Naracoorte Caves National Park — Attraction in Joanna

Naracoorte Caves – A Must-Visit World Heritage Site

The Naracoorte Caves in South Australia are a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for preserving Australia's most complete fossil record over the past 500,000 years. Australia Travel Questions +3 Naracoorte Caves +3 Naracoorte Lucindale Council +3

Plan for at Least Half a Day

To fully experience the caves, allocate at least half a day. There are various tour options available:

Victoria Fossil Cave: An hour-long guided tour through chambers adorned with speleothems, leading to the Fossil Chamber. Here, guides explain the accumulation of bones, excavation techniques, and current research. The Fold +1 naracoortecaves.rezdy.com +1 Alexandra Cave: A 30-minute tour ideal for families, showcasing beautiful chambers and providing insights into the geological processes that formed the caves. Naracoorte Caves +2 Parks SA +2 naracoortecaves.rezdy.com +2 Stick-Tomato Cave: A self-guided walk through two chambers, suitable for all ages. Naracoorte Caves Bat Tour: Observe the activities of resident southern bent-wing bats via infrared cameras in the Bat Observation Centre, followed by a visit to Blanche Cave. Coonawarra Experiences +5 Naracoorte Lucindale Council +5 Naracoorte Caves +5 Seasonal Considerations

It's advisable to visit before May 24 each year, as some caves, like Blanche Cave, may have restricted access during winter months due to bat hibernation.

Booking and Updates

Tours can be booked online through the Naracoorte Caves' official reservation system. For the latest information on tour availability and any seasonal closures, check their official website. Naracoorte Caves +4 Naracoorte Lucindale Council +4 Naracoorte Lucindale Council +4

Additional Amenities

The site offers more than just cave tours:

Wonambi Fossil Centre: Provides a glimpse into the ancient megafauna that once roamed the area. Naracoorte Caves Adventure Caving: For the more adventurous, there are novice and advanced caving experiences. Naracoorte Caves +1 Naracoorte Caves +1 Facilities: Includes a café, picnic areas, and a campground for those wishing to extend their stay. Exploring South Australia +2 Limestone Coast +2 South Australia +2 Whether you're a history enthusiast, nature lover, or just looking for a unique experience, Naracoorte Caves offers a fascinating journey into Australia's...

I have been to many different caves around the world and found the caves I visited here to be underwhelming and overpriced for what there was. Most was sold out by the time we arrived and we had the option to do the self guided stick-tomato cave and then the bat cave tour. We started with tomato, which I recommend not paying for and just walking in; unmonitored, partially closed and takes about 10 minutes (there is no information or anything about cave really so just a Quick Look around). The tour we were more excited about and had been waiting for, especially since we had talked to the ticket sales person about it and how we will be going into the bat cave. Once it started we were led into a room and watched video camera footage on tv screens. After 40 minutes I was wondering if we would even get to see the bat cave. Spoiler alert, we didn’t get to see the bat cave at all and were brought to another cave, Blanche (which would be better if self guided). One woman on the tour asked “sorry if this sounds stupid but where are the bats and when will we see them?” Our guide responded they are in the Bat cave, another cave completely. Why were we sold the bat cave tour when we watched videos on a tv for 40 minutes and walked around a different cave for 20. For 42 dollars, you really didn’t get much. Better off watching a YouTube videos of bats or Planet Earth. Maybe doable for 20 dollars or less. With the amount of money they are raking in you would assume they would keep the buildings up to date, clean off dirt and spiderwebs etc, but they look like they haven’t updated since the 80s. Hopefully they can utilize the money to provide a better...

We visited this place today with some families of mine. It was shocking, disrespectful and disappointing.

The ticket office lady rolled her eyes when we said the kids wanted to do fossil tour. Her voice and facial expressions was like she didn't want kids on tour.

The cafe lady was rude because we asked for hot chips for all the kids and they changed menu so no food for kids. They only served fancy rolls and sandwiches.

They removed the projection show inside the fossil cave.

All acting like the kids are a hindrance. They told us NOT to do the fossil tour.

The caves should be an educational and welcoming place for all visitors. Children should not be treated as a nuisance. As responsible parents, if our children misbehave, we are more than willing to step out, correct their behaviour, and apologise to the other participants.

Visitors often travel long distances and pay a considerable amount for the experience. In return, the site should offer hospitality that supports both its business goals and the preservation of its historical value for future generations.

Unfortunately, the attitude we encountered felt less like education and more like exclusion—particularly toward children.

We do acknowledge that some parents may not supervise or discipline their children appropriately.

To address this, we suggest offering clearly designated "Adults Only" tours. Introducing a "Family Friendly" or "Child Friendly" tour may unintentionally give the impression that poor behaviour is acceptable, so careful wording and expectations would...