Last Updated on 25 October 2024 by Ariana Svenson
One of the ‘must do’ activities in Western Australia is a visit to the Margaret River Caves. These spectacular natural formations are all different and remarkable at the same time. When you visit Margaret River, you should add at least one cave visit to your itinerary.
The area from Busselton to Augusta along the Cape Naturaliste Ridge is one of the most cave-rich areas in Australia, with over 100 caves beneath its surface.
The Caves of Margaret River provide a good range of options for visitors—some are much easier to access than others!
We have also addressed the question of which Cave in Margaret River is best for kids. We have visited the different Caves in Margaret River on different holidays in the area—both with pre-kids and then with children of different ages, stages, and abilities.
Our thoughts and advice on which cave to visit and why are based on our personal experience!
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Which Margaret River Cave is Best for Me?
When you start investigating the caves in the Margaret River region, it can be a bit overwhelming—they all look so amazing! Fortunately, there are some simple guidelines that can reduce your choices a bit.
Location
Where are you staying? The Margaret River region extends from Busselton and Dunsborough in the North right through to Augusta in the South.
In other words, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive from Ngilgi Cave to Jewel Cave, WA, in the south.
This drive is along the winding, picturesque Caves Road, dotted with wineries, art galleries, and lots of things that might just cause you to stop!
Ease of Access
In our experience, all the caves require some physical fitness and ability! Some have ladders, others have sections where you need to crawl, and others have a lot of steps!
For example, walking out of Lake Cave or Mammoth Cave has hundreds of steep steps up.
The Mammoth Cave does have wheelchair accessibility (or a pram) that could be used for the first cavern.
Suitability for Children and Families
As mentioned above, we’ve visited the caves at different ages and stages of the kid’s childhood. A guided tour underground for smaller kids (preschool and early school) will likely be long-winded.
Mine were okay during the short tour at Ngilgi Cave, Western Australia, at 2 and 5, but a little bit fidgety. Later, when they were 7 and 4, we opted for the Mammoth Cave as the most family-friendly cave—more on that later in this post. Oh, and inside the caves, every sound is amplified, so kids’ complaining is louder than ever!
Why Visit the Margaret River Caves?
The caves in Margaret River are both beautiful and fascinating! They are an interesting outing for people of all ages, and we have visited the caves on different occasions with the grandparents, as it captures their interests, too!
Visits to places like the caves are part of our world schooling philosophy – basically, the kids learn as we explore.
How Many Caves Are Open to the Public in Margaret River?
While there are only 7 caves in Margaret River open to the public there are over 100 caves – maybe up to 150 caves along the Cape Naturaliste Ridge. The information differs depending on which source you consult!
The caves are visited in different ways, which range from self-guided tours to full-blown spelunking tours! Did you know that spelunking refers to the hobby of exploring caves!?
Who knows, your kids might love exploring the Margaret River Caves, and they become regular spelunkers!
Margaret River Caves Map
A Review of the 7 Margaret River Caves, North to South
As mentioned above, in our experience, choosing the best cave for your Margaret River visit has much to do with location. To simplify things, we started in the North and traveled south!
1. Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience
Location: 76 Yallingup Caves Rd, Yallingup, WA
Opening Times: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily. Last entry 4:00 PM.
Prices: Adult $32, Child (4-16) $16, seniors $30.
Discovered in 1899, the Ngilgi Cave was the first cave open to tourists and was known as Yallingup Cave. It’s one of the best caves in Margaret River to visit.
It can even be reached via a beautiful walk trail through the forest from the Caves House Hotel.
Pronounced Nil-gee cave, one of the reasons we visited with our kids is that it is semi-guided, which means that after a short tour, you are free to explore on your own.
This 15-minute introductory talk was perfect for learning about the cave’s history and the Dreamtime story of Ngilgi, “the great spirit of the ocean,” who lives within it.
After this talk, the guide remains in the cave, but you are free to explore. We were with Grandpa, who was in his late 70s at the time. He used the handrails and moved slowly.
Find out when the tours leave so you don’t have to wait for the next one. Check here for more information on the Ngilgi Cave Tours.
You can now combine your entrance with the Ngilgi Ancient Lands Experience above ground, which leads to the cave entrance. You’ll learn about the ancient connections to the land and how the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge was formed.
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2. Mammoth Cave, Margaret River
Location: Caves Rd, Forest Grove, WA 6286
Opening Times: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:00 PM).
Tour Prices: You can opt for a self-guided tour or book one. Tour Prices are $25 for adults, $12.50 for Children (4-16), and $23 for Seniors.
We chose Mammoth Cave to visit when our kids were 4 and 7 for two major reasons: it was unguided, meaning we could turn up at whatever time we preferred, and there would be no tour group for the children to disturb.
It is also the easiest of the caves to access. The first cavern is a boardwalk and suitable for wheelchairs and prams. However, to go deeply into the cave, you need to climb many steep stairs.
As Mammoth Cave features self-guided tours, you can take an audio player and headset and listen to different points around the cave. The kids found several of these very interesting, and they worked well for their age and attention level!
One of the interesting things about Mammoth Cave is that it contains ancient fossil remains from Australia’s megafauna. We also enjoyed the pretty walk through the forest on our way out.
3. Lake Cave, Margaret River
Location: Caves Rd &, Conto Rd, Forest Grove
Opening Times: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:00 PM).
Tour Prices: Adults $25, Children (4-16) $12.50, Seniors $23.
I was very excited to visit Lake Cave as the photos show incredible mirrored lakes, which look very beautiful!
Having already done Ngilgi Cave and Mammoth Cave with the kids, Lake Cave was the next we chose to do.
This time, the kids were 9, 7, and 18 months old—and Nanna, in her 70s, came with us. From the moment you begin to descend into the deep sinkhole that is Lake Cave, which is surrounded by beautiful Karri trees, you feel excited. This cave feels like a real adventure!
Lake Cave is the most challenging of the four accessible Margaret River Caves. It’s a whopping 350 steps down – and then back up again. Nanna, in her 70s, was slow but completed it. I was carrying the 18-month-old on my back and was also slow!
Inside the cave, you are rewarded by the magic of the lake—the only permanent lake in a cave in Margaret River. The lake has stunning reflections and some pretty jaw-dropping hanging formations.
The guide did switch the lights off for a full minute, which was amazing! The baby was fine with it—as were the other kids—but you might want to consider whether that will work for your baby.
In the darkness, all the sounds of the cave are enhanced, and it was one of our favorite parts of the tour.
If you have poor health or fitness or very small kids, one of the easier Margaret River Caves might be a better option.
We also enjoyed the Lake Cave Eco Interpretative Centre, which helps people of all ages and abilities learn about cave formation and history.
There is a life-like cave model and replicas of some of the more impressive formations in the Margaret River Caves.
My kids loved the “cave crawl” tunnel and went through it a number of times. Check here for information on the Lake Cave Guided tour.
4. Jewel Cave, Augusta
Location: Jewel Caves Rd, Deepdene, WA
Opening Times: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tour Prices: Tour Prices – Adults $25, Child (4-16) $12.50, Seniors $23.
Most online reviews describe Jewel Cave as the best of the Margaret River Caves. It is the largest cave on display in WA and is also home to one of the longest straw stalactites in Australia.
The three caverns you pass through contain breathtaking crystal formations—this is a very beautiful cave.
There are fewer stairs at Jewel Cave than at Lake Cave or Ngilgi Cave.The only way to visit Jewel Cave is a full guided one-hour tour, which is why we have not yet personally done this cave.
More Adventurous Caves- Margaret River
The next two Margaret River Caves are managed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife and are significantly different (some would say more natural) caving experiences than those offered by the Caveworks group listed above.
5. Calgardup Cave
Location: 7199 Caves Rd, Forest Grove, WA
Opening Times: 9:00 AM – 4:15 PM.
Prices: Adult $19, Concession $12.50, Child $9.50, Family $47.50
Upon arrival at Calgardup Cave, you are supplied with torches and headlamps. The cave is easily accessed on boardwalks with handrails and stairs.
The cave is 27 meters deep and about 300 meters long, so the light diminishes as you go deeper. Though they are not colorful, you can see stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone walls.
There are seats along the way to rest. We went with a small baby, and she was okay in the cave’s depths (she was in a carrier).
Location: Calgardup Caves is located on Caves Road (like the other caves) just south of Bob Hollows Road and just one minute north of Mammoth Cave.
6. Giants Cave, Margaret River
Location: 7769 Caves Rd, Forest Grove, WA
Opening Times: 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Prices: Adult $19, Concession $12.50, Child $9.50, Family $47.50
If you are looking for adventure, Giants Cave might be for you. It’s the deepest cave in Margaret River! You get to experience vertical ladder climbs and rock scrambles, tight spots (where you wiggle through), gigantic chambers, natural cave floor, and constructed walkways for more than half a kilometer in the 86m deep cave.
You are provided with headlamps and equipment at the beginning of the cave experience.
The official information states that children under 6 are not permitted, so this is not for everyone. Having done this cave in my 20s, I remember it was both a physical and mental challenge, and I was pretty glad when I was out on the surface again!
Location: Giants Cave is located 4 minutes’ drive south of Mammoth Cave and 5 minutes south of Calgardup Cave. So, while the caves are located close together, the experiences vary dramatically depending on how the cave is presented.
7. Moondyne Cave
Location: Deepdene WA
Prices: Adults $18. Teenagers $15 (minimum age 13)
Western Australia’s best-known bushranger, Moondyne Joe, discovered this cave in 1881 (before Yallingup Cave!), and it now bears his name. Like Giant Cave, this is an adventure cave!
After a complete cave restoration program, the Moondyne Cave opened for cave awareness tours in 2012.
Visitors are supplied with basic caving equipment, including electric lights (miners’ light), helmets, overalls, and souvenir gloves. Solid walking shoes plus clothes suitable for climbing are recommended.
This wild cave experience has two large chambers. The lower chamber has a crystal pool, while the upper chamber contains many large columns and stalagmites with very long straws.
The Moondyne Cave experience sounds perfect for adrenalin seekers or families with teens who like adventure. It’s definitely on my radar for when the kids get a little older.
How Were the Margaret River Caves Formed?
The Caves of the Margaret River region were created by water dissolving through the young (soft and porous) limestone of the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge.
This same porous limestone creates the beautiful coastal formations that Margaret River and Yallingup are famous for. For example, the beautiful rocks at Canal Rocks and the sublime Sugarloaf Rock (definitely head there for sunset if you can).
While they all might seem like ‘caves’ each of the different caverns have a different story about how they were formed. For example, Ngilgi Cave is a stream cave formed over time by water that wore away the limestone. Or, the Lake Cave was once a massive underground cavern that then collapsed.
When to Visit the Margaret River Caves
The Margaret River caves are great to visit all year round. December- February is the summer season and the busiest time to visit. Temperatures can reach above 30°C, but the caves can be a cool retreat from the outdoor heat.
During winter (June to August), outside temperatures range from 8°C to 18°C. There is more rain, but the caves mostly remain dry.
More Things to Do in the Margaret River Region
If visiting the caves is on your itinerary for a longer stay in Margaret River, we suggest you read our post Things To Do in Margaret River. We also have a useful post on the best Margaret River Farmstays.
Don’t forget Margaret River has some amazing wineries and breweries! Check out our guide to the Best Margaret River Breweries.
If you’re looking for captivating Margaret River hikes and scenic walking trails to enjoy with your family, don’t miss out on our blog post dedicated to just that.
Perhaps you also want to explore the amazing cities around the Margaret River region. We have spent plenty of time in this area and have so much information to offer.
If you are visiting Busselton, read Things To Do In Busselton. Also, our The Best Restaurants In Busselton is a must-read. Additionally, our post on the best wineries and breweries in Brusselton is a great resource as well.
Staying in Busselton? Make sure you read our guide to the best Busselton Caravan Parks and our review of the Beachfront Abbey Resort.
Don’t miss the great cities of Yallingup and Dunsborough! You can find all the best information in our guide to the BEST Things To Do In Yallingup and the Best Things To Do In Dunsborough. Each one is packed with tips and information on the must-see sites, top restaurants, and the best accommodation recommendations.
The Verdict – Which is the Best Margaret River Cave For Me?
There is a lot to do in the Margaret River region, from wineries to breweries, spectacular coastline, white-sand beaches, and vineyards for miles.
Your biggest problem is figuring out what you want to do! That’s why we have worked hard to provide this comprehensive guide to the Caves Margaret River, taking the guesswork out of the question, “Which is the best Margaret River cave for me?”
Have you visited any of these caves – with or without kids? We always appreciate people’s feedback, so please don’t hesitate to drop us a comment below!
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