The Royal Cave is situated within the Buchan Cave Reserve in Victoria’s East Gippsland region. Located 350 kilometres or a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Melbourne the caves are a major attraction in the area. We stayed overnight so that we could explore the area over two days. Accommodation in the area ranges from camping to hotels and house rental.
Access to the caves is only by guided tour which can be booked online. It is recommended that you book ahead as they sell out quickly, especially during long weekends and school holidays. During our visit the caves were undergoing renovations, so we had an abbreviated tour, although we saw most of the formations.
Laid down during the Devonian Period, the limestone that hosts the caves is 300-400 million years old. Buchan Caves were first identified and described for colonial settlers, when in 1840 Stewart Ryrie, Junior, accompanied by an Aboriginal guide and three soldiers, came across caves, during a survey of the area. Mapped in 1910 by Frederick Wilson, Royal Caved opened to visitors in 1913.
The formations are amazing, with our favourite being the calcite rimmed pool because of its beautiful reflections of the surrounding formations. It looks like a grotto or miniature underground city.
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