Buchan Caves
Buchan is a timber-working township of Est Gippsland in Victoria known for over 300 caves. Not all of these are open to visitors. The main caves or, "The Royal Cave" and "The Fairy Cave" are popular with locals and tourists. The public can take advantage of guided tours most days. Both caves are lit and have man-made walkways for good traction. Royal Cave features calcite-rimmed pools and in Fairy Cave you will see elaborate stalactites and stalagmites. The deep caves are a constant 17 degrees Celcius. Most people find this temperature agreeable year-round.
Buchan is 360km (~4 hours) by car from Melbourne. You might think this sounds far, and you could be right. It all depends on your point of reference and how far you're willing to go to see a spectacular sight. Most cave enthusiasts (also called
"spelunkers") will make this an overnight and visit places like 90 mile beach in Lakes Entrance on the way back.
The ancient caves themselves offer impressive limestone formations. Powerful, underground rivers penetrate limestone rock and erode new caverns, where the limestone itself was formed almost 400 million years ago. If you listen closely, you can hear the water droplets fall and add to new tours. You can witness phases of this very long process. Tour guides will tell you how long it takes to result in rock formations of different lengths and heights. You may underestimate the implications of the nearby calcite-filled pools.
If you choose to listen to one of the locals, you'll learn the newest formations are created by rain water seeping through cracks and dissolving some of the ancient limestone. Ever imagine some of the implications of modern acid rain? Theories can be applied to the current and evolving state of these Buchan Caves. As each droplet of rainwater, rare in itself thesedays in drought, seeps through the roof, it deposits calcite which crystallises in a small ring. This also adds to the calcite pools which shimmer during your walking tour. Listen to the silence and you may pick up subtle nuances of nature. Plan on staying to camp and enjoy the nature park.
