Naracoorte Caves National Park, UNESCO World Heritage caves in Limestone Coast, South Australia.
Naracoorte Caves National Park is a protected area in South Australia containing two dozen limestone caves with impressive underground chambers and natural stone formations. The site spans a large area and offers visitors the opportunity to explore various cave systems and their distinct features.
The caves were first discovered in 1845 and the region was later designated as protected forest. These early conservation efforts eventually led to the establishment of the modern national park, preserving the area for future generations.
The caves hold special meaning for understanding Australia's natural history and draw visitors interested in exploring what lies beneath the surface. People come to walk through these underground spaces and connect with the ancient environment preserved here.
Visitors can walk through several accessible caves daily, with guided tours being the best way to explore the underground features. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and prepare for changing light conditions and different floor surfaces.
The area holds one of Australia's largest collections of remains from extinct animals dating back hundreds of thousands of years, including bones from giant marsupials that once roamed the region. These fossils provide insight into the animals that lived in prehistoric times.
Location: South Australia
Inception: 1994
Elevation above the sea: 70 m
Part of: Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)
GPS coordinates: -37.03611,140.79667
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:03
Caves form through gradual geological processes that can span millions of years. Water dissolves limestone and creates underground chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites, while ice caves in alpine regions maintain their frozen formations even during summer months. Each cave system tells a distinct story about the forces that shaped it, from chemical erosion to tectonic shifts that exposed new rock layers to underground rivers. This collection includes some of the most geologically significant caves on Earth. Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico encompasses more than 30 miles (48 kilometers) of passages filled with mineral formations, while Mammoth Cave in Kentucky extends over 400 miles (650 kilometers) through limestone bedrock. Eisriesenwelt in Austria stretches 26 miles (42 kilometers) and contains ice structures that reform each winter. Reed Flute Cave in Guilin showcases limestone formations that began developing 180 million years ago. Waitomo Caves in New Zealand are home to thousands of glowworms that light the darkness with bioluminescence. Puerto Princesa in the Philippines features an underground river that flows 5 miles (8 kilometers) before reaching the sea. Several caves also preserve human history, including Lascaux in France with its 17,000-year-old paintings. These formations demonstrate how water, ice, and time create underground worlds that reveal both geological and cultural history.
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