Naracoorte Caves National Park

Naracoorte Caves National Park is South Australia’s only World Heritage site, famous for its incredible fossil-rich limestone caves that unlock secrets of Australia’s prehistoric wildlife. Located near the town of Naracoorte in the Limestone Coast region, this park protects over 20 caves formed over hundreds of thousands of years. Four of these caves are open to the public, offering unforgettable underground experiences. The star attraction is Victoria Fossil Cave, where paleontologists have excavated the fossilized bones of giant marsupials (megafauna) that fell into sinkholes between 200,000 and 500,000 years ago:contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}. On guided tours you can see a vast fossil bed with bones of creatures like the enormous Diprotodon (a rhinoceros-sized wombat relative) and giant kangaroos still embedded in the sediment – a real “window” into the past:contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}. The cave is beautifully lit to also showcase stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones in stunning chambers like the Fossil Chamber and Blanche Cave.

Above ground, the park offers attractions for all ages. Alexandra Cave and Blanche Cave are accessible via guided tour or self-guided experience, revealing delicate cave formations and cathedral-like chambers. Blanche Cave’s entrance area is known for the spectacular evening exodus of bent-wing bats in summer. In fact, Naracoorte’s Bat Cave is home to a large colony of southern bent-wing bats, an endangered species. The park has a one-of-a-kind Bat Observation Centre with infrared cameras set up in the Bat Cave – visitors can watch live footage of thousands of bats roosting by day, and at dusk from September to May, see them stream out of the cave (on screens, or in person at designated viewing points) to feed – a mesmerizing sight especially on warm summer nights.

Facilities and activities: The Wonambi Fossil Centre near the park entrance provides an excellent introduction, with life-sized animatronic models of megafauna recreating a wetlands scene from 200,000 years ago. This interpretive centre, along with the park’s guided tours, earned Naracoorte Caves a reputation as a family-friendly and educational destination. Adjacent to the Fossil Centre is a café, gift shop, picnic area with BBQs and tables, and a playground-sized model of a Diprotodon for kids to climb on. There are also free picnic grounds at the shady Wirreanda Bunker area, and electric BBQs. The park has accessible toilets and baby change facilities at the visitor centre. Camping is available at the park’s campground (with powered and unpowered sites, hot showers, toilets) or you can stay in basic dormitory accommodation onsite. Walking trails explore the above-ground landscapes – the Roof Top Loop Walk (1.5 km) guides you over the caves with interpretive signs, and the longer Wirreanda Trail winds through stringybark forest where you might spot western grey kangaroos, echidnas or native birds. As a conservation area, dogs are not permitted in the caves or on trails. Entry to the park grounds is free, but cave tours and the fossil centre have fees.

Naracoorte Caves offers a unique blend of adventure and science. Whether you’re crawling through the hands-on Stick-Tomato Cave (a self-guided adventure caving experience), marvelling at glistening calcite formations in Alexandra Cave, or watching a half-million-year-old fossil bed in Victoria Cave, you’ll gain a deep appreciation for Australia’s natural history. It’s a must-visit for anyone travelling through the Limestone Coast – especially paired with the nearby Coonawarra wine region and other karst features in the area. Naracoorte Caves National Park truly is a window into an ancient world, right beneath our feet.