Stick-Tomato Cave (Wet Cave)

A cave without a timetable

Not every cave at Naracoorte requires a guide. Stick-Tomato Cave — long known as Wet Cave, before a falling water table dried it out and prompted the rename — is the park's self-guided option: pay your entry, walk in, and explore two large chambers at whatever pace suits you.

The first chamber is the charmer, with natural light spilling through the collapsed entrance and green tree ferns growing in the glow. The second runs deeper and darker, lit by an automated system that switches on as you move through. The walking is easy, and children generally love the freedom of it.

Because there is no tour schedule, Stick-Tomato is the perfect filler between booked tours — slot it in before Blanche Cave or while you wait for the bat centre. It is also the best low-cost taste of the caves if your time at the park is short.