Hastings Caves, Dolomite cave system in Tasmania, Australia.
Hastings Caves is a dolomite cave system in Tasmania featuring Newdegate Cave, which extends through multiple chambers filled with natural stone formations. The passages contain stalactites, stalagmites, columns, shawls, straws, and helictites created over thousands of years.
Timber workers discovered the cave system in 1917 while cutting trees near the entrance, marking the first known exploration of the site. The caves were developed as a tourist destination during the 1930s when economic hardship brought interest in new attractions.
The cave complex is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and holds meaning for Aboriginal communities and those who work to protect the land. Today, visitors come here to understand the natural and cultural value of this remote place.
Visitors take guided tours lasting about 45 minutes, navigating 500 stairs with handrails throughout the passages. The temperature stays constant year-round inside the cave, so bring a light layer to adjust comfortably as you walk.
Adjacent to the cave lies a thermal pool maintained at a constant 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) by underground water rising from 600 meters below the surface. This natural heating occurs through geothermal processes happening deep beneath the cave system.
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