people.
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2Mount Gambier
Umpherston Sinkhole
A collapsed limestone cave transformed into a terraced sunken garden of hydrangeas, ivy and hanging vines, floodlit at night when possums emerge.
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3Mount Gambier
Engelbrecht Cave
A guided show cave winding beneath the streets of Mount Gambier, popular with cave divers exploring its flooded passages.
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4Naracoorte
Victoria Fossil Cave
The cave that earned Naracoorte its World Heritage status, where ice-age bones still lie in the active dig.
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5Naracoorte
Wonambi Fossil Centre
A life-sized reconstruction of Naracoorte's ice-age megafauna, bringing the World Heritage fossil record to life.
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6Naracoorte
Blanche Cave
One of Naracoorte's grand show caves, with vast chambers, fossil deposits and a long history of public tours.
On the map
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Image credits
- Naracoorte Caves National Park 1.jpg by Feral Arts , CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons