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 must be purchased online 24 hours in advance, they are not available to purchase in person on the day. 

    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.

    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.

    COVID-19 safety procedures and conditions of entry into caves

    In line with current regulations, the following COVID-19 safe practices have been implemented:

    • If you feel unwell, please stay home and get tested.
    • Face masks must be worn, unless you have a lawful reason not to. Children 12 years and under are not required to wear a mask.
    • Hand sanitation stations are located at the entry and exit of each cave tour and must be used as a requirement of entry.
    • Regular sanitising of all handrails is carried out every day in line with current guidelines.
    • People with lawful reasons for not wearing a face mask should still keep at least 1.5 metres apart from others, practice regular hand hygiene by washing or sanitising hands frequently and get tested if unwell.
    • Visitors/patrons should be aware that their tour group may include people who have a lawful reason to not wear a mask.

    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. 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.
    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, 11.15am, 12.45pm, 2.00pm and 3.15pm Monday to Friday with additional tours on Saturday and Sunday 9.30am, 10.45am, 12.15pm, 1.30pm and 2.45pm 
    • 1 June until the start of September school holidays - 11.00am and 2.00pm

    Fairy Cave

    •  Start of September school holidays until 31 May -  10.30am and 2.15pm
    • 1 June until the start of September school holidays - 12.45pm

    Double cave tour times

    • Start of September school holidays until 31 May - 10.30am Fairy and 12.45pm Royal or 12.45pm Royal and 2.15pm Fairy
    • 1 June until the start of September school holidays - 11.00am Royal and 12.45pm Fairy or 12.45pm Fairy and 2.00pm Royal

     

    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.
    Check Availability

    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

      Buchan Caves Reserve partially closed due to bridge closure

      Due to significant structural damage to Bridge 2, all vehicle and pedestrian access is closed into the main section of the reserve. The bridge is part of the main access road into the Buchan Caves. 
      In the interest of visitor safety the following areas of the park will remain closed to the public until safe access can be reinstated;
      - Visitor Centre
      - Guided tours through Royal and Fairy Caves
      - Main picnic area
      - Campground
       also the following walking tracks 
      - Spring Creek Walking Track
      - Caves Reserve Walking Track
      - FJ Wilson Walking Track
      - Granite Pools Walking Track

      The following areas remain open;
      - Access to walk or drive into the park as far as Moon Hill Walking Track
      - River Flat and River Flat picnic area
      - Swimming Pool Toilets
      - Moon Hill Walking Track
      - Moon Hill picnic area


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