Ngilgi Cave, Show cave in Yallingup, Western Australia.

Ngilgi Cave is a show cave northeast of Yallingup in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, made up of connected underground chambers and passages. A tall column of stacked, rounded calcite segments rises from the uneven floor, beside a broad mound of rippled flowstone and short stalagmites. A dark metal railing with a wooden top rail runs along a raised walkway above the formations, and thin stalactites hang from the dark brown ceiling.

Edward Dawson came across the cave in 1899 while searching for lost horses on nearby land. He went on to become the site's first regular guide, helping open it to the public in the years that followed.

The cave was renamed Ngilgi in 2000, after a good spirit who defeated the evil spirit Wolgine in battle, a story belonging to the Wardandi people, the custodians of the caves in this area. The name is pronounced Neelgee. Until then it had been called Yallingup Cave, after the nearby town.

Guided tours run throughout the day, so there is no need to plan far in advance, though visiting earlier tends to mean smaller groups. The paths inside are uneven in places, so shoes with a firm sole are a good idea.

Bands of red ancient soil run through the cave walls, pushed into the limestone over long periods by water and pressure. These layers help geologists read the different stages of the cave's formation, almost like pages in a book.